The Watts Prophets
Encyclopedia
The Watts Prophets are a group of musician
s and poet
s from Watts, Los Angeles, California
. Like their contemporaries, The Last Poets
, the group combined elements of jazz music and spoken word performance, making the trio one that is often seen as a forerunner of contemporary hip hop music
. Formed in 1967, the group comprises Richard Dedeaux, Father Amde Hamilton (born Anthony Hamilton), and Otis O'Solomon
(also billed as Otis O'Solomon Smith)
, an organization created by Budd Schulberg
in the wake of the Watts Riots
, as the African American
civil rights movement was beginning to take a new cultural turn. Fusing music with jazz
and funk
roots with a rapid-fire, spoken word sound, they created a sound that gave them a considerable local following, but little commercial success. They released two albums, 1969's The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts and 1971's Rappin' Black in a White World, which established a strong tendency toward social commentary and a reputation for militancy. Despite considerable acclaim, the group was unable to secure another record deal; a promising deal with Bob Marley's
Tuff Gong
label famously fell through. Unable to sustain success, the group has performed only sporadically since the mid-1970s.
In recent years, the group's profile has improved somewhat. In the late 1990s the Watts Prophets signed with David Lieberman Artists' Representatives
(dlartists.com) to handle their exclusive booking engagements around the world. The 1997 recording, When the 90's Came, found them in the studio with pianist Horace Tapscott
, and a European tour reunited the trio with former collaborator DeeDee McNeil. In 2005, Things Gonna Get Greater: The Watts Prophets 1969-1971 combined the group's first two efforts, bringing them back into print for the first time in more than a decade.
Amde Hamilton, who is a priest of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
, can be seen performing a spoken word piece at the 1981 funeral service of Bob Marley
in Jamaica in the 1982 film Land of Look Behind
.
In 1994, the group appeared on the Red Hot Organization
's compilation CD, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool, appearing on a track titled "Apprehension" alongside Don Cherry
. The album, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in African American society was named "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
s from Watts, Los Angeles, California
Watts, Los Angeles, California
Watts is a mostly residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Watts is located on the Rancho La Tajauta Mexican land grant...
. Like their contemporaries, The Last Poets
The Last Poets
The Last Poets is a group of poets and musicians who arose from the late 1960s African American civil rights movement's black nationalist thread...
, the group combined elements of jazz music and spoken word performance, making the trio one that is often seen as a forerunner of contemporary hip hop music
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
. Formed in 1967, the group comprises Richard Dedeaux, Father Amde Hamilton (born Anthony Hamilton), and Otis O'Solomon
Otis O'Solomon
Otis O'Solomon is an American poet and original member of the Watts Prophets, a pioneering trio of poets that emerged out of the Watts Writers Workshop in the wake of the Watts Riots, often cited as forerunners of contemporary hip hop music...
(also billed as Otis O'Solomon Smith)
History
Hamilton, O'Solomon, and Dedeaux first met and collaborated at the Watts Writers WorkshopWatts Writers Workshop
The Watts Writers Workshop was a creative writing group initiated by screenwriter Budd Schulberg in the wake of the devastating 1965 Watts Riots in South Central Los Angeles . The group was composed primarily of young African Americans in Watts and the surrounding neighborhoods...
, an organization created by Budd Schulberg
Budd Schulberg
Budd Schulberg was an American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer. He was known for his 1941 novel, What Makes Sammy Run?, his 1947 novel The Harder They Fall, his 1954 Academy-award-winning screenplay for On the Waterfront, and his 1957 screenplay for A Face in the...
in the wake of the Watts Riots
Watts Riots
The Watts Riots or the Watts Rebellion was a civil disturbance in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, California from August 11 to August 15, 1965. The 5-day riot resulted in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, and 3,438 arrests...
, as the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
civil rights movement was beginning to take a new cultural turn. Fusing music with jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
roots with a rapid-fire, spoken word sound, they created a sound that gave them a considerable local following, but little commercial success. They released two albums, 1969's The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts and 1971's Rappin' Black in a White World, which established a strong tendency toward social commentary and a reputation for militancy. Despite considerable acclaim, the group was unable to secure another record deal; a promising deal with Bob Marley's
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong is a record label that was formed by the reggae group The Wailers in 1970 and named after Bob Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard "The Gong" Howell. The first single on the label was "Run For Cover" by The Wailers...
label famously fell through. Unable to sustain success, the group has performed only sporadically since the mid-1970s.
In recent years, the group's profile has improved somewhat. In the late 1990s the Watts Prophets signed with David Lieberman Artists' Representatives
David Lieberman Artists' Representatives
David Lieberman/Artists’ Representatives is a performing arts management agency located in Newport Beach, California. DLAR was founded in 1985 with the goal of supporting artistic expression in the creation of live performance experiences...
(dlartists.com) to handle their exclusive booking engagements around the world. The 1997 recording, When the 90's Came, found them in the studio with pianist Horace Tapscott
Horace Tapscott
Horace Tapscott was an American jazz pianist and composer. He formed the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra in 1961 and led the ensemble through the 1990s...
, and a European tour reunited the trio with former collaborator DeeDee McNeil. In 2005, Things Gonna Get Greater: The Watts Prophets 1969-1971 combined the group's first two efforts, bringing them back into print for the first time in more than a decade.
Amde Hamilton, who is a priest of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the predominant Oriental Orthodox Christian church in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Church was administratively part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All...
, can be seen performing a spoken word piece at the 1981 funeral service of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
in Jamaica in the 1982 film Land of Look Behind
Land of Look Behind
Land of Look Behind is a 1982 documentary film about Jamaica. It was filmed in May and June of 1981 by Alan Greenberg, and was the director's first film. The film's cinematographer was Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein, an associate of Werner Herzog. The musical score is by K. Leimer.The film begins with...
.
In 1994, the group appeared on the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
's compilation CD, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool, appearing on a track titled "Apprehension" alongside Don Cherry
Don Cherry
Don Cherry may refer to:* Don Cherry hockey player, coach, and commentator* Don Cherry , trumpeter* Don Cherry...
. The album, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in African American society was named "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.
Discography
- 1969 - The Black Voices: On the Streets in Watts
- 1971 - Rappin' Black in a White World
- 1997 - When the 90's Came
- 2005 - Things Gonna Get Greater: The Watts Prophets 1969-1971 (compilation)
External links
- [ Allmusic bio]
- Citypaper article, Major Jackson
- Artist's bio, David Lieberman Artists' RepresentativesDavid Lieberman Artists' RepresentativesDavid Lieberman/Artists’ Representatives is a performing arts management agency located in Newport Beach, California. DLAR was founded in 1985 with the goal of supporting artistic expression in the creation of live performance experiences...
- Amde Hamilton page