RIP G.U.R.U., gone but never to be forgotten.
I’ll try to get up an appreciation later but in the meanwhile, check out Matthew Africa’s excellent Gang Starr mix from March.
Update: Here’s my LA Times obit. I took no pleasure in writing it.
GURU: YOU STILL HERE THOUGH
Tags: guru
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GURU: YOU STILL HERE THOUGHApril 20, 2010
[…] 1 votes vote GURU: YOU STILL HERE THOUGH RIP G.U.R.U., gone but never to be forgotten. I’ll try to get up an appreciation later but […]
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GURU was defnitely one of my favorite 5 MCs of all time. As a DJ in Saskatoon SK, Canada, I had the opportunity to open for and introduce GURU several years ago when he played there (2001). I also saw him in Edmonton a few days later and was puzzled by his thug-like behaviour on stage in threatening to kill the soundman. Aside from this minor impropriety, I was a huge Gangstarr fan. WHen GURU rapped, you paid attention and the combination of GURU and Premier was probably the best ever MC Producer/DJ combo. He was the king of the streetwise narrative. I have read several stories related to GURU’s death and they all, except O-Dub’s, claim that GURU was 43 and not 47. I tend to believe a reputable journalist/writer like my man o-Dub on this one. RIP MC Keithy E…
Nice obit, Oliver, and thanks for linking my mix.
If you get around to it, I’d love to read more of your recollections of the 2003 interview that you alluded to on SoulStrut– that sounds like a really special moment.
Matthew, peep.
I’ll never forget seeing Gang Starr on the Jools Holland show for the BBC. They were promoting their Hits collection and, like every Jools show, shared the stage with a wide range of acts that all sat in the round watching each other perform. He and Prem did “Full Clip” and it was excellent, but the memory that popped into my mind when I heard he passed was and the end of the show. The Tex-Mex dance band The Mavericks was playing the final song of the night and the cameras panned to the Guru who was twisting away with Chrissie Hynde, another of the night’s acts. It summed up the inclusive nature of he and his group. Now I’m off to listen to the 4 or 5 remixes of DWYCK that you have dropped on the site.
If anybody embodied the spirit of hip-hop, surely Guru did. I really appreciated his ability to craft clever, powerful, narratives. ‘Soliloquy of Chaos’ is a personal favourite.
agreed with all above. saw them in dublin in 93. Jeru in support. GURU mingled w/the crowd beofre the gig – i commiserated w/him as it had been reported that he had had a house fire and lost a shit load of vinyl. he took me up wrong and, well, fonted on me. i was pissing myself. he then strted laughing and walked away. still laugh about that now.
No shame in my game – one of the top ten hip-hop tracks of all time.
RIP Guru. Just heard the tribute on NPR to GURU, job well done!