Riverside Church Holds Memorial Service For Hip-Hop Pioneer
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Crowds gathered Thursday to remember a Manhattan artist whose words influenced the beat of a generation.
A memorial service was held at Riverside Church for writer-poet-musician Gil Scott-Heron.
The hip-hop pioneer died last week at the age of 62.
Among the attendees was artist Kanye West, seen above, who collaborated with Scott-Heron on several recent projects.
Mourners said Scott-Heron's influence went beyond mere music.
"His understanding of social and political issues and how you could take that and put it into a poetic, lyrical, musical form, no one did it better," said one attendee. "He was absolutely peerless, matchless as a performer and an interpreter, a commenter on our times."
"His music was a message to me about what was going on then and it's relevant today," said another.
A public viewing will be held Friday at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home on East 81st Street, followed by a private funeral service on Saturday.