Guru

Guru is the stage name of Keith Edward Elam, a rapper from Boston, United States, born in 1961 and died in 2010. He is known both for his solo work and for being half of Gang Starr, the hip hop duo he forms with DJ Premier. The name Guru is an acronym for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal.

Career with Gang Starr

Guru begins his hip hop career in Boston, then moves to New York after finding limited support locally. Gang Starr forms in 1987 and builds a strong following in the early 1990s. The duo releases albums including Step in the Arena in 1991 and Daily Operation in 1992. Guru is also involved in the executive production of Jeru the Damaja’s debut album, The Sun Rises in the East (1994), alongside DJ Premier. He takes on younger rappers as protégés, including Jeru the Damaja.

Solo work and Jazzmatazz

Guru releases his first solo album, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1, in 1993. The record includes collaborations with Donald Byrd, N'Dea Davenport, Dee C. Lee, and Roy Ayers. His second album in the series, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, features Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, and Jamiroquai. He continues the series with Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul in 2000 and Baldhead Slick & Da Click in 2001. He later describes Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005), made with producer and backup MC Solar, as his first proper solo album. A fourth Jazzmatazz release, produced entirely by Solar, appears in 2007.

Style and collaborations

Guru is known for a smooth voice, socially conscious and hardcore lyrics, and a calm, confident delivery. His style centres on battle rhymes delivered with restraint and wit rather than showy charisma. Beyond hip hop, he works with artists from pop, electronica and dance, acid jazz, and brass bands. He appears as a guest with Mr. Lif on The Perceptionists’ debut album, Black Dialogue (2005), and Mr. Lif frequently cites him as an influence.

Recognition and later years

Guru is ranked at 45 in a list of the Top 50 MCs covering 1987 to 2007. His 2005 solo album reaches number one on the college hip-hop charts, although it receives a poor response from critics and many fans. He suffers a severe heart attack in February 2010, falls into a coma, and dies in April 2010 after a long battle with cancer.