Guru, founder of the hip-hop group Gang Starr, died April 19th at the age of 43 due to complications from his cancer illness.
Guru, which stands for "Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal," was born as Keith Elam near Boston. Later, he moved to New York and began his career, in 1987, with the creation of Gang Starr, a hip-hop duo that came to consist of himself and DJ/producer, DJ Premier. Known for fusing jazz and hip-hop, the group gained success in the early 1990s with the classic albums, Step in the Arena and Daily Operation. Their first hit was "Words I Manifest," which samples, "A Night in Tunisia" by Miles Davis and Charlie Parker. Their track, "Jazz Thing," marked the birth of the sound that is referred to as "jazz rap."
The group released a total of five albums, although Guru launched individual projects. In 1993, he released his first solo effort, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. Next, he presented Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, which was followed by two additional volumes. He also released Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures and Guru 8.0: Lost and Found.
In 2005, Guru revealed that Gang Starr had not ended, but had broken up. So, despite much public interest, there would not be a reunion for the group.
In his career, Guru worked with an array of musicians, such as Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, and Isaac Hayes. Holding a signature tone that was leveled and intellectual, his rap style was deemed highly influential.
Guru was a graduate of Morehouse College.
