Guru
Guru is a jazz rap and boom-bap artist from Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts.
Gang Starr's MC, whose calm monotone voice and Jazzmatazz series brought hip-hop and live jazz together.
Who is Guru?
Guru (Keith Elam, 1961–2010) was a rapper from Roxbury, Boston, and the MC of Gang Starr, the duo he formed with DJ Premier. His name stood for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal.
Known for
His Gang Starr classics, and his solo series Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 (1993), on which he rapped with jazz musicians such as Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers and Branford Marsalis.
Style
A calm, monotone voice that carried authority, with lyrics full of wisdom, street knowledge and self-respect.
Impact
Guru's voice is one of the most recognizable in hip-hop. With Jazzmatazz he showed that rap and live jazz could truly work together, beyond sampling.
Guru: quick answers
What genre is Guru?
Guru’s music falls under Jazz Rap and Boom-Bap. Guru is part of East Coast hip-hop, with the most important work in the 1990s and 2000s.
Where is Guru from?
Guru is from Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts.
When did Guru start?
Guru has been active since 1987.
Which group is Guru part of?
Guru is a member of Gang Starr.
Which artists are similar to Guru?
If you like Guru, listen to Gang Starr, Jeru The Damaja, Digable Planets and The Roots.
