RIP Guru

For hip hop heads, the image of these two legends alone signifies all that is hip hop. The MC, the DJ. Turntable wizardy and streetwise poetry. DJ Premier and Guru. And on April 19, 2010 hip hop lost a legend. The void left by Keith Elam aka Guru (Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal) felt like a huge rift through the fabric of hip hop. And of course to me personally.

Guru was a mans rapper. Wise, mature, smooth, slick, intelligent, thoughtful, tough, smart and very creative Gang Starr brought the jazzy sound to hip hop and with Guru's brilliant and revolutionary Jazzmattaz series he blurred the lines even further by bringing in famous live jazz musicians such as Branford Marsalis and Donald Byrd. Guru always sounded like the rapper you would hear in a smokey jazz club, with his deep voice and wise words. Not too mention just how much influence Gang Starr had on anything and everything NYC hip hop in the 90's.

I've owned everything the man has ever touched from Step in the Arena to the Ownerz. Guru has always spoken to me and always delivered a positive and conscious message and its one I frequently turned to. Today we here at Dirty Moves take a break from our regularly scheduled program to pay tribute to an absolute legend in hip hop and my personal favorite MC. Guru is above the clouds now. RIP Guru. I had a real hard time choosing just six tracks but I wanted to get some variety, some old and new and not pick too many obvious choices.

First up is Moment of Truth. I've always considered this one of the best lyrical performances of all time. Deep, honest, truthful, memorable and passionate. We all must meet our moment of truth.

Gang Starr - Moment of Truth

Second is two jazzier cuts. First is Jazz Thing off the very first Gang Starr album No More Mr. Nice Guy in the late 80's. This track is just dope and pays great tribute to some of the great black artists in jazz music. Second is off Guru's Jazzmattaz project, a track with jazz legend Donald Byrd called Loungin'. Byrd and Guru combine perfectly talking about the similarities between hip hop and jazz and creating a wicked chill dope track.

Gang Starr - Jazz Thing
Guru - Loungin (Ft. Donald Byrd)

This track is a gem off Guru's last album before he passed. He probably knew he was diagnosed with a malignant strand of cancer, and just drops some heartfelt honesty. Giving his best years to someone else to family. Sacrificing his own needs and giving all his best to someone else. Man's words right there.

Guru - Best of My Yearz

Lastly, we got a couple classics. Guru was always a great "battle" rapper just coming up with great one liner after great one liner. You Know My Steez is like the definition of hip hop. If someone hasn't heard hip hop and wants to know everything its about and stands for, just slap down this track. The rhymes here are so sick and classic and those last few bars are just scorching and well, classic. The last pick is one that isn't as popular, but I have just always loved. Flip the Script is so damned minimal. The beat is so minimal and simplistic and still just SICK and Guru is just spitting classic one liner after classic one liner. Fetchin my slippers always cracks me up.

Gang Starr - You Know My Steez
Gang Starr - Flip The Script

As you can tell I could go on all day. So I'm going to stop here. RIP Guru, you will be missed dearly.

Paying Tribute,

Mike

GMGN