When we first heard the news of Guru falling into a coma a few months back, we all rallied around each other with thoughts, prayers etc. Sadly, the day that we hoped never would come arrived yesterday when respiratory failure took the life of Gang Starr front man Guru. Any man, woman, or child who is a true fan of Hip-Hop culture understands the significance of the loss of Guru, but here at THHP, our sorrow runs deep. We've played Gang Starr records nearly every week for 15 years. It is our belief that a part of Hip-Hop died when we lost Guru yesterday. We will pay tribute to the legend this Saturday with 4 hours of strictly Guru/Gang Starr. Despite the fact that we are still struggling with the reality of losing one of our heroes, we hope this Saturday will be more of a celebration of a great man's accomplishments. There aren't enough words to describe the way we felt about Gang Starr's music and message, so we will save it for the tribute this weekend. Our condolences go out to the Elam family, The Gang Starr foundation, and anyone who has ever had their life changed by listening to Gang Starr.
Here is a statement from Guru's sister, Patricia:
The Elam family wishes to thank the fans of our son/brother/father uncle/nephew/cousin Keith aka GURU for the outpouring of love, concern and support.
Our hearts are broken by the loss of someone we loved so much. GURU was devoted to his young son, who will most keenly feel his absence.
GURU suffered from multiple myeloma for over a year. Accrued complications from this illness led to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. As a result, GURU was in a coma from mid February until his death and never regained consciousness. Early on the morning of April 19th, he became hypertensive due to low blood pressure. He again went into cardiac arrest and slipped away from us.
GURU died far too young but he was, and we are, proud of all his many legendary musical contributions.
The family is not aware of any foundations established by GURU. We know and understand that countless fans want to express their condolences and love and, to that end, we are planning a memorial event in the near future that will be all-inclusive. Please look for further details from the family as they become available.
from The Elam Family
Keith Elam aka Guru
Rest in Power
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