Guru of seminal rap duo Gang Starr and Jazzmatazz is in a coma after suffering a heart attack on Sunday. The 43 year-old will undergo surgery this afternoon.
Born Keith Elam, Guru rapped on Gang Starr hits including "Words I Manifest," "Just to Get Rep," and "Full Clip," and the group earned critical acclaim for Guru's earnest, intelligent lyrics and DJ Premier's innovative sampling and use of jazz in their music.
With Guru's Jazzmatazz, the rapper delved into jazz further while also collaborating with the Neptunes, Kelis, and Chaka Khan. He had recently hinted on Twitter that he and DJ Premier were set to work on new Gang Starr material, and had a Jazzmatazz tour planned.
[Guardian.co.uk via All Music Guide]
