Ya boy Young Bladez back at it again for another Flashback Flyday. This week we got Gang Starr on deck, a duo consisting of Guru and DJ Premier, who packed a one-two punch rivalled by few, and a prolific career spanning across three decades.
Although Gang Starr embodies the rugged New York sound, neither Guru nor DJ Premier are native New Yorkers. Guru was originally born in Roxbury, Massachusetts and DJ Premier in Houston, Texas. That might come as a surprise to some, because how influential they were in the New York City hardcore hip-hop scene during the 80’s and 90’s. The group would go on to much commercial and underground success, until in 2006 rumours started surfacing of a possible split. No projects surfaced after those rumours, and in February of 2010 Guru Suffered a heart attack and slipped into a coma. He had been battling cancer, soon succumbed to his illness, and lost his life.
My first Gang Starr experience happened as child while listening to some of my brother’s albums, but I sparked an interest later on when I was in 9th grade. The album “The Ownerz” was released with the hit single “Skills” and that sent me down the Gang Starr Discography worm hole. Still to this day I have the album “Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr” in my car and I regularly rekindle my love for their gritty New York sound. I’d like to share with y’all one of my absolute favourites from that album, “Mass Appeal.”
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