I Am A Genius I Mean This

After the initial shock yesterday of the passing of Gangstarr's Guru and the strange letter and relationships (both strained and unknown) he had, I spent most of the day focusing on the man's music.

What struck me more than his signature montone style, diverse range of topics, ability to unbelievably mesh with Premier's beats, and his decade long run of relativity, was that each of his albums, songs, hell, even verses took me back to people, times, and realtionships in my own life.

From 1989 to 1998, Gangstarr stayed relavent in the Hip Hop game. This is nearly unfathomable in today's rap game. (Their 2003 release The Ownerz had its moments- mainly the Jadakiss featured "Rite Where U Stand" but it was an abrupt end to the Gangstarr era.) Like mainy real Hip Hoppers, those 11 years were formative in my life.

I can remember the entire summer of 1992 constantly saying "lemonade was a popular drink"
and it seemed damn near everyone knew what the hell I was talking about (to this day, that might be my favorite verse in Hip Hop history.) "The Militia" and Guru's verse rang throughout 98. Breaking down the album version of "Just To Get a Rep" versus the video version where Shorty comes back for his revenge in 1991. Being introduced to Jeru in 92's "I'm The Man" and two years later on "Speak Ya Clout." Guru talking relationships on "Ex Girl to the Next Girl" might've spoke to everyone whose gone through a breakup, while the "Above The Clouds" seems to relax you everytime it came on in 1998. Way back in 89, wondering who was this cat with "The Words I Manifest" with the crazy hat and precise lyrics.

"The rhyme style is elevated" bellows the intro to "You Know My Steez" and it rings true, as Guru elevated his rhymes each outing, but never drastically strayed from the formula that made him a real Hip Hip icon...RIP.

RELATED: Gangstarr - "The Militia"