#nowplaying: Gang Starr - Words I manifest
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Ponder This
"Whatever I choose, I choose to do
I have to stand out from all the rest."
This is a sad day for Hip Hop: a big player has left the game.
Yesterday morning Gang Starr's Guru lost his fight against cancer and died at age 43. He went into cardiac arrest a few weeks ago but it seemed like he had recovered from it. Now the malicious illness, which he tried to keep in private for over a year, finally got him.
But instead of mourning about his death, let's celebrate his life and art.
Guru was born as Keith Elam on July 17th, 1966 in Roxbury Massachusetts. The name Guru is a backronym for 'Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal', a reference to the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths.
In 1987 together with his congenial partner Christopher Martin better known as DJ Premier he founded one of the greatest rap combos of all time, Gang Starr. During the last 25 years they released 8 albums and established their own style, combining old-school beats and DJ cuts mixed with Jazz and Soul samples and honed with conscious rap lines. Songs like 'Words I manifest', 'Royalty' or 'The milita' are all-time classics that every rap fan that dealt with the music and culture should know.
Besides the Gang Starr albums he started the Jazzmatazz brand which consisted of 4 albums and featured artists like Jamiroquai or Angie Stone. Those albums were more melodic than the Gang Starr albums and included many singing parts which gave the songs a smoother and more 'soul-like' feeling.
Hip Hop says 'Thank you' and 'Farewell' to a great MC, musician and person:
Keith 'Guru' Elam born on July 17th, 1966, died on April 19th, 2010.
I profess and I don't jest cause the words I manifest
they will take you, sedate you, and I will stress upon
you the need for, you all to feed your
mind and soul, so you can lead your-self
to keep, I got a real objective here
I am effective here, cause I select a clear
Message to all, suckers I maul they fall from
Into the pit of purgatory
I go for glory, I take an inventory
Countin all the tough luck ducks while I narrate
Relate and equate, dictate and debate
My fate is to be, cold makin history
I use sincerity, but I'm so very deep
Doubts are questions, of all the skeptics
I'm kickin clout and, I'll leave you vexed
it's just true, there's nothing so-so cause I know
Right about to spin it I'm in it admit it I did it
to you, cause this is what I'm into
So chill while I instill that we all must fulfill
the proper mission for us and yo this is a must
It's usually lines of my rhymes I ingest
they will take you, sedate you, and I will stress upon
you the need for, you all to feed your
mind and soul, so you can lead your-self
to keep, I got a real objective here
I am effective here, cause I select a clear
Message to all, suckers I maul they fall from
Into the pit of purgatory
I go for glory, I take an inventory
Countin all the tough luck ducks while I narrate
Relate and equate, dictate and debate
My fate is to be, cold makin history
I use sincerity, but I'm so very deep
Doubts are questions, of all the skeptics
I'm kickin clout and, I'll leave you vexed
it's just true, there's nothing so-so cause I know
Right about to spin it I'm in it admit it I did it
to you, cause this is what I'm into
So chill while I instill that we all must fulfill
the proper mission for us and yo this is a must
It's usually lines of my rhymes I ingest
These are the words that I manifest, I manifest
I suggest you take a breath for the words I manifest
they will scold you and mold you, while I impress upon
you the fact that, I use my tact at
rhymin for climbin, and chill while I attract that
girl you're with, I got a sincere quality
I give her all of me, cause you're too small to be
tryin to riff, so let me uplift and shift my gift
Let's go to the fullest capacity
I got tenacity, because I have to be
The brother who must live and give with much insight
Foresight to ignite, excite and delight
And you might gain from it, or feel pain from it
Because I'm ultimate, and I'm about to let off
Knowledge is wisdom, understanding
Truth's the proof, so won't you throw a hand
in the air, put up a peace sign and be fine
If so we're feeling good we should we could we would
Stop, think for a moment OK?
And then sway while I convey that we must do away
with all the stress and the strife, so god bless your life
Use kindness, and never blindness
And you will find that this perspective is best, check it out
These are the words that I manifest, I manifest
I convey that what I say will awaken you today
After jockin while I'm talkin, but anyway
that you put it I give you, lyrics to live to
Righteousness rules, so I forgive you this time
For you are being very ignorant
That's insignificant, I guess you figured and
hoped to be, dope as me, ID you flee
Because the rest is too much for you
I'm your professor, I got the touch to
do more than the rest who fess and can't compete
I'm elite I'll defeat delete and mistreat
Make mincemeat of other fools, cause I'm the brother who'll
snatch up the funds and, make lonely ones
I meant it really, cause I'm clearly obsessed and I
These are the words that I manifest, I manifest