R.I.P. GURU

Rest in Peace to the Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal - love goes out to the family & close friends of the Boston-bread/Brooklyn-raised rap icon Keith Elam aka GURU of the Legendary Gangstarr foundation.

I remember purchasing their 2nd LP 'Step in the Arena' on cassette tape with my own loot at the age of 10, and doing the Bart-Man all the way out of Sam the Record Man's like I had just copped the realness. and I did. Shit was REAL. I remember that album changing the way I thought about music, it so did - it was '91 and I had NEVER heard shit like it. Rap had become my shit since first hearing Larry Smith with Whodini in the mid 80's - and I know that dates me - but Prem & Guru quickly became my shit with that record, and every Gangstarr record that followed, they never disappointed. Peace to Brand Nubian in '91 too, great year, started penning my own raps that year overtop Prem & Guru.

Shouts to my Ma for sorta putting me on to Gangstarr inadvertently, she new the biz, well. And shouts to my Pop for checking them Live with me at an outdoor music festival in like '95/'96 I think.

This is a loss we should not let fade.
GANGSTARR FOREVER.

R.I.P. GURU

1966 - 2010