RIP - Guru

[csberry]

Rapper Guru dies after battle with cancer - CNN.com

Honestly, my only exposure to Guru was with the first couple of volumes of the Jazzmatazz series in the mid-90's. The combination of the music with his rapping style fit into my interest in jazz and spoken word performances. I was thrilled to be able to play Jazzmatazz Vol 1 on my shifts at both the student radio station and the NPR affiliate station. This is also one of those situations where I know the music as an album and not a collection of songs. It was odd listening to individual tracks on YouTube to pick one to post here on LJ.

Guru - "When You're Near (w/ samples of Freddie Hubbard and Esther Williams)"

Comments

[wc-helmets.livejournal.com]

I know some Gang Starr and Jazzamazz Vol. 1, so I don't know him as well as I should either. "You Know My Steez" is a wonderful song, and a classic in 90's hip-hop. The Wiki on him charts this strange Brian Wilson like relationship he had with his current producer. The guy apparently barred family from visiting him while he was in a coma for the last two months, and there's now this bizarre death bed letter totally praising the guy and his work while talking trash on DJ Premier. Not sure what exactly is going on there, but the story seems rather sad, especially if you start looking at youtube clips his nephew was putting up about all of this. Really sad stuff here.