Keith Elam (born July 17, 1966), better known as Guru , is an American rapper and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr. Born in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury), he is known for delivering complex lyrics in a unique monotone style.
Founded in 1987, Gang Starr built a sizable following in the early 90′s, releasing classic albums like Step in the Arena (1991) and Daily Operation (1992). Guru’s lyrical style is based on battle rhymes delivered smoothly, modestly, and with sly wit; he typically avoids using overwhelming charisma, focusing instead on his rhyming ability, which developed into his trademark monotone style. Over theyears he has even taken on younger rappers, including Jeru the Damaja, as proteges. He is credited with DJ Premier for executive producing Jeru’s debut, The Sun Rises in the East (1994).
In 1993, he released his first solo album, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. The album featured collaborations with Donald Byrd, N’Dea Davenport and Roy Ayers, while his second LP, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, featured Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis and Jamiroquai. The Jazzmatazz albums are commonly considered some of the best rap of the early 90s, Guru’s reputation was also bolstered through the continued success of Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul (2000) and Baldhead Slick & Da Click (2001).
Moreover, recent Gang Starr albums have continued to garner Guru critical acclaim. Prominent Boston underground rapper Mr. Lif frequently cites Guru as a major stylistic influence; he appears as a guest with Lif on the Perceptionists’ debut album, Black Dialogue (2005).
Besides Gang Starr, his Jazzmatazz and solo albums, Guru has collaborated with countless artists since the early 90s. Not only in hiphop, but also with artists from various genres such as pop, electronica/dance, acid jazz and even brass bands.
His “first proper solo album”, in his own words, was Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005), released with the help of producer and new backup MC Solar (who is not to be confused with MC Solaar from France). The album reached #1 on the college hip-hop charts, but was a failure with both fans and critics. It still managed to sell relatively well for an independent release.
Guru’s latest project is the fourth installment in the Jazzmatazz series, entirely produced by Solar. It was released in early June 2007. May 19, 2008 Guru and Solar released Guru 8.0: Lost And Found. All the projects produced by Solar were met with mixed but generally negative reviews by Critics and fans, yet Guru states he will not work with DJ Premier again.
