The Passing Away of A Legend R.I.P. Guru

R.I.P. Guru of Gangstarr You Will Be Missed

We were praying Guru would fully recover and get well, but unfortunately Guru passed away earlier this year.   Apparently Guru had been battling Cancer for the past year and it eventually became too much stress on his body. We mourn the loss of this Great Hip Hop Music Legend and send his family and friends our condolences.

We had met both Guru and his business partner Solar back in 2007 and were quite impressed by the duo's demeanor and poise. We of course knew who Guru was and were enthralled to meet a Hip Hop Legend that had inspired us during youth. We had met Guru a while back, but this was our first time being introduced to Solar in person. At that time we had no idea that Guru and Premier had severed all ties. The amount of separation would soon be revealed in a letter released after his death.

Guru's longtime collaborator and partner Solar mourns his loss and explained that Guru had written a letter to his fans that was to be released upon his death.

"The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time — my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," Solar said. "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."

Born on July 17, 1966, near Boston, Guru rose to fame in the late 1980s as part of the duo Gang Starr with partner DJ Premier. The pair helped define the New York underground rap sound in the 1990s. Their unique sound combined Premier's production palette, which leaned heavily on sampled jazz records and scratched vocals on the choruses, with Guru's uncompromising rhymes. Although the pair would work separately as often as they did together - Guru's Jazzmatazzseries of albums and Premier's work with Nas, Jay-Z, and underground act Group Home - Gang Starr continued to release critically acclaimed material throughout the late '90s and early 2000s.

Their 1998 album Moment of Truth was among their most critically lauded collections and Gang Starr's biggest-selling project to date. Gang Starr's last group project, The Ownerz, was released in 2003.
Guru found solo fame in 1993 when he released the first volume of his Jazzmatazz series, an all-star project that featured a number of collaborations with jazz icons such as Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, Roy Ayers and Ronny Jordan, as well as vocals from French producer Solaar and N'Dea Davenport of the Brand New Heavies. The album's mixture of jazz and rap was considered pioneering at the time, and the record spawned the hit "Trust Me." Guru would go on to make four volumes in the series.


According to Solar, Guru wrote his farewell letter while in the hospital.

"I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world," it begins. "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."

"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 son 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 [of] myself and my son until he is of age to accept on his own."

Guru very pointedly distanced himself from Premier in the letter, saying he didn't want his former musical collaborator to be able to participate in any tributes or events surrounding his death.

"I do not wish my ex-DJ [DJ 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," wrote Guru. "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 Gang Starr, I am very proud of what Gang Starr 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 Gang Starr or Jazzmatazz 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's family — from whom he was reportedly estranged, along with other past associates — had not commented on his death, and last month his nephew Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff posted several emotional videos on YouTube saying that Solar was preventing them from seeing the MC during his illness. 

Prayers for Guru of Gangstarr After He Suffers a Heart Attack

On February 28th 2010, Guru suffered a severe heart attack and is currently in a coma. 

We were busy posting on Twitter when we heard that legendary lyricist and rapper Guru of Gangstarr suffered a heart attack and went into a coma. Guru is scheduled to go under the knife for heart surgery tomorrow and we wanted everyone in the Hip Hop community to extend a huge prayer for his well being. Thinking back on our favorite Hip Hop songs of all time Guru and Gangstarr hold three or four spots in our favorite Hip Hop songs of all time list with "Mass Appeal" "DWYK" and a few other songs.

For those that don't know him Guru (born Keith Elam, July 17, 1966 in the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury) is a Hip Hop Legend who worked together along with DJ Premier as the members of Gang Starr,
(look up Gangstarr or Guru on www.youtube.com and learn a little more about Hip Hop History and listen to some classic tracks). Guru was One of Hip Hop's second generation / golden era stars in the 80's and 90s'. Guru recorded countless hits as part of the Duo Gangstarr consisting of Guru & Now legendary producer DJ Premier. Guru also recorded a few major solo album projects labelled Jazzmatazz (a further fusion of jazz and Hip Hop that Gangstarr was already famous for) Guru and Gangstarr have had a major influence on many of Hip Hop's greats including people like Jay-Z, Biggie, Tupac, Jeru The Damaga and some of todays latest artists. 



In 2007 Guru was ranked at 45 for the Top 50 MCs of our time: 1987-2007


Guru later on took on a new producer "Solar" as a partner for many of his later projects. Guru has continued recording music through the new century and had recently posted on Twitter "Are my fans ready for a new Gang Starr Album" Many fans wondered if this also meant DJ Premier might produce a few of the tracks or if most of the tracks would be produced by Guru's new producer Solar.


Tonight before going to bed pray for his health and that he makes a strong speedy and resiliant recovery. - Get well Guru! May real Hip Hop Live forever.

Mardi Gras Party & Grand Opening of Fat Tuesdays

Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Party

Last Year we had a blast at Mardi Gras parties all around the Denver Metro Area

This Year we are going to party it up for Mardi Gras at Oasis Nightclub 1523 Market St Denver CO. 80202

Fat Tuesday The official Mardi Gras Party in America is the huge traditional party from New Orleans based on the party stylings of Carnival. It always falls on Fat Tuesday, the Tuesday before ASH Wednesday. It has grown to be such a huge event in New Orleans that it's fame, reputation and style has reached across America and sprouting Fat Tuesday parties at nightclubs across the nation.

This year Fat Tuesday falls on Tuesday February 16th 2010. A few of our friends are gathering together along with tons of other Mardi Gras revelers at The New Club Oasis at 15th & Market in Denver CO.

Two of our favorite DJs, DJ Emir & DJ Dangerous Dan will be on the turntables.
They will also be giving away masks, mixtape CDs and beads.

Doors open early with a happy hour from 7pm-9pm followed quickly by the DJ Dance party at 9pm.
The club also features a Hookah Lounge that stays open as an after hours spot til 4am.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Another year has passed and Once again it's Christmas time and we all had a great and wonderful white Christmas with snow hitting during Christmas week. With just a few days left before New Years it's time once again to reflect on the year past and look forward to the New Year with hope and of course a new list of New Year's Resolutions, that we swear THIS year we WILL stick to.

It is also time to figure out how and where you plan on spending your New Years Eve. With many traditional places like NYE nightclub parties, New York City Times Square New Years Celebration and of course New Years Eve Firworks in just about every town and every major city around the world.

Were all splitting up this year to cover several parties across the United States Three of us are going to New York to Webster Hall where MSTRKRFT will be playing after they ring in The New Year. A few will be heading to Denver to check out the White Rose Gala and others will be heading to Los Angeles California and Las Vegas Nevada for special New Years Parties as well.

For Info on the California New Years Eve Parties Call or Text J of J's VIP List at 323.632.8221

Planning to do something special this New Years Eve? Just gonna kick it ata home with friends? Bar Hopping this New Years? Tell us what you have planned for this New Years Eve. Just  scroll down and leave a comment to let us know what you plan for New Years Eve.

Trick or Tweet? Abuse of Fake Celebrity Twitter Accounts Cause for Lawsuits And Twitter Crackdown

The social networking site Twitter is clamping down on fake celebrity accounts after being sued in America.

Thousands of famous names have fallen victim to impostors, including Britney Spears, Foreign Secretary David Miliband, the Dalai Lama and even the Queen.
This summer, Mr Miliband was forced to deny quotes widely attributed to him after the death of Michael Jackson. The comments had been written on a seemingly plausible Twitter account under his name.

Twitter has decided to act after Tony La Russa, the coach of an obscure American baseball team, launched a legal action over a fake account. He claimed that postings in which he appeared to make light of the death of two of his players had been ‘hurtful’.
Twitter, which has six million users who can send instant blogs on their activities to anyone who chooses to follow them, denies it has any legal case to answer.
But it is now testing a new system to ensure that users can identify genuine celebrity accounts. In future, a tick alongside a name will guarantee it is genuine.
Until recently, Twitter has had a liberal attitude towards celebrity impostors as long as it was clear that the postings were not genuine.
One blogger claimed to be jailed record producer Phil Spector, writing from his prison cell. Among the fake Spector’s comments were: ‘People ask me for my opinion of American Idol. It’s a total insult to music. Not my thing.’
A phoney account under the name of film star Christopher Walken and bearing his picture is still regularly read by more than 90,000 people.

And in March this year, actor Ewan McGregor’s spokesman claimed the star was considering legal action to remove a fake Twitter account that had attracted 20,000 followers.
The Mail on Sunday’s own Piers Morgan has also been targeted by an impostor who has accumulated a following of 17,650. One of the more recent postings has the Britain’s Got Talent judge saying: ‘Well done everyone for backing Susan [Boyle], such a talented lady.’
Jonathan Ross recently unmasked an impostor claiming to be comedian Jack Dee. The BBC presenter phoned Dee to check if the postings were really his.

A fake account in the name of Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge Cheryl Cole was so convincing that Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles was duped into becoming one of her more than 31,000 followers.

Star Trek star William Shatner told an interviewer who asked him about his hugely popular Twitter account: ‘I don’t even know what Twitter is.’ But 116,000 people still follow the fake William Shatner.

A fake Twitter account for George W. Bush has 1,100 followers, and recently had the former President saying of the Queen’s birthday: ‘Queenie Lizzie’s birthday party today. She’s lookin’ good for 110 years old, or however old she is.’

One of several fake Gordon Ramsays regularly swears at his 6,700 followers. In June, as the Fat Duck restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, suffered from an outbreak of food poisoning, the fake Ramsay wrote about the owner: ‘Feel sorry for Heston [Blumenthal]. F****** bad luck.’
The number of fake accounts has led to British website Valebrity offering its own verification service. Its founder, Steven Livingstone, said many fake accounts were set up to carry out direct marketing.

He said: ‘People are making a lot of money out of it. Nobody knows who’s who on these sites.’
Typically, social networking sites remove fake accounts if there are complaints or fraud is suspected.

But Twitter is unable to track impostors because no proof of identity is ever requested from its users.

A Twitter spokesman said: ‘We’re working to establish authenticity, starting with well-known accounts that have had problems with impersonation or identity confusion.

Kanye West Doesn't Need Rumors to Destroy his Reputation He Destroys it Himself

Hip-hop star Kanye West has blasted out at rumour mongers who are tarnishing his image on the web. The ace Hitmaker is furious and has launched a scathing attack on fans who continuously spread fake rumours about him on the internet. Kanye has urged web users to stop trying to “destroy” him.

The Stronger hitmaker was recently amidst a bizarre internet gossip which said that he had spoken about possibly making a porn movie. The rumour was carried forward by several websites claiming the verity of the news.

The rumour turned out to be fake, and West is furious and mad. He has taken up writing to clear all the muck that is quite damaging for the singer’s image.

He writes on his official blog, “Why won’t you let me be great! I read some s**t claiming I said I’m down to do porn and some bisexual porn! I just gave the performance of my lifetime for our new president … Then I flew to Paris and they debuted my new shoes that I designed with Louie (sic) Vuitton which was a dream come true. Please I beg you, give me a break!”

Kanye also reveals how these blatant lies affect him and his performance. West is especially angry, because he is convinced that the ugly rumours have overshadowed his recent performance at President Barack Obama’s inauguration. He adds, “That’s in poor taste! That undermines what my contribution to that event (Obama’s inauguration) was and slaps everybody who felt uplifted by that performance in the face!”