Gang Starr

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Gang Starr <tr style="text-align: center;"><td colspan="3">Image:Gangstarrpic.jpg </td></tr>
Background information <tr><td>Origin</td><td colspan="2">Brooklyn, New York</td></tr><tr><td>Genre(s)</td><td colspan="2">Hip Hop</td></tr><tr><td>Years active</td><td colspan="2">1987–?</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-right: 1em;">Label(s)</td><td colspan="2">Wild Pitch Records (1989–1990) Virgin Records (1991–2003)</td></tr><tr><th style="background: #b0c4de;" colspan="3">Members</th></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;" colspan="3">Guru DJ Premier</td></tr>

Gang Starr is an influential American hip hop duo composed of MC Guru and DJ Premier based in Brooklyn, New York.

1 Background
2 Gang Starr Foundation
3 Current status
4 Discography
5 External links

[edit] Background

The group was founded in 1987 by Guru (then known as Keithy E. The Guru), DJ 1,2 B Down, Mike Dee and various producers, such as Donald D, J.V. Johnson or DJ Mark the 45 King helping out. In 1987 and 1988, Gang Starr released three 12" vinyl singles on the legendary Wild Pitch label.

In 1989, the group split and the only member willing to continue under the name Gang Starr was Guru. He soon got in touch with DJ Premier (then known as Waxmaster C) who sent him a beat tape which Guru apparently liked. He invited DJ Premier to join the new founded group and in the same year they released their first single "Words I Manifest". With that line up, Gang Starr went on working together for six albums, a 2CD "greatest hits" compilation and numerous singles and soundtrack contributions.

During their career Gang Starr helped pioneer the New York City hip hop sound. The entirety of Gang Starr's catalog, especially Step in the Arena (1991), Daily Operation (1992) and Moment of Truth (1998) are well-respected among critics and hip hop heads alike. Their track "Jazz Thing", featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film Mo' Better Blues, helped establish the sound of jazz rap, although they themselves consider their sound solely straight hardcore hip hop.

[edit] Gang Starr Foundation

Audio samples of Gang Starr

"Manifest" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 1989 album No More Mr. Nice Guy.

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"Just to Get a Rep" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 1991 album Step in the Arena.

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"Take it Personal" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 1992 album Daily Operation.

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"Mass Appeal" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 1994 album Hard to Earn.

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"You Know My Steez" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 1998 album Moment of Truth.

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"Skills" (sample) (file info) — play in browser (beta)

From the 2003 album The Ownerz.

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Problems playing the files? See media help. </li> </ul> </div> </div> Both members of Gang Starr have deep roots in the New York hip hop scene, despite hailing from Boston (Guru) and Houston (DJ Premier), and have each worked with countless artists. The Gang Starr Foundation was a loose collective comprised of various members that have worked closely with the group, through either Guru's now defunct Ill Kid label, DJ Premier's production work or the management company that Gang Starr was represented by, Empire Management.

[edit] Current status

The group's current status is unknown. It is unconfirmed whether it still exists or if it has broken up. Instead of issuing a proper press release, both members have made often contrary statements on their own in various print, radio, TV and online magazine interviews.

On September 1, 2005, Guru has revealed in an interview [1] with the hip hop online magazine sohh.com that the group doesn't exist anymore, but that it has ended instead of breaking up. This has finally cleared up the rumors that came up first on the European Gang Starr tour in 2003/2004 when DJ Premier suddenly went back to the US and Guru continued touring under the group's name with another DJ. However, in an December 21, 2005 interview [2] with the online magazine allhiphop.com, DJ Premier has denied that Gang Starr is history; he said it's rather a long break than a real break up. In a more recent interview [3] from April 20, 2006, with the online magazine hoodstars.net, Guru has stated he would not work with his previous partners anymore. In a newer interview [4] he stated that Gang Starr has reached the peak and that he is out of the project. To add even more to the confusion, DJ Premier said in a November 21st, 2006 interview [5] with the XXL Online Magazine "If I confirm it, then it’s official. If I don’t confirm it, then we still together." which is a very odd statement to do, considering Gang Starr was originally not his, but Guru's group.

[edit] Discography

For a full Gang Starr discography, see external links.

Album cover	Album information
	No More Mr. Nice Guy Released: 1989 Billboard 200 chart position: - R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #83 Singles: "The Lesson", "Gusto"/"Knowledge", "Words I Manifest"/"DJ Premier in Deep Concentration"/"Here's the Proof", "Positivity"/"No More Mr. Nice Guy"
Image:Stepinthearena.jpg	Step in the Arena Released: January 15, 1991 Billboard 200 chart position: #121 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #19 Singles: "Just To Get A Rep"/"Who's Gonna Take the Weight?", "Love Sick"/"What You Want This Time?", "Step in the Arena"/"Check the Technique"
	Daily Operation Released: May 5, 1992 Billboard 200 chart position: #65 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #14 Singles: "Ex Girl to Next Girl"/"B.Y.S.", "2 Deep", "Take it Personal"
Image:Hardtoearn.jpg	Hard to Earn Released: March 8, 1994 Billboard 200 chart position: #25 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #2 Singles: "DWYCK", "Code of the Streets"/"Speak Ya Clout", "Mass Appeal", "Suckas Need Bodyguards"/"Comin' For Datazz"
	Moment of Truth Released: March 31, 1998 Certification: Gold Billboard 200 chart position: #6 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #1 Singles: "You Know My Steez", "Royalty", "The Militia", "Work"
Image:Fullclip.jpg	Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr Released: July 13, 1999 Certification: Gold Billboard 200 chart position: #33 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #11 Singles: "Discipline", "Full Clip"
Image:The Ownerz.jpg	The Ownerz Released: June 23, 2003 Billboard 200 chart position: #18 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5 UK chart position: #74 Singles: "Skills", "Nice Girl, Wrong Place"/"Rite Where U Stand", "The Ownerz"/"Same Team, No Games"