CHICKEN AND POETRY :
The Last Poets, truly became a force to reckon with once they moved into the East Wind. Not only did the Poets use the loft for rehearsals and recitals, but for workshops in creative writing, political science and Ritual Drama (conducted by Barbera Ann Teer) Even though there was a religious air permeating the entire place, it did not seem sacriligious to have parties and sell chicken and potato salad.
This was one of the more lucrative means of paying the rent for the East Wind. Because this was the home of The Last Poets, it was understood that at some point during the evening the music would be turned off and the Poets would take to the stage. This was actually the featured attraction of all the East Wind parties.
Much of the true fame of this exciting group, came as a result of working consistently out of the East Wind. During the heated sixties, it was good to know that one could go to a cultural center (in uptown Harlem) and hear some first rate poetry, jazz, Black folk music.
Sometimes there would be young comedians, like Jimmy Walker (J.J. of the "Good Times" television show) who would try out their revolutionary jokes on the always crowd of brothers and sisters. The first group of the Last Poets, was interrupted by David Nelson's departure.
David was replaced by a young fiery Black Puetro Rican named Felipe Luciano, who added still another dimension to the group. Felip could sing, and he was also very charismatic. This particular group enjoyed traveling more than the previous one. Ohio, Massachusetts and Oklahoma, were a few of the standout places visited.
Felipe, Abiodun (Charles Davis) Kain, Nilija and Olumide (Russell Pitchford) made up the core of the Last Poets during this period.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES :
It is necessary to mention some of the poetry created during the first reign of The Last Poets.
David had written a lot of tender poems. Kain once referred to David as the true poet of the group. Poems like: "Black Woman, I want to create a world for you Black woman, where our children can bathe in gentle streams."
There was sensitivity and strength in David's work. This was characterized by his poem "Today Is a Killer."
A poem immortalized by Nina Simone on her album "Emergency Ward." Abiodun was the student-poet. He was talented but he was learning from David and Kain. Even though he contributed an equal amount of poetry, his real contribution came in his performing.
He was the only true singer in the poets, but as time move on, Abiodun became known as a powerful poet.
A few crowd favorites were "Run Nigger" and "New York, New York, the Big Apple." Kain was the preacher. His poetry and style of delivery could cause people to shudder.
Besides his natural ability to perform he wrote awesome poetry.
His images, metaphors and similes, were weapons Kain used to attack the system. One of Kain's classic lines: "Whiteytakes a small piece of wood and carves a shoe out of it, Nigger's take their big feet screaming like hell all the way in."
Felipe was the politician of the group. His poetry was a direct reflection of his political consciousness. One of Felipe's classic poems was "Rifle Prayer" and cry and I shoot, I cry and I shoot".
In March of 1969, the first reign of the Last Poets came to a close. David had been gone since the fall of 1968, and now Kain was pulling out. Felipe followed Kain, and this left only Abiodun, Nilija and Olumide, the business manager. Abiodun replaced Kain, and Felipe with Umar Bin Hassan and Jalaluddin.