Guru (rapper)

Guru

Keith Edward Elam (July 17, 1961 – April 19, 2010), better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The name Guru is a backronym that stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal and the less-often used God is Universal; he is the Ruler Universal, which are both references to the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. He is also known for lending his voice for 8-Ball in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

Biography

Early years

Keith Elam was born in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Harry, was a judge and his mother, Barbara, was the co-director of libraries in the Boston public school system. He attended Noble and Greenough in Dedham, Massachusetts for high school. Elam graduated in business administration from Morehouse College in Atlanta and took graduate classes in the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. He later dropped out to pursue a rap career. Elam worked briefly in social services.

Musical career

Keith Elam began his rap career under the pseudonym, MC Keithy E, but later changed name to Guru. He founded Gang Starr in 1987. The group initially released three records, produced by DJ Mark the 45 King, on the Wild Pitch Records record label but these records received little attention. After a change in line-up, the group now consisting of rapper Elam and DJ Premier, Gang Starr released their first LP No More Mr. Nice Guy on Wild Pitch Records; they achieved a sizable following and released six critically acclaimed and influential albums from 1989 to 2003. Two albums, Moment of Truth (1998) and compilation Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr (1999) were certified gold in the United States by the RIAA. Gang Starr made "archetypal East Coast rap" with Guru's rapping described as sharp eyed but anti-ostentatious.

In 1993, Elam released the first in a series of four solo albums while still a member of Gang Starr. Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 featured collaborations with Donald Byrd, Gritz, N'Dea Davenport, MC Solaar and Roy Ayers and received positive reviews. His second solo LP, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, featured Chaka Khan, Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis and Jamiroquai. The third installment was released in 2000, but received less positive reviews.

In reference to the above mentioned Jazzmatazz project, Elam told Pete Lewis of Blues & Soul: "Back around '93 - when I first came up with the 'Jazzmatazz' concept - I was noticing how a lot of cats were digging in the crates and sampling jazz breaks to make hip hop records. But, while I thought that was cool, I wanted to take it to the next level and actually create a new genre, by getting the actual dudes we were sampling into the studio to jam over hip hop beats with some of the top voclaists of the time. You know, the whole thing was experimental, but I knew it was an idea that would spawn some historic music."

Elam's first solo album not a part the Jazzmatazz series, Baldhead Slick & da Click was released in 2001 to poor reviews. The album reached #22 in the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop album charts. The "seventh chapter in the book of Guru", Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures, was released in 2005 on Elam's record label, 7 Grand Records. The album was produced entirely by labelmate, Solar. It reached #54 on the Billboard R&B albums charts and received mixed reviews.

Elam's final releases were the fourth installment in the Jazzmatazz series, again with production entirely by Solar, released in June 2007, and Guru 8.0: Lost And Found, released May 19, 2009 (also in collaboration with Solar). A Gang Starr reunion album was planned but will never be released due to Guru's death.

Death

On February 28, 2010, Guru went into cardiac arrest and, following surgery, fell into a coma. It was claimed that Guru had briefly awakened from his coma but died on April 19, 2010, at the age of 48, from cancer. Elam was survived by his parents, three siblings and a son, Keith Casim.

Solar claimed that Guru had awakened from his coma though DJ Premier and members of the rapper's family stated that he never regained consciousness from his coma. Guru's family claimed that Solar prevented them from contact with Guru during the latter's final illness. The validity of the death-bed letter has been challenged by Guru's family. In an interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Solar claimed that everything he had said was true and all he ever did was protect Guru. This interview was met by extreme emotion from the hip hop community and did little to clear the controversy surrounding his actions

DJ Premier produced a tribute mix to Guru and has released a public letter along with Guru's sister Patricia Elam. Harry J. Elam, Guru's older brother, wrote a personal memoir in remembrance of his brother, Keith “Guru” Elam, published in The Boston Globe on April 23, 2010. Guru's nephew Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff made a 16-minute documentary, in which he narrates the story of his late uncle. The video can be seen at DJPremierBlog.com.

Discography

Gang Starr albums are listed in the group's main article.

Albums

Album information
Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 Released: May 18, 1993 Billboard 200 chart position: #94 UK chart position: #58 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #15 Singles: "Trust Me", "Loungin'", "No Time To Play" & "Le Bien, Le Mal"
Guru Presents Ill Kid Records Released: 1995 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: -
Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality Released: July 18, 1995 Billboard 200 chart position: #71 UK chart position: #12 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #16 Singles: "Watch What You Say" & "Livin' In This World"
Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul Released: September 26, 2000 Billboard 200 chart position: #32 UK chart position: #74 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #8 UK chart position: #74 Singles: "Keep Your Worries", "Lift Your Fist", "Certified" & "Supa Love"
Baldhead Slick & da Click Released: September 25, 2001 Billboard 200 chart position: #122 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #22 Singles: "Where's Our Money?!/In Here" & "Cry/Pimp Shit"
Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures Released: May 10, 2005 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #54 Singles: "Cave In", "Step In The Arena 2" & "Hood Dreamin"
Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future Released: June 5, 2007 Billboard 200 chart position: N/A R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #45 Singles: "State Of Clarity"
The Timebomb: Back To The Future Mixtape Released: July 31, 2007 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: -
The Best of Guru's Jazzmatazz Released: February 12, 2008 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: -
Guru 8.0: Lost and Found Released: May 19, 2009 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: - Singles: "Divine Rule", "Fastlane", "Ride", "After Time & "No Gimmick Sh*t"

Guest appearances

• 1990: "Jazz Thing" (from the soundtrack of Mo' Better Blues)
• 1991: "Qui Semé Le Vent Recolte Le Tempo (Gang Starr Remix)" (from an MC Solaar 12" single)
• 1992: "It's Getting Hectic" (from the Brand New Heavies album Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1)
• 1993: "Patti Dooke" (from De La Soul album Buhloone Mindstate)
• 1993: "Season For Change" (from the Ronny Jordan album The Quiet Revolution)
• 1993: "Listen (Guru Remix)" (from a Urban Species 12" single)
• 1993: "Stop Lookin' at Me" (In collaboration with The Cutthroats from the soundtrack of Menace II Society)
• 1994: "Borough Check" (from the Digable Planets album Blowout Comb)
• 1994: "I've Lost My Ignorance" (from the Dream Warriors album Subliminal Simulation)
• 1994: "Black Monday" (from the Buckshot LeFonque single "Another Day")
• 1995: "B-Boy Mastermind" (from the DJ Krush album Krush) – This appears on the Japanese import only.
• 1995: "Serious Rap Shit" (from the Group Home album Livin' Proof)
• 1996: "Fed Up (Remix)" (from House of Pain album Truth Crushed to Earth Shall Rise Again)
• 1996: "Listen Here" (from The New Groove: The Blue Note Remix Project)
• 1999: "NY Niggaz" (from the Sway & King Tech album This or That)
• 1999: "The Legacy" (from the Group Home album "A Tear For The Ghetto")
• 1999: "Bare Witness" (from the Choclair album Ice Cold)
• 1999: "Whatever Happened to Gus" (Word to the Drums mix) (from the Medeski Martin & Wood album Combustication Remix EP)
• 2001: "Worst Comes to Worst" (from the Dilated Peoples album Expansion Team)
• 2002: "Karma" (from the Adam F 12" single also featuring Carl Thomas)
• 2003: "Condor (Espionage)" (from the DJ Cam album Soulshine)
• 2003: "Knowledge of Self" (from the BT album Emotional Technology)
• 2005: 5 songs from the Big Shug album Never Say Die
• 2006: "Junk" (from the Ferry Corsten album L.E.F.)
• 2007: "Major Game" (from the Domingo album The Most Underrated)
• 2007: "The Otherside" (from the Slightly Stoopid album "Chronchitis")
• 2008: "Watucamehere 4" (from the Downsyde album All City)

Filmography

• Grand Theft Auto III (2001) as 8-Ball
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) as 8-Ball
• The Substitute 2: School's Out (1998) as Little B.
• Train Ride (2000) as Jay
• 3 A.M. (2001) as Hook-Off
• Urban Massacre (2002) as Cereal Killah
• Kung Faux (2003) as Voice Over/Various
• Who's the Man? (1993) as Martin Lorenzo

External links

• Template:Myspace
• Official Guru's Jazzmatazz site
• Guru at WhoSampled