14 DAY TRIAL // MC Guru, who wrote history on hip-hop/jazz music in the ‘90s with his and DJ Premier’s group Gang Starr, lost his long and secret battle with cancer on Monday, MTV can confirm. The star was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, went into cardiac arrest, underwent surgery in February, and went into a coma from which, according to reports, he never woke up. He was in his ‘40s (some sources say he was 43, others 47).
Gang Starr, though a band that never managed to break into mainstream, is considered a key element in the formation of underground rap, especially for what Guru did to the fleeting hip-hop/jazz style. All the albums listing his name are critical hits, milestones for rap music for their clear but not aggressive message, their unmistakable sound and suave execution. Guru is survived by family and a son.
“Just over a month since undergoing surgery following a heart attack, Gang Starr MC Guru (born Keith Elam) has died at age 43. According to a statement, Guru died of cancer-related causes on Monday after a long fight with the disease. Guru’s longtime collaborator and partner Solar mourns his loss in the statement and explains that Guru had written a letter to his fans that was to be released upon his death,” MTV says. Family members would not immediately confirm the news, presumably because they were no longer in contact with Guru.
Certain details about the particulars of the rapper’s situation at the time of death are still hazy, with family members telling the media that Solar was preventing them from making contact with him, allegedly because he was pursuing his own (financial) interest. Solar also tells MTV that Guru left a letter to his fans, that he asked to have it made public upon his death and in which he takes one final swing at his former bandmate DJ Premier, saying he never wants his name or his music associated with him again.
“I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. 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,” the letter also says.
However, fans believe it might not be the real thing and that either it’s a forgery or some kind of sick hoax.