4/19/2010 Guru Dead At 43
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Gang Starr Member and Legendary Hip Hop Artist Guru Dies at Age 43 (04-19-2010)
The legendary rapper succumbed to cancer on Monday the 19th of April after suffering a heart attack last month.
The talented and gifted hip-hop MC known as Guru, an acronym for “Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal”, died Monday at age 43. A letter reportedly written by the rapper was released Monday by his current collaborator, the DJ and producer Solar. In it he says: “I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options. I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.”
born Keith Elam, rapper Guru founded Gang Starr in 1966 in Boston, Mass. One of the key groups during hip-hop’s “Golden Age” of the late ’80s and early ’90s. With Texas-born Chris Martin, aka DJ Premier, Guru brought a laid-back smooth flow and intellectual lyrics that distinguished the duo from other classic East Coast combos such as Public Enemy. Guru had moved to New York in 1983, then the epicenter of hip-hop, and with Premier created the signature Gang Starr track “Jazz Music,” which appeared on the duo’s 1989 debut album, “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
Guru’s death-bed statement referred to Solar as “my loyal best friend, partner and brother,” and pointedly excluded Premier: “I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ.”
- Update 04-22-2010
Guru’s Sister: “He Never Regained Consciousness”
Recently Guru’s sister released a statement regarding circumstances surrounding her brothers death. She stated that while he was in the hospital, following his heart attack, that he was in a coma the whole time and never regained consciousness. If that is true then you must ask how was he able to release the statement reportedly given to Solar before his death. Many are speculating that Solar forged Guru’s Last Words.
Guru’s sister, Patricia Elam, released a statement to The Source today that gives credence to those who question the legitimacy of Guru’s alleged final letter to his fans and are alarmed by all of the conflicting information that’s been publicly released. In it she states: “The Elam family wishes to thank the fans of our son/brother/father uncle/nephew/cousin Keith aka GURU for the outpouring of love, concern and support. Our hearts are broken by the loss of someone we loved so much. GURU was devoted to his young son, who will most keenly feel his absence. GURU suffered from multiple myeloma for over a year. Accrued complications from this illness led to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. As a result, GURU was in a coma from mid February until his death and never regained consciousness. Early on the morning of April 19th, he became hypertensive due to low blood pressure. He again went into cardiac arrest and slipped away from us.”
Did Producer Solar Fake Rapper Guru’s Deathbed Letter?
The letter published on Allhiphop.com began respectfully enough so as not to raise any questions about its legitimacy:
“I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.”
The letter continues and informs us of an aleged non-profit foundation for abused children, and that he was filled with tears of joy for the wonderful life that he lived.
Then the note takes an ugly turn which is where most of the speculation comes from. Rather than focusing on his legacy as an artist and reflecting on the life that he has lived it seems to turn into an endorsement for producer Solar. It also says some hurtful things about Guru’s longtime partner in Gang Starr, DJ Premier:
“My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself…
I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ.”
Upon reading those last lines from his alleged death bed note most friends, family and fans were taken aback and have gone so far as to speculate that Guru did not write those words, rather that it was Solar.
Make your own assumptions, we may never know the truth. One thing is certain. It appears that Guru’s Sister doesn’t believe in the statement. And Guru’s Family is not aware of any foundations in his name.
Here is what other Hip-Hop News Sources are saying about Guru’s Death
Groundbreaking U.S. rapper and Gang Starr co-founder Guru died Monday night, a month after the cancer-stricken artist collapsed and went into a coma, MTV reported.
The 43-year-old rapper, whose real name is Keith Elam, had been suffering from cancer for over a year. The report quoted a statement from Guru’s camp that inferred the cause was complications from cancer.
“According to [producer] Solar, Guru suffered from the malicious illness for over a year and after numerous special treatments under the supervision of medical specialists failed, the legendary MC succumbed to the disease. Guru always tried to keep this harrowing diagnosis in private but in early 2010 he had to admit himself to hospital due to serious effects caused by the disease.”
Guru formed the group with DJ Premier in 1985, and they put out six albums, including the well-received “Daily Operation” and “Moment of Truth.”
Guru Dead at Age 43
Just over one month since undergoing surgery following a heart attack, Gang Starr MC Guru (born Keith Elam) has died at age 43. According to a statement, Guru died of cancer-related causes on Monday after a long fight with the disease.
Guru’s longtime friend and collaborator, Solar mourns his loss in the statement and explains that Guru had written a letter to his fans that was to be released upon his death.
“The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” Solar said. “Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.”
Born on July 17, 1966, near Boston, Guru rose to fame in the late 1980s as part of the duo Gang Starr with partner DJ Premier. The pair helped define the New York underground rap sound in the 1990s. Their unique sound combined Premier’s production palette, which leaned heavily on sampled jazz records and scratched vocals on the choruses, with Guru’s uncompromising rhymes. Although the pair would work separately as often as they did together — Guru’s Jazzmatazzseries of albums and Premier’s work with Nas, Jay-Z, and underground act Group Home — Gang Starr continued to release critically acclaimed material throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s.
Guru wrote his farewell letter while in the hospital, according to Solar. “I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world,” it begins. “I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options.
“I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
“My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody’s feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf [of] myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.”
Guru and DJ Premiere
Guru very pointedly distanced himself from Premier in the letter, saying he didn’t want his former musical collaborator to be able to participate in any tributes or events surrounding his death.
“I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events, tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this,” wrote Guru. “I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ.
“As the sole founder of Gang Starr, I am very proud of what Gang Starr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low. Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with Gang Starr or Jazzmatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now.
“The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small-mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.”
At press time, Guru’s family — from whom he was reportedly estranged, along with other past associates — had not commented on his death, and last month his nephew Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff posted several emotional videos on YouTube saying that Solar was preventing them from seeing the MC during his illness.
“Solar has completely cut us off. My family has no way of knowing what is going on with Guru’s situation,” he said in the video. “Solar has complete control over the flow of information given from the hospital and will not disclose any information to us. The doctors and the hospital staff will not discuss any info with Guru’s family.” Ruff said in one of the videos that no one in Guru’s family had not seen him since February 28, and that he was prevented from seeing Guru when he visited the hospital last month.
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