• Track Listing

2018 release. On the 50th anniversary of the band's inception, influential spoken word artists, poets and commentators The Last Poets have made a glorious and relevant return with their first album in over 20 years. Understand What Black Is speaks of a revolutionary struggle defined by both race and identity, that has never sounded more relevant. The group secured a legacy with seminal early records that came to be regarded as important influences on early hip hop, helping to pave the way for many socially committed emcees. Into the '90s, their tracks were sampled by Biggie, NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. While they remained largely on hiatus, original members Umar bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole committed to recording new material in 2016. The strong and contemporized voices of The Last Poets is aided by the UK production duo of Ben Lamdin (Nostaglia 77) and Prince Fatty, known for their work in acid jazz, reggae and dub productions.