Gil Scott-Heron, a poet and singer whose best known work is perhaps "The Revolution Will Not be Televised," died at the age of 62 on Friday, according to reports.

He died on Friday at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan the New York Times reported, citing a twitter posting from his publisher Jamie Byng and a representative from his record label, XL.



The cause of death was not immediately known.

"The Revolution Will Not be Televised" piece first released in 1970 and made to accompanying perscussion instruments, made allusions to various television commercials, media events, of the time and said "the revolution" would be a participatory, not merely a matter of observation.

"You will not be able to say home, brother. You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out," he said. The piece was filled with then-current day events and commercial jingles which may have lost relevance in the last 40 years, although its themes of police violence, hope and allusions to television culture are still relevant today.

The piece reflected on police shootings, saying "there would be no pictures of pigs shooting down brothers in instant replay," and that "Black people will be in the street looking for a brighter day."

He said there will be "no highlights on the eleven o'clock news' or "be right back after a message" or "be no re-run."

"The revolution will be live," he said

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