Tuesday, April 20, 2010

"Playing great music/Wonder why the bangers couldn't use it"

I was sorry to hear today about the death of GURU.
The Boston rapper (born Keith Elam) died this week age 43 after a battle with cancer.

He and DJ PREMIER (Christopher Edward Martin) made up the pioneering jazz-hip hop duo GANG STARR.

One of my favorite hip-hop tracks is "Words I Manifest."

Although named Gang Starr, there was nothing "gangsta" about the group. You were much more likely to hear a Billie Holiday sample than bullets on Gang Starr's songs.

The duo betrayed their musical roots on the track "Jazz Thing," which incorporated numerous jazz influences into the mix.

Guru was a true musical pioneer, and I am sad to hear of his passing.