The Last Poets (album)  

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The Last Poets is the debut spoken word album, released in 1970, by The Last Poets.

The song "Wake Up, Niggers" is featured on the Performance soundtrack album, also released in 1970.

Critical reception

Robert Christgau wrote of the group and the album in his 1970 column for The Village Voice:

"A few weeks ago I saw an incredible performance at the Apollo by a group comprising two shouting poets and an Afro-percussionist, the first time I'd ever really dug on the 'jazz poetry' idea. The recorded version, on Douglas, is a hot seller (over 350,000) and highly recommended; acerbic and exciting and as politically uncompromising as anything ever recorded. Name of group and record: The Last Poets. Frightening and beautiful."

Track listing

1. "Run, Nigger" (Abiodun Oyewole) – 1:14
2. "On the Subway" (Alafía Pudím) – 1:33
3. "Niggers Are Scared of Revolution" (Omar Ben Hassen) – 5:16
4. "Black Thighs" (Hassen) – 1:31
5. "Gashman" (Oyewole) – 2:45
6. "Wake Up, Niggers" (Pudim) – 2:49
7. "New York, New York" (Oyewole) – 3:36
8. "Jones Comin' Down" (Pudim) – 2:51
9. "Just Because" (Oyewole) – 2:31
10. "Black Wish" (Hassen) – 1:34
11. "When the Revolution Comes" (Hassen) – 1:47
12. "Two Little Boys" (Oyewole) – 1:51
13. "Surprises" (Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin, Pudim) – 2:09

Personnel

• Abiodun Oyewole — poet
• Omar Ben Hassen — poet
• Jalal Mansur Nuriddin — poet
• Nilaja — percussion
• Robert Honablue — audio engineer