Guru Of Gang Starr Dead At 43

Just over a month since undergoing surgery following a heart attack, Keith Edward Elam, best known as Guru from the hip hop duo Gang Starr, died on April 19 after a long battle with cancer. He was 43.

“The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” New York producer Solar, Guru’s recent collaborator, said in a statement.

Solar added:

“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.”

Gang Starr, which also featured DJ Premier, released six albums before splitting in 2003; among their biggest successes was the 1998 album Moment of Truth. Their last project, The Ownerz, was released in 2003.

Guru wrote a letter to fans while he was in the hospital, which has been released by Solar:

“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 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.”

Click here to read the whole letter.

Following the demise of Gang Starr, Guru founded 7 Grand Records with producer Solar.

Guru also developed the Jazzmatazz series back in 1993, a creative blend of jazz and hip hop, which found the rap star working with jazz artists like Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers. Guru made four volumes in the series.

“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,” Guru wrote in his letter. “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.”