An Egyptian poet who supported the 2011 uprising that toppled the Mubarak regime and was known as the “poet of the people” for his political verse in colloquial Arabic has died aged 84.

Ahmed Fouad Negm’s verse reflected key moments in Egypt’s history, including defeat at the hands of Israel in 1967, the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and the regime of Hosni Mubarak.

"We are a society that only cares about the hungry when they are voters and only cares about the naked when they are women," he once said, suggesting that people care more about "morality" than ensuring everyone can afford clothes.

Negm became famous in the 1970s and the 1980s when his poetry was sung by blind musician Sheik Imam Issa who played the oud, a lute-like Arabic instrument. The duo, who mostly performed in popular coffee houses and to university students, inspired generations of youth aspiring for change. Negm took jobs as a domestic worker and a postal worker, and was jailed for his views under the rule of former presidents Nasser and Sadat. "I am not a humble person and I am not stupid; I know I am a poet that has affected this nation," he told an interviewer.

According to a report in the Guardian, Negm's lifestyle matched his satirical verse, immersed in the language of the poor, and including expletives and obscene puns. He wore a galabiya, a flowing Egyptian robe, at all times. His last home was a small flat in a social housing block given to him by the authorities when he lost his home in a 1992 earthquake.

He often said that fame did not tempt him to be seduced by offers of money or perks. "No one can co-opt or seduce him, because I want nothing – I have all I want here," he said during an interview in his flat.