THE LETTER FROM SOLAR
djsheep
3,620 Posts
for those who haven't read it... via http://www.djpremierblog.com/2010/04/20/..._medium=twitterGuru has passed away yesterday morning (April 19) after a long battle with cancer.According to Solar, Guru suffered from the malicious illness for over a year and after numerous special treatments under the supervision of medical specialists failed, the legendary MC succumbed to the disease. Guru always tried to keep this harrowing diagnosis in private but in early 2010 he had to admit himself to hospital due to serious effects caused by the disease.Since the onset of illness, Guru tried to live a ?normal? life as an influential and outstanding musician, loving father, family man, and best friend. Doctors encouraged Guru to think positive that the cancer can be arrested and that a full recovery is possible but several special treatments including hard hitting chemotherapies failed.While in hospital with terminal cancer, Guru wrote a letter, which was provided by Solar, to his fans addressing his illness, his shining music career, his family and loved ones.?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 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,? read the official Guru statement.?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 myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.?The statement reads on, ?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. 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 GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr 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 GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz 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.?Guru, born Keith Elam, rose to fame in the 80?s as the founder of the legendary rap group GangStarr. The group released the classic single Words I Manifest followed by their critically acclaimed debut album No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989) and the classic album Step In The Arena (1991). Guru was the first artist to truly blend Hip-Hop with Live Jazz beginning in 1993, and seeing the vast influences his Jazzmatazz concept has had on the industry, it is clear that Guru?s musical contributions have been way ahead of their time. Guru has worked with such great artists as Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Donald Byrd, Ramsey Lewis, Roy Ayers, Chaka Kahn, Branford Marsalis, David Sanborn, Bob James, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Common, Angie Stone, Jamiroquai, Macy Gray and Damien Marley, to name a few. Despite the fact that Guru isn?t hailing from New York, he is noted as a pioneer of the New York sound and true lyrical Hip-Hop. Guru later on joined forces with hit producer Solar and formed his label 7 Grand Records with the goal to keep ?real? Hip-Hop alive.Guru?s longtime partner, Solar, issues an official statement about the lost of the legendary MC which you can read below:?The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all time ? my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru! 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. For the fans that reached out with love and support, I can?t tell you how much that meant to Guru and myself. Guru prepared this letter [read above] while he was in the hospital for the fans. I hope now that Guru has moved on to a better place! Guru is a great Black American Hero and should always be remembered as such and he is much more that just a Hip-Hop icon ? he has changed the world for the better. I salute my fallen brother Guru! He will be missed tremendously!? Solar stated.We will sorely miss Guru, both from a personal and from a professional standpoint. Our warmest condolences to Guru?s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
Comments
Surely there's got to be a forensic analyst out there who can examine these statements.
DAMN DAMN. Rest in peace to the god. The music Gang Starr made fueled my obsessions more for hip-hop, they were the next Run DMC, Public Enemy or N.W.A. for me...
mad
Can u imagine being primo and having some lightweight jerkoff try to put a slight on the gangstarr legacy at a time like this. someone needs to take this clown out.
he died with a grudge? even eazy e reached out to dre when he was on his deathbed. this letter is suspect as shit and a horible way for a hip hop legend to go out!! that solar cat needs his.
"First of all anyone that's been seeing any statements from me, it's all false," Premier said. "If it wasn't told to someone directly, it's not coming from me. I have never made a statement until today, and I will not make a statement until all the facts are given from the proper people. And the proper people are not giving the facts, so there's nothing to say until we get that."
When asked about allegations surrounding Solar controlling the flow of information regarding the rapper and who he has contact with, DJ Premier did not address the question directly but instead he stated,
"Shout out to Justin Ruff, a true soldier and a warrior that took on his own initiative to truly let motherf***ers know evil lurks in Guru's life still, and that sh** will cease eventually. 'Cause God don't like ugly like they say, and love always conquers the devil," he stated.
from hiphopwired, march 10th
http://hiphopwired.com/2010/03/10/solar-...n-family-feuds/
he's clearly going to get the beatdown of a lifetime, there is no way anyone stands for that, regardless of "hip hop".
That was my first thought. Solar is a disgrace.
Solar is a complete piece of shit and I know this from firsthand experience.
I agree, there's gotta be somebody out there willing to bring justice to this situation. There is absolutely no way in heaven or hell that that letter was written by a man on his deathbed. I'm almost sadder about the letter than I am about Guru actually passing. Rest in peace.
Somebody should just lock him in a room with Freddie Foxxx and let nature run its course.
if Keith's family was supposedly not allowed in a hospital room how can we expect him to have a proper memorial and burial/cremation whatever is done...??
also if there is a public service how does that go about with the presence of Solar and everybody else?
i picture it being a complete clusterfuck...
these are just thoughts that come to mind
I picture
Mr. Foxx running up in there with his whole crew and airing Solar out.
As soon as I got to the Premier part of that letter my stomach was turned. What a wretched thing to do.
i witnessed some highly suspect shit go on between them from a close distance (if you get my meaning) and none of it seemed to add up.
if anyone knows the scoop, it's doo-wop. if he is saying that letter is b.s., it is. i was waiting to hear what he had to say.
here's to hoping the truth about this tragic end to a real icon's life comes to light. "we all have a job to combat the conspiracy." - guru
No kidding..just disgusting shit to read in a time like this...hell, ANYTIME...even if I didn't know who the people even were. I just hate this whole fucking thing...Guru passing..Premier getting dissed in this letter...Solar. I'm glad Doo Wop said what he did...and the likeliness between the two "my friend, partner, blah blah blah " comments are just fucking ridiculous. FUCK THAT DUDE.
Ice T had this to say: "Solar wrote that bullshit! NOT GURU. Say no more. I'm out."
(via Twitter)