The Watts Prophets, renowned hip-hop poetry and jazz spoken word trio, will perform at the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday October 28. The event is free and open to the public.
The Watts Prophets Richard Dedeaux, Anthony "Amde" Hamilton, and Otis O'Solomon, joined forces in 1967 at Watts Writers Workshop, established two years after the Watts Riots as a creative outlet for social activism. Sages of wisdom, the Watts Prophets provided the roots of rap, and today keep the Workshop's healing legacy alive, bringing poetry and a positive message to audiences across the country.
Over the years, the Watts Prophets have collaborated with jazz greats Don Cherry, Ornett Coleman, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Higgins, and Quincy Jones. Recognized as the progenitors of West Coast rap, their early albums of explosive social commentary were "In the Streets of Watts" (1970) and "Rappin' Black In a White World" (1971). They have recently released a new album "When the '90s Came (1997)," and toured with Ben Harper. Dedeaux, Hamilton, and O'Solomon have lived and created in Los Angeles for more than 30 years.
Their performance is sponsored by the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum and Dean of Students Office. For reservations and additional information, contact the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum at (909) 621-8244, email athenaeum@claremontmckenna.edu, or visit http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/mmca.