Guru, one-half of influential hip-hop duo Gang Starr, died Tuesday morning at age 43 of cancer-related causes.
The rapper, whose real name was Keith Elam, suffered a heart attack in March and had been in a coma (though he had since woken up). He was 43 years old.
"The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time -- my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," said longtime collaborator and friend Solar in a statement.
"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."
Houston-born DJ Premier was the second-half of Gang Starr alongside Guru, though the pair's relationship soured over the last several years.
Guru left a letter for fans that said he had "exhausted all medical options." He urged them to support Each One Counts, a nonprofit for chronically and terminally ill children.
The statement, provided by Solar, also indicates that Guru does not want Premier "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."
"This letter is way outta hand Solar," Premier writes on his blog.
"Why the (expletive) did nobody stopped that dude??? I'm stuck with mix feelings, sorry. I can't accept this. R.I.P. Guru, play his songs!! He will be remembered for ever and ever!!"
http://blogs.chron.com/peep/2010/04/pioneering_rapper_guru_dies_1.html
Gang Starr first came to national attention with 1989's No More Mr. Nice Guy, but it was 1991's Step In The Arena that made the duo hip-hop heavyweights. They were among the first to blend jazz and hip-hop. (1998 album Moment of Truth was their best-selling album and certified gold for sales of 500,000 units.)
Here is one of my favorite Joints... RIP Guru and RIP Big L too... (took that hard too)
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