Really the only person who can answer all of this is Doo Wop, and the fact that he seems to be staying out of the fray and speculation speaks volumes about what a stand up dude he is.
Peep:
Doo Wop revealed that Guru was aware of his cancer as of last year, a diagnosis he kept private from the fans. "In mid-2009, Guru called me to discuss something about an upcoming Japan tour and to also tell me that he's gonna pass by my crib after a doctor's appontment he had scheduled due to some back pain he was having," remembered Doo Wop. "Next thing I know, he calls me and I could tell he was obviously in tears, then he says the doctor told him he has cancer."
The 95 Live maker continued, speaking on his relationship with the Boston-born emcee. "[Guru] wasn't just someone I recently met and worked with for a brief period. No, this was my friend of over 15 years, someone I toured over 33 countries with. Sometimes my phone would ring and my Caller ID said 'Guru cell,' I'll pick up and he'll say, 'Peace. Hold on,' then I'd hear him giving the phone to his son while saying, 'Here, it's uncle Doo Wop.'" The personal relationship extended to Guru's son, named K.C. "His son would tell me everything they did or were about to do that day. As busy as Guru was, he did what a great father is supposed to do and that was to make sure his son didn't grow up wondering why his dad doesn't make time for him."
While Guru's cancer diagnosis was kept private even in the wake of February's heart attack news, Doo Wop was able to reveal the Gang Starr emcee's reaction to the news. "The day he found out he had cancer, all he kept saying was how he gotta beat this because his little man needs him. I toured with Guru from 2005 [through] November, 2009. He wasn't feeling well on that last tour we did together, but pushed himself to stick it out."
Doo Wop also added that an incident prevented the longtime friends from speaking more recently. "During that tour, one of Guru's people's and I had an altercation that was long coming. That happened right in the middle of the tour, and the rest of the tour was so uncomfortable due to this issue." Doo Wop did not specify who he had the altercation with. "I told myself, 'This is my last tour, I'm done.' My mind was made up 100%. When we got back from that tour, we landed at JFK [Airport] and all rode back together." The bittersweet moment would prove to be significant to Doo Wop, especially today. "I was the first one to be dropped off. As I was exiting the car, I knew that the altercation which occurred would end up in me no longer being his tour deejay, but I had no idea that would be the last time I would ever see my friend."
From Hip Hop DX
The fact he doesn't even speak solars name is all class.
This is from the Hollywood Street King blog which you may or may not be aware of - there are some shocking allegations being made here - some pertaining to the nature of guru and solar's relationship - this guy claims they were lovers- wether or not theyre true I cant say, and even if its true it takes nothing away from Guru's artistic legacy - but its definitely of interest to those looking for the full story.
Guru?s Father Sends Police For Son?s Body[/b]
Shocking further developments are coming to light in the wake following the death of the Gangstarr legendary MC Guru.
Reports are coming into HSK that when Guru?s father, the Honorable Harry J. Elam, a former prominent lawyer from Boston and a retired Massachusetts superior court justice, called to recover the body from John ?Solar? Mo?Sher, Solar said that he was taking the body upstate for a private memorial.
Judge Elam immediately made claim to the body and asked Solar to ?return the body at once?, to which Solar replied that he would return the body if Elam Sr. called off the Elam nephew from continuing to make statements and videos about Solar. Claims which Solar continues to call false.
Judge Elam?s reply, ?I don?t have time for these childish games, send my sons body home immediately.?
Following this exchange the police were sent and Guru?s body was recovered and is currently on its way back to Boston, to his family and to lay in honor as they see fit.
Not only should Solar return the body with-out delay, but Solar should return to the family all rights supposedly passed on to him from Guru on his deathbed. These should be held by the family in TRUST until KC is of legal age to handle himself.
This guy Solar, who HSK staff have personally met and traveled with is a NUT job. What is going on in his peas size brain is very troubling to say the least. Now that Guru is no longer around to protect him it might be time for dude to vanish on his own before someone does it for him.
The Real Gang Starr Story: RIP GURU[/b]
The rap group ?Gang Starr? was born in Boston, after Big Shug gave it life with partner Keith Elam now known as ?Guru?. At that time Big Shug and Guru were faced with the financial hurdle of funding their studio sessions, so they came up with a plan to solve that obstacle with a robbery plan?that plan was for ?Big Shug? to do the jack and ?Guru? serve as the getaway driver, but that didn?t work. Know why? Because when ?Shug? was doing the robbery, ?Guru? ended up getting scared and took off. So, the robbery got muffled and ?Big Shug? did a three-year sentence for robbery.
While ?Shug? was in jail ?Guru? moved to New York City. There, he ran into ?DJ Premier? who just came from Houston Texas. Together, they formed the now legendary group known as ?Gang Starr?.
Gang Starr was doing well, and when ?Big Shug? returned from prison ?Guru? and ?Premo? were rightly breaking him off paper. But here?s something what you may not know (which I always knew) Guru, whose real name is Keith Elam, was a homosexual, and he started dating a well-known homosexual from Brooklyn New york named ?DJ Solar?. Solar (real name John Barry Mo?Sher) ended up breaking up ?Gang Starr? because he pulled Guru away from the talented ?DJ Premier?, word is Solar wanted Guru all for himself. I know this because I used to book shows for ?Guru & Solar? and dude use to beat on ?Guru? I swear!!! I personally witnessed someone walking in on Solar giving Guru a proper beating behind closed doors.
Sources close to HSK were touring Europe with Guru, Solar, and DJ Doo Wop & Kool Keith with Kutmasta Kurt in Fall 2005. At that time the groups had an extended week long stay in the Spanish Canary Islands off the coast of Africa. Guru happily lounged with Solar in his flip flops and swimming trunks downing Hennessy straight and snorting blow by the eightball. This is the same event where Kutmasta Kurt got his nose busted breaking up a fight between Kool Keith?s crew and a concert goer after the show. Matter of fact ?Real Connections? still owes about 20,000 euros from that event.
Just this past February, Guru suffered a heart attack leaving him in a comatose state into March. That?s when Solar reportedly kept Guru?s family away from him, because he wanted full control. My sources even tell me that this ?Solar? guy didn?t allow doctors to treat ?Guru? properly.
When I woke up this morning, I heard the sad news that 43-year-old ?Guru? had died yesterday (April 19. 2010), from cancer.
I went into complete silence, and said to myself ?Life is too short.? Now, sources are telling me ?Solar? is stealing royalties from the group ?Gang Starr?. I guess ?Solar? got ?Guru? to sign over the rights to his name. To make matters worse, ?Solar? is saying ?Guru? left a letter to all his fans. He says in that letter (printed below), he (Guru) doesn?t want anything to do with his long time collaborator ?DJ Premier? even in death?WTF!?!
This ?Solar? guy seems to think we?re all a bunch of idiots. Because, ?Guru? wouldn?t say any shit like that while on his death bed. ?Guru?s? nephew has been speaking about this matter for a while now. Don?t believe me? Ask DJ Premier.
This may all sound harsh, but in fact Jacky and all HSK staff have a deep respect for Guru. One key component that separates Hollywood Street from any other industry blog is that we tell the truth no matter how much it may hurt or damage false images about an art we hold dear. Other sites would never report the truth rather they further perpetuate falsities.
Today I?ll remember Guru as I listen to the third ?Gangstarr? album ?Daily Operation??I always liked the song ?Take It Personal?. RIP GURU!!!
some of this shit is obviously mad suspect - he gets the age wrong and i dont believe shug and guru were the original founders -
How would this blogger dude be privy to a private exchange between Solar and Guru's father? I'm certain Guru's father isn't running his mouth to gossip blogs.
I agree though, if we're going to be really real here, the idea that Guru was on the DL has circulated for years, including within his own management company. And moreover, if he was being abused, it might explain a lot of his own behavior in the 2000s, including problems with alcohol and abusive attitudes towards friends and staff. The latter isn't rumor but the cause of his behavior is hard to know since obviously, no one's really talking.
I agree though, if we're going to be really real here, the idea that Guru was on the DL has circulated for years, including within his own management company. And moreover, if he was being abused, it might explain a lot of his own behavior in the 2000s, including problems with alcohol and abusive attitudes towards friends and staff. The latter isn't rumor but the cause of his behavior is hard to know since obviously, no one's really talking.
I'm aware of those rumors.
It's just that this piece pads them with obvious fabrications and presents them as fact.
?As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans.?
Wouldn't you expect Guru to know how to spell Gang Starr ?
I would also expect him to know that he wasn't actually a founding member of the group.
What do you mean ?
Gang Starr was in existence and recording before either Guru or Premier became involved.
That was a pretty big . I had never read that history before; I knew Gang Starr existed pre-Primo, but I didn't realize they existed pre-Guru. I don't think that 1994 "Definitive History of Gang Starr" story that ran in the Source addressed that fact.
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
?As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans.?
Wouldn't you expect Guru to know how to spell Gang Starr ?
I would also expect him to know that he wasn't actually a founding member of the group.
What do you mean ?
Gang Starr was in existence and recording before either Guru or Premier became involved.
That was a pretty big . I had never read that history before; I knew Gang Starr existed pre-Primo, but I didn't realize they existed pre-Guru. I don't think that 1994 "Definitive History of Gang Starr" story that ran in the Source addressed that fact.
Well, I have to give all credit to Noz here, and admit that I didn't even know this myself until he posted the Grandmaster Flash-produced Gang Starr Posse 12" on his Tumblin' Erb blog. I too knew that Preem was drafted into Gang Starr late on, but I never realised how much the whole thing was like Becker & Fagen joining Steely Dan and taking the band over.
Gang Starr was in existence and recording before either Guru or Premier became involved.
That was a pretty big . I had never read that history before; I knew Gang Starr existed pre-Primo, but I didn't realize they existed pre-Guru. I don't think that 1994 "Definitive History of Gang Starr" story that ran in the Source addressed that fact.
Well, I have to give all credit to Noz here, and admit that I didn't even know this myself until he posted the Grandmaster Flash-produced Gang Starr Posse 12" on his Tumblin' Erb blog. I too knew that Preem was drafted into Gang Starr late on, but I never realised how much the whole thing was like Becker & Fagen joining Steely Dan and taking the band over.
I'm far from being a Gang Starr specialist so I may be wrong here, but Guru has said many times that the founding members of the group were him and Big Shug. The two Gang Starr Posse records that I know of were both released AFTER 1,2 B Down left the group and definitely after Gang Starr's first 12" on Wild Pitch.
Gang Starr was in existence and recording before either Guru or Premier became involved.
That was a pretty big . I had never read that history before; I knew Gang Starr existed pre-Primo, but I didn't realize they existed pre-Guru. I don't think that 1994 "Definitive History of Gang Starr" story that ran in the Source addressed that fact.
Well, I have to give all credit to Noz here, and admit that I didn't even know this myself until he posted the Grandmaster Flash-produced Gang Starr Posse 12" on his Tumblin' Erb blog. I too knew that Preem was drafted into Gang Starr late on, but I never realised how much the whole thing was like Becker & Fagen joining Steely Dan and taking the band over.
I'm far from being a Gang Starr specialist so I may be wrong here, but Guru has said many times that the founding members of the group were him and Big Shug. The two Gang Starr Posse records that I know of were both released AFTER 1,2 B Down left the group and definitely after Gang Starr's first 12" on Wild Pitch.
Unless I'm mistaken, on Premiere's dedication Big Shug stated that Guru came up with the name Gang Starr (Shug wanted them to be called the Gangsters).
DocMcCoy"Go and laugh in your own country!" 5,917 Posts
I sense that my rap nerd card may be about to be revoked.
That was a pretty big . I had never read that history before; I knew Gang Starr existed pre-Primo, but I didn't realize they existed pre-Guru. I don't think that 1994 "Definitive History of Gang Starr" story that ran in the Source addressed that fact.
I don't know if you were sarcastic here, but that story actually contradict that "fact".
"Guru began hanging with his friend Tracy, who used the street name "Gang Star Tee". (...) He would tell Tracy that the name "Gang Star" would be "dope for a group. Add another R and that'll be some fat shit," Keith recalls."(...) "With Shug and Damo D Ski he began to go to a kid named 1 2 B Down's home, as this kid had equipment and tons of records. (...) With 1 2 b Down and Shug the group Gang Starr was formed"
Slurg: That's my point. We have two pretty different stories operating. One says Guru joined after Gang Starr had already released a single or two. The other says Guru was down since day one.
Comments
Peep:
From Hip Hop DX
The fact he doesn't even speak solars name is all class.
Who?
[color:red]1:20 WHAT THE FUCK SOLAR[/color]
By Doo Wop's account Guru probably had just found out HE HAD CANCER.
If that isn't evidence of Solar fucking with guru's head, i don't know what is.
vs....
evil motherfucker.
Solar @ 2.42 "obviously the beats speak for themselves"
No shit man, they really speak for themselves... fuckin idiot.
That is heartbreaking.
From what Harry Elam Jr. told me, yes. That was the family's decision.
some of this shit is obviously mad suspect - he gets the age wrong and i dont believe shug and guru were the original founders -
How would this blogger dude be privy to a private exchange between Solar and Guru's father? I'm certain Guru's father isn't running his mouth to gossip blogs.
I agree though, if we're going to be really real here, the idea that Guru was on the DL has circulated for years, including within his own management company. And moreover, if he was being abused, it might explain a lot of his own behavior in the 2000s, including problems with alcohol and abusive attitudes towards friends and staff. The latter isn't rumor but the cause of his behavior is hard to know since obviously, no one's really talking.
I'm aware of those rumors.
It's just that this piece pads them with obvious fabrications and presents them as fact.
Gang Starr was in existence and recording before either Guru or Premier became involved.
That was a pretty big
Well, I have to give all credit to Noz here, and admit that I didn't even know this myself until he posted the Grandmaster Flash-produced Gang Starr Posse 12" on his Tumblin' Erb blog. I too knew that Preem was drafted into Gang Starr late on, but I never realised how much the whole thing was like Becker & Fagen joining Steely Dan and taking the band over.
I'm far from being a Gang Starr specialist so I may be wrong here, but Guru has said many times that the founding members of the group were him and Big Shug.
The two Gang Starr Posse records that I know of were both released AFTER 1,2 B Down left the group and definitely after Gang Starr's first 12" on Wild Pitch.
Unless I'm mistaken, on Premiere's dedication Big Shug stated that Guru came up with the name Gang Starr (Shug wanted them to be called the Gangsters).
"Guru began hanging with his friend Tracy, who used the street name "Gang Star Tee". (...) He would tell Tracy that the name "Gang Star" would be "dope for a group. Add another R and that'll be some fat shit," Keith recalls."(...)
"With Shug and Damo D Ski he began to go to a kid named 1 2 B Down's home, as this kid had equipment and tons of records. (...) With 1 2 b Down and Shug the group Gang Starr was formed"
http://www.mediafire.com/?dzmdzy42wdm