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Watch Scarface Perform A Different Verse Over His Classic Gang Starr Collaboration (Video)

One of the standouts on Gang Starr's classic album Moment of Truth was "Betrayal." The song featured a dark and moody track that evoked poignant performances from both Guru and featured guest MC, Scarface. The 1998 song would be the first time Face worked with Preemo. Seventeen years later, when... Read more

Finding the GOAT: None of These MCs Have Made the Top 10…Yet

Ambrosia For Heads’ Finding The GOAT series, the search for the Greatest Of All Time MC (as determined by you), began in September, 2014 and is soon down to its final 10+1 bye (Rakim, bringing the tally to 11) contestants. The MC who wins by the biggest margin in this... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 4): KRS-One vs. Guru…Who You Got?

We have now reached the critical Round 4 in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). With 21 MCs remaining (with the largest winning margin, Rakim receives a bye for the round), things are really coming down to 10 match-ups, leading AFH’s bracket-style series towards... Read more

5 Years Ago Today We Lost Keith “Guru” Elam & Nothing Was The Same

April 19, 2010 was one of the most difficult days for Hip-Hop Heads. That day, after six weeks in a coma (announced February 28), Keith "Guru" Elam was confirmed dead in a Manhattan hospital. The Gang Starr founder went into cardiac arrest, following the coma in the midst of a... Read more

Gang Starr’s Guru Lives In Spirit. Watch His New Music Video (Premiere)

This weekend (April 19) marks five years since the tragic passing of Keith "Guru" Elam. A founding member of Gang Starr, Guru is a Boston, Massachusetts-born MC known for his street-smart rhymes, raspy voice, and 20-plus-year quest to stylishly merge Hip-Hop with Jazz. In honor of Guru and the sad... Read more

Finding the GOAT: These MCs Are Going to Round 4

The polls have closed and, after a fiercely competitive and unpredictable Round 3, there are only 21 MCs remaining in the quest to name Hip-Hop's greatest MC, as determined by you. Since Round 1 began in September, more than 200 MCs have been considered and millions of Hip-Hop fans have... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 3): Snoop Dogg vs. Guru…Who You Got

We have reached the third round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). With 42 MCs remaining, we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into... Read more

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): J. Dilla vs. Guru…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

Ever See This Cypher with MC Lyte, ATCQ, GURU, Wu-Tang Clan, CL Smooth, KRS-One & More (Video)

The second iteration of Arsenio Hall's show left the air quietly, after an announcement just weeks before that the show had been renewed. However, it was a very different story the first time Arsenio parted ways with the airwaves. After five years of providing one of the only platforms on... Read more

Giveaway: Gang Starr’s Daily Operation Vinyl LP (Respect The Classics Reissue)

AFH is proud to offer one of our Heads a vinyl LP copy of Gang Starr's Daily Operation. Reissued as part of UMe's "Respect The Classics" series, the 2014 version includes a 3D cover of the artwork prominently featuring the late Guru, DJ Premier, and a symbolic portrait of Malcolm... Read more

DJ Premier Unleashes A Gang Starr Tape Of B-Sides, Rarities & Remixes (Mixtape)

Today (October 24), DJ Premier opened up the online Gang Starr merchandise store through his PremierWuzHere website. With an assortment of shirts, hats, hoodies, and more—exclusively set up by the Texan-turned-New Yorker, sharing its proceeds with the family of late partner Guru, Preem got behind the wheels of steel to... Read more

DJ Premier Posts Vintage Footage of Gang Starr on Video Music Box in 1990 (Video)

On the heels of announcing he is forming his first group since the legendary Gang Starr (PRhyme with Royce Da 5'9") DJ Premier reposts some vintage footage of Gang Starr on Video Music Box in 1990. Found on Primo's blog Premier Wuz Here, here's what he had to say about... Read more

Royce Da 5’9″ & DJ Premier Announce Group, Joint Album: PRhyme

Today (September 24), DJ Premier has announced his first group since Gang Starr, the legendary duo that spans more than 25 years back to debut album No More Mr. Nice Guy. This unit will be an extension of a decade-plus of working with Royce Da 5'9". Before Slaughterhouse and around... Read more

What Becomes Of A Hallucinating Fan Who Punches DJ Premier? Babu Explains (Video)

In 1999 Dilated Peoples joined Gang Starr and Rage Against The Machine on tour. These experiences were well-chronicled on the later track, "Gang Starr Bus" by Bumpy Knuckles, produced by DJ Premier. Three legendary outfits toured in a well-remembered time in music. Gearing up for his own new release with... Read more

Time Travel Back To Rap Radio’s Golden Days In This 1991 Gang Starr Interview & Tim Westwood Mix (Audio)

Take yourself back almost exactly 23 years to the date, to April 19, 1991, when London’s Hip-Hop radio prophet Tim Westwood links up with Gang Starr's DJ Premier and Guru (plus Caveman) as they take the world by storm promoting the release of their album, Step In The Arena LP.... Read more

DJ Premier Shows The Untouched Remnants Of D&D Studios, How A Fight With Guru Made A Gang Starr Classic (Video)

In Gang Starr's Hard To Earn 20th anniversary year, DJ Premier has done some special press concerning the group, the album, and the legendary status of his group with Guru. Today, DJ Premier, along with a host of others, work out of Midtown Manhattan's HeadCourterz Studios. Named after the late... Read more

Celebrate Gang Starr on the 20th Anniversary of Hard to Earn with This Video Playlist (Video)

"The real Hip-Hop." Our celebration of Gang Starr continues on the 20th anniversary of the release of Hard to Earn, with a playlist of some of their many classic music videos. As you set your clocks forward tonight, go back in time with these timeless visuals. Related: Here’s a Rare... Read more

Here’s an Amazing Piece Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Gang Starr’s Hard to Earn

Gang Starr's Hard to Earn album turns 20 years old tomorrow (3/8). To celebrate the landmark LP, Nahright & Up North Trips have put together a phenomenal piece that features a track by track breakdown of the making of the album by DJ Premier, himself. Check out an excerpt and... Read more

DJ Premier Opens Up A Limited Time Online Gang Starr Pop-Up Shop With Rare Goodies

Gang Starr is forever. In the '90s and 2000s, a Gang Starr hoodie was one of the most coveted, respected pieces of Hip-Hop merch out there. If you were at The Ownerz Tour in 2003-2004 with Guru, DJ Premier, Common, Talib Kweli, DJ Dummy, Big Shug, and the others, you... Read more

Raekwon Freaks The Classic Gang Starr Funk On Lion’s Paw Freestyle (Audio)

Gang Starr and DJ Premier have longstanding ties to the Wu-Tang Clan, from the days of Premo lending equipment to RZA in the Tommy Boy Records days, to Inspectah Deck on "Above The Clouds," and Method Man's appearance on the "In Together Now" remix. Interestingly enough, Staten Island's Raekwon has... Read more

DJ Premier Cuts The Scratches To Who’s Gonna Take The Weight Live (Video)

Asking a Head to name their favorite Gang Starr tracks can be a lot like Sophie's Choice. From the joints included on the duo's two greatest hits compilations onto the album cuts from 1986 to 2003, it was all pretty revolutionary for beats, rhymes, style, charisma, and "tha voice." One... Read more

Talib Kweli, Marco Polo & DJ Premier Honor Guru (Video)

Guru has been gone for three and a half years. However, the man also known as Baldhead Slick will never be forgotten. Marco Polo enlists Guru's Gang Starr partner DJ Premier, as well as late in life collaborator Talib Kweli for "G.U.R.U." This is heartfelt, and the latest tribute, following... Read more

De La Soul’s Buhloone Mindstate 20 Years Later (Food For Thought)

By: Bandini There are some great “win-win” debates out there. For instance, which era of the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Lakers really was the best? Sean Connery or Roger Moore,…or Daniel Craig? Reasonable Doubt or The Blueprint? One such debate that I’ve found to be recurring is "The... Read more

Guru – Moment of Truth (Video) + Mister Cee Tribute Mix (Audio)

Here's more love for Guru on the 3rd anniversary of his passing. First up is an amazing short film that is previously unreleased. It features never before seen interview and performance footage as well as some really inspiring moments of Guru speaking to students in a school. Next, is Mister... Read more

DJ Premier – Guru Tribute Mix

Today marks the third anniversary of our loss of Guru. To celebrate his life, here's the mix that his Gang Starr partner DJ Premier did as a tribute. Since Guru was also one of the finest MCs to ever come out of Boston, we dedicate this to all those affected... Read more

Marco Polo – G.U.R.U. ft Talib Kweli & DJ Premier

One day before the 3rd anniversary of Guru's passing, here's a really dope tribute to him from Talib Kweli, DJ Premier and Marco Polo. Check out G.U.R.U. Related: Talib Kweli – Come Here ft Miguel (Audio) Click here to download... Read more

DJ Premier speaks on life (Video)

Here's an incredibly compelling interview of DJ Premier. Rather than survey his career, the focus is on who he is as a human being. Primo talks about how thankful he is for life now; his first experiences with death; spending time with Guru's son and how life has changed since... Read more

Happy Birthday GURU (Video Playlist)

Happy birthday to GURU who would have been 51 today. Here's a (mostly) video playlist celebrating a life of Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal. Related: DJ Premier GURU Tribute Mix (Audio)... Read more

DJ Premier GURU tribute mix (Playlist)

Today marks the 2-year anniversary of the day we lost Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal (better known as GURU from Gang Starr). As we do on these days, rather than mourn the loss, we celebrate the LIFE through the music. No better way to do that than through the tribute playlist... Read more

DJ Premier Interview With Hard Knock TV (Video)

Here's a long interview of DJ Premier from HardKnock.TV. He speaks about creating his first classical music track, his relationship with Guru, doing a full album with Nas, collaborating with Slick Rick for the first time and more. Click here to download Need Some Bad by Slick Rick (and produced... Read more

Newcomer A.V.I.U.S. drops some heat with Fashawn and Evidence from Dialated Peoples.

This is a tribute to GURU.  Check out Same Ol' Line. Click here to download.... Read more

There's a reason Jay-Z (the G.O.A.T.) signed Jay Electronica. He's incredible. Check out Jay E's tribute to the mighty GURU. The song is called Jazzmatazz but the sample is The Beatle's Yesterday.

The intro is crazy long but it's worth the wait: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3m1BZYfQ3o Click here to download.  Here's the classic Beatles track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwS_YDzxH3M  ... Read more

Hip-hop may not be dead but vinyl officially is. The legendary Fat Beats record store closed on 9/4/10. Check out DJ Premier's tribute.

The art of DJ'ing lives on through Serato, but for purists who prefer vinyl things just got a little tougher.  Fat Beats record store was a staple of hip-hop in NYC (as well as in LA and Amsterdam) and it closed its doors forever (or at least in that location...)... Read more

DJ Premier Guru Tribute Mix

Here's the Guru tribute from the legendary DJ Premier (one of the greats--producer, DJ and person): Keith "Guru" Elam Tribute Mix by Dj Premier Blog Radio on Mixcloud... Read more

Gang Starr’s Guru Dead at 43

Keith "Guru" Elam died on April 20, 2010 at the age of 43 after a long battle with cancer.  I knew Guru personally and he was always nice and humble when we spoke.  Regardless of all the rumors that swirled around his death, he left a lasting musical legacy, both... Read more