Scared of Revolution

Scared of Revolution is a gripping documentary film by director Daniel Krikke that premiered in 2018. The film paints a vivid portrait of Umar Bin Hassan, a member of The Last Poets, an influential group that laid the groundwork for hip-hop in the late 1960s and '70s. The film highlights Hassan's journey as a poet, his struggles, psychological battles, and his fight towards redemption. It's a movie that manages to pull off being a biographical and sociocultural dive into the history and evolution of spoken word revolution, all the while staying focused on Hassan’s personal battle.

Hassan is a talented wordsmith who has battled personal demons. His upbringing in the slums of Akron, Ohio, gave birth to a person and poet who had experienced the menacing face of life at a young age. The film doesn't shy away from documenting Hassan's struggles with addiction and his problems in being a responsible father - these elements aim to humanize Hassan and they add an extra layer of emotional depth to the narrative of the movie.

The movie offers a kind of catharsis as we journey with Hassan on his path to come to terms with his past and seek a future where he's not just a poet, but a better father, and overall, a better man. The film thus morphs into an emotional exploration of Hassan's life beyond the stage, the mic, and the performance.

"Scared of Revolution" is not just about Hassan, however. Through him, it reflects on the cultural influence of The Last Poets, an artistic ensemble that combined poetry, music, and theatrics to communicate their Afroamerican, socially-conscious messages at a time when the American socio-economic landscape was rapidly changing. The Last Poets, co-founded by Hassan and fellow member Abiodun Oyewole, in many ways birthed the spoken word genre. They made it a potent tool for socio-political discourse during the civil rights movement when America was wading through a tumultuous time- a fact that lends a historical weight to the film.

One of the film’s strengths is that it offers glimpses to the notable figures that were influenced by The Last Poets. Among these icons is cultural critic Bill Adler, who has worked as a publicist for prominent hip hop artists, adds to the narrative by elucidating Hassan’s influence on the hip-hop world. Adler's perspective gives viewers an in-depth view of The Last Poets' legacy and how it shaped a cultural revolution in hip hop, eventually bridging generations of artists.

Director Daniel Krikke takes the audience on a stimulating journey while skillfully balancing Hassan's personal challenges, his rehabilitative efforts, and the considerable mark he and The Last Poets have left on American pop culture. The documentary admirably manages to be hard-hitting and raw when it needs to be, yet sensitive and thoughtful when exploring Hassan's personal struggles.

The cinematography elegantly captures various stages of Hassan's life and career. There are moments of electrifying spoken word performances against the backdrop of socio-political upheaval, followed by intimate scenes from Hassan's personal life. Together, these contrasts create a narrative that’s both inspiring and heartbreaking, a testament to the human spirit and its ability to struggle for change and redemption.

In essence, Scared of Revolution is a comprehensive exploration of one man's life, a story of redemption in an ocean of personal and socio-political struggle, and an applause-worthy tribute to a group that pioneered a genre. The film is not just a must-watch for fans of The Last Poets or spoken word enthusiasts, but for anyone interested in finding out more about the historical notes behind modern hip-hop. Through painful histories and powerful poetry, the film maps the transformative journey of Umar Bin Hassan, revealing a man who is not only scared of the revolution but also perpetually in the middle of one.