Rap star Guru dies from cancer

New York, April 21 (DPA) Rapper DJ Guru has died from cancer at age 43, according to a statement Tuesday from his producer.
“The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all time,” according to a statement from the New York-based rap artist’s producer.

The statement said that the rapper died Monday.

Though never a chart topper, Guru, whose real name is Keith Elam, was well known for his jazz-infused hip hop and intellectual lyrics, often delivered in a monotone. Before launching a solo career in 1993 he founded the rap duo Gang Starr.

He was hospitalized in February after suffering a cardiac arrest following a long battle with cancer. The statement from his producer, Solar, included a letter that the rapper addressed to his fans.

“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,” it read.

Guru Dies, Gang Starr Farewell Letter: Cuts Out DJ Premier

Rapper Guru has died at the age of 43 due to a long fight with cancer. In a farewell letter which he wrote in the hospital, he has expressed his desire to cut his former partner and collaborator, DJ Premier from his life, even after death. The letter can be read in full below.According to reports, the Gang Starr rapper known to the world as ‘Guru’ has died at the age of 43, after a battle with cancer. MTV.com has announced that the MC, whose real name is Keith Elam passed away from cancer related causes on Monday after a long battle with the disease. It was reported on March 1st, that the rap star had been hospitalized after a heart attack, and was due to have surgery that day. He was in a coma at that time. The news was then confirmed by his partner, “DJ Premier.” He was said to have recovered from the heart attack after surgery.
Solar, who is a producer and friend of Guru, released the following statement after the death was confirmed, “The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,” he 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.”
Solar also claims to have a letter written by the rap star which was to be released at the time of his death. In the letter, Guru is said to have talked about his non profit organization, “Each One Counts” and stated that he does not wish for his partner and Gang Starr collaborator, DJ Premier, to have anything at all to do with the tributes or events surrounding his death. He does not even want Premier to be able to participate in these events. Here is the farewell letter from Guru:

“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.
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.”
Here is a video of Guru and Solar during better days. Rest in Peace, Keith Elam, our prayers are with your family.

Guru, REST IN PEACE at 43

The rapper Guru, of the group Gang Starr, died Monday after a long battle with cancer.

Pioneering New York rapper Guru has died - and controversy is brewing over a letter he supposedly wrote on his deathbed.
The 43-year-old Gang Starr founder, whose real name is Keith Elam, died after a long battle with cancer, his collaborator Solar said.
Guru's death came almost two months after he suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized in New York. He reportedly fell into a coma after surgery.
"The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all time," 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."
Solar also released a letter purportedly written by Guru on his deathbed - dissing his former Gang Starr partner DJ Premier.
Guru, who had a falling out with DJ Premier over contract disputes several years ago, said he didn't want him to participate in any event marking his death.
"I had nothing to do with him in life for over seven years and want nothing to do with him in death," the letter states.
The hip-hop world was abuzz about the letter, with some questioning whether Guru really wrote it. Solar had no direct comment on the note.
"All the evil that lurks around you will leave," he said in a radio-show tribute to his ex-partner.
Guru's promoter, Kal Denninger, said the celebrated rapper gave the letter to Solar to issue to his fans.
Guru rocketed to stardom in the late 1980s when he partnered with Premier to create Gang Starr - a partnership that helped define East Coast rap with complex, socially conscious lyrics and jazz-heavy samples.
In the 1990s, Guru received further acclaim for his solo albums dubbed "Jazzmatazz," which featured collaborations with such jazz sensations as Branford Marsalis and Donald Byrd.
In the letter, Guru also states that he's grateful for the life he lived.
"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," the letter said.

Rapper Guru dies at 43

In this undated CD cover image released by EMI records, Guru's "Jazzmatazz Streetsoul," release is shown. Collaborators say Guru, whose real name is Keith Elam, the influential rapper who combined jazz sounds with hip-hop beats, died Monday, April 19, 2010 at age 43 after battling cancer. (AP Photo/EMI)

 
Guru, the influential rapper known for his intellectual themes, his monotone delivery and his combination of jazz sounds with hip-hop beats, has died after battling cancer, collaborators said. He was 43.
The world has lost "one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all time," according to a statement from Solar, Guru's producer. It was posted on the official fan website of DJ Premier, who with Guru made up the rap duo Gang Starr. The statement said Guru died Monday.
E-mails from The Associated Press to Solar and his assistant were not immediately returned.
The statement also features a letter Guru wrote before his death. In it, he thanks Solar for his friendship, speaks about his son KC and his nonprofit cancer organization, Each One Counts.
He also dismissed his relationship with Premier, saying, "I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name."
"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," it read.
Hip-hop artists from both coasts mourned Guru's death and noted that he would forever be linked to Premier.
"I think Guru, I think Gang Starr and all of the dope things they did," rapper The Game said in an interview Tuesday in Los Angeles. "He really did amazing things ... And him passing, man, it's just crazy. I just wish him peace on his way, on his journey to God, man. Hip-hop lost another legend."
"From Allah we come to Allah we return. R.I.P. Keith GURU," rapper Q-Tip posted on Twitter. "A great man, poet, and I'm proud to say friend... 23 yrs. Damn!"
Guru, whose real name was Keith Elam, was born near Boston and later moved to New York. His first album as a member of Gang Starr, "No More Mr. Nice Guy," was released in 1989. They released five more albums as a duo, including the gold-selling "Moment of Truth" in 1998.
The group's first hit was "Words I Manifest," which samples Miles Davis and Charlie Parker's "A Night In Tunisia." Other hits include "Dwyck," "Just to Get a Rep" and "Take It Personal."
Guru began collaborating with others outside Gang Starr in 1993, releasing "Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1," which featured a blend of jazz melodies and hip-hop sounds. He released four volumes of the "Jazzmatazz" series. He attended Morehouse College.
Guru worked with top musicians including Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Chaka Kahn, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Common, Jamiroquai, Macy Gray and Damian Marley.

Gang Starr's Guru Dead At 43 Legendary rapper succumbed to cancer on Monday after suffering a heart attack last month.

Just over a 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 collaborator and partner 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.
Their 1998 album Moment of Truth was among their most critically lauded collections and Gang Starr's biggest-selling project to date. Gang Starr's last group project, The Ownerz, was released in 2003.
Guru found solo fame in 1993 when he released the first volume of his Jazzmatazz series, an all-star project that featured a number of collaborations with jazz icons such as Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers and Ronny Jordan, as well as vocals from French producer Solaar and N'Dea Davenport of the Brand New Heavies. The album's mixture of jazz and rap was considered pioneering at the time, and the record spawned the hit "Trust Me." Guru would go on to make four volumes in the series.

	Gang Starr's Guru: A Life In Photos

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 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.