The musician and writer Gil Scott Heron liked to be known as a “bluesologist,” though he’s often called the “Godfather of Rap” due to his influence over rap music. He was HIV positive, and struggled for many years with drug addiction. Author and filmmaker MK Asante, who dedicated his first book, “Like Water Off My Back,” to Gil Scott-Heron, talks with The Takeaway. And Jackson Allers, a music journalist who worked with Scott-Heron, remembers the musician.

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“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.