Keith Edward Elam (July 17, 1961 – April 19, 2010), better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier.

He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The name Guru is a backronym that stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal and the less-often used God is Universal; he is the Ruler Universal, which are both references to the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths.

He was also known for lending his voice for 8-Ball in Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.

On February 28, 2010, Elam went into cardiac arrest and, following surgery, fell into a coma. It was claimed that Guru had briefly awakened from his coma but died on April 19, 2010, at the age of 48, from cancer.

Keith Elam (Guru) was survived by his parents, three siblings, and a son named Keith Casim. His production partner, Solar, claimed that Elam had momentarily awakened from his coma to compose a letter to the public, although DJ Premier and members of the emcee’s family stated that he never regained consciousness.

Elam’s family claimed that Solar had prevented them from having contact with Elam during his illness just before his death. The validity of the death-bed letter was challenged by Guru’s family.

In an interview on Conspiracy Worldwide Radio, Solar claimed that he was protective of Elam, and everything he had said was true. This interview was met by extreme emotion from the hip hop community and did little to clear the controversy surrounding his actions.

DJ Premier produced a tribute mix to Elam and has released a public letter along with Elam’s sister Patricia Elam. Harry J. Elam, an older brother, wrote a personal memoir in remembrance published in The Boston Globe on April 23, 2010. The Elam family had a Guru Tribute Web Site set up where visitors were able to view tributes and sign a memorial page.

Guru’s nephew Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff made a 16-minute documentary in which he narrated the story of his late uncle. The video can be seen at DJPremierBlog.com, http://www.gurutributes.com

Guru’s Albums :

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1
Released: May 18, 1993
Singles: "Trust Me", "Loungin’", "No Time To Play" & "Le Bien, Le Mal"

Guru Presents Ill Kid Records
Released: 1995

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality
Released: July 18, 1995
Singles: "Watch What You Say" & "Livin’ In This World"

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul
Released: September 26, 2000
Singles: "Keep Your Worries", "Lift Your Fist", "Certified" & "Supa Love"

Baldhead Slick & da Click
Released: September 25, 2001
Singles: "Where’s Our Money?!/In Here" & "Cry/Pimp Shit"

Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures
Released: May 10, 2005
Singles: "Cave In", "Step In The Arena 2" & "Hood Dreamin"

Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future
Released: June 5, 2007
Singles: "State Of Clarity"

The Timebomb: Back To The Future Mixtape
Released: July 31, 2007

The Best of Guru’s Jazzmatazz
Released: February 12, 2008

Guru 8.0: Lost and Found
Released: May 19, 2009
Singles: "Divine Rule", "Fastlane", "Ride", "After Time & "No Gimmick Sh*t"

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