Gil Scott-Heron changed my life – and his humane message still resonates

The godfather of rap' is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this week alongside Jay Z and LL Cool J, and remains an inspiration for how he lifted up the downtrodden

In 1986, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was being inaugurated in Cleveland, Ohio, I was touring Europe with the artist, poet, author and civil rights activist Gil Scott-Heron. At that time, you wouldn't have readily associated someone like Gil with the term rock'n'roll. In fact, people were struggling to find any genre name that could encapsulate this urban griot's unique and diverse repertoire. Gil would often joke that if you wanted to find his music in the record store, look for a category that says miscellaneous"; true innovators don't fit into established genres but create them.

Nevertheless, Gil is being inducted this year, a mark of how the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has diversified and incorporated other musical forms, including hip-hop. Public Enemy were inducted in 2013 and this year Jay-Z and LL Cool J will join the ranks along with Gil.