Things Gonna Get Greater: The Watts Prophets 1969-1971

Product Description
The West Coast's answer to The Last Poets, The Watts Prophets played an integral part in the raising of black consciousness and laying the foundations for rap. Formed at the Watts Writer's Workshop, Anthony "Amde" Hamilton, Otis O'Solomon, and Richard Dedeaux began performing together as Watts Prophets, setting their socially and politically conscious poetry to spare, often jazzy musical backing. They made high-profile guest appearances on Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key of Life and Quincy Jones' Mellow Madness. And were later the subject of an Emmy-nominated documentary, Victory Will Be My Moan. In 1969, the group debuted with The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts and, two years later, followed with Rappin' Black in a White World, which featured accompaniment by ex-Motown songwriter/pianist DeeDee McNeil. The radical, incendiary tone of their work fit right in with the emerging black power movement and attracted unfavorable notice from the government, with the home of the Watts Writers Project being destroyed by fire in 1975 after having been infiltrated by an FBI informant. Throughout the years, they've remained sporadically active as performers, and were rediscovered by the hip-hop generation as their records were sampled frequently by many hip-hop artists including Ice Cube, Digable Planets, and Coolio. The Watts Prophets remain dedicated community activists today, promoting creative self-expression and the arts to young people around Southern California and beyond. Two bonus tracks. Deluxe Arigato Pak! Water Records. 2005.

Tracks:

Sell Your Soul
Take It
Instruction
Amerikka
Dem Niggers Ain't Playing
Pain
What Is A Man
A Pimp
Tenements
The Master
Hello Niggers
There's A Difference Between A Black Man and A Nigger
What It Is, Sisters
Everybody Watches
Watch Out Black Folds
The Prostitute
Fucked
Celebration
What Color Is Black
Black In A White World
Listen
Part-E, S
Black Pussy
Kill
They Shot Him
Falstaff
Pimping, Leaning, and Feaning
Keeping You Doing Things
The Meek Ain't Gonna
The Days, The Hours
Taste
We Must Love Black People
I'll Stop Calling You Niggers
Saint America
Nearer My God To Thee
Clowns All Around
Response To A Bourgeois Nigger
Things Gonna Get Greater Later
Trees And Del Prodo's
Pledge Of Allegiance?

Album Description

The West Coast's answer to The Last Poets, The Watts Prophets played an integral part in the raising of black consciousness and laying the foundations for rap. Formed at the Watts Writer's Workshop, Anthony "Amde" Hamilton, Otis O'Solomon, and Richard Dedeaux began performing together as Watts Prophets, setting their socially and politically conscious poetry to spare, often jazzy musical backing. They made high-profile guest appearances on Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key of Life and Quincy Jones' Mellow Madness. And were later the subject of an Emmy-nominated documentary, Victory Will Be My Moan. In 1969, the group debuted with The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts and, two years later, followed with Rappin' Black in a White World, which featured accompaniment by ex-Motown songwriter/pianist DeeDee McNeil. The radical, incendiary tone of their work fit right in with the emerging black power movement and attracted unfavorable notice from the government, with the home of the Watts Writers Project being destroyed by fire in 1975 after having been infiltrated by an FBI informant. Throughout the years, they've remained sporadically active as performers, and were rediscovered by the hip-hop generation as their records were sampled frequently by many hip-hop artists including Ice Cube, Digable Planets, and Coolio. The Watts Prophets remain dedicated community activists today, promoting creative self-expression and the arts to young people around Southern California and beyond. Two bonus tracks. Deluxe Arigato Pak! Water Records. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

The Originals..........2005-12-06

The Watts Prophets were revolutionary. This CD consists of their first two albums "The Black Voices: On The Street In Watts", and the classic "Rappin' Black In a White World". Its great having both these releases on one disc since neither one is currently in print. For those that don't want to pay ridiculous prices for used copies this is a more than worthwhile purchase. The package itself is well done too: the booklet is glossy and contains many photos as well as informative liner notes on the history of the group. The raps here are definitely not for the faint of heart: the Prophets don't pull any punches in describing the state of black America in the late 60's and early 70's. It is this intensity that makes their poems so potent whether you are reading them or listening to the group. The Prophets dealt in truth and didn't gloss anything over, and while the directness of their raps may unsettle some, sometimes the truth hurts. Their message on both albums is made that much more direct by the minimal accompaniment and percussion, the majority of the raps are spoken word. Songs like the "What Is A Man" suite on which Dee Dee McNeil sings and plays piano are very powerful and stand out due to the instrumental accompaniment. For those interested in their work, check out their most recent work "When The 90's Came", which contains an updated version of the rap "Everybody Watches" from the "Rappin' Black" album. The Watts Prophets laid the groundwork for all the rappers that came after them, and if you are interested in the roots of today's hip hop this should be an essential purchase.

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