Gang Starr
DJ Premier (left) and Guru (right)
Background information
Origin	Boston, Massachusetts
Genres	East Coast hip hop, jazz rap, alternative hip hop
Years active	1985–2006
Labels	Wild Pitch Records, Chrysalis Records, Virgin
Associated acts	Gang Starr Foundation, M.O.P., Harlem 6, Ed O.G., Termanology, Rakim, Reks, Wu-Tang Clan, D.I.T.C.
Past members
Guru (Deceased) DJ Premier

Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru (1961-2010^[1]) and DJ/producer DJ Premier.^[2]

Background[link]

The group was founded by Keith Elam in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985 (then known as Keithy E. The Guru) and DJ 1,2 B-Down (also known as Mike Dee) with 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 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 liked. He invited DJ Premier to join Gang Starr and in that same year they released their first single "Words I Manifest" along with the album No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989).^[2] In 1990 the group was signed to the Chrysalis record label by then A&R director Duff Marlowe, a former DJ and Los Angeles Times rap music critic. The London-based label offered Guru and Premier unlimited artistic license and major-label distribution worldwide, a platform that the group used to become one of the most influential hip hop acts of that decade. During their career Gang Starr helped pioneer the New York City hardcore hip hop sound. The entire Gang Starr's catalog, especially Step in the Arena (1990), Daily Operation (1992), Hard to Earn (1994) and Moment of Truth (1998) are well respected among underground rap fans and critics. Gang Starr provided a track, Battle, for the sound track of the 2002 movie 8 Mile. Their track "Jazz Thing" was featured on the soundtrack to Spike Lee's film Mo' Better Blues.^[2]

Hamburg/Germany 1999

Hamburg/Germany 1999

Guru was involved in a European Gang Starr tour in 2003-04 with an alternate DJ after DJ Premier's return to the United States. In 2006, Guru indicated in several interviews that Gang Starr had reached its end.^[3]

DJ Premier recently stated that there is a posthoumous Gang Starr CD/DVD project in the works, most likely to be released in 2012.^[4]

Death of Guru[link]

In February 2010, Guru suffered a heart attack, went into a coma, and died on April 19, 2010. Solar, a long-time collaborator of the artist, said Guru chose not to go public with the diagnosis of myeloma that was made in 2000.^[5] According to a statement released by his PR company upon his death, Guru appeared to have fallen out with DJ Premier seven years prior to his death and did "not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name, likeness, events, tributes, etc."^[6] The validity of the statement was later questioned by Guru's family and many of his contemporaries within the Hip-Hop culture.^[7]

Gang Starr Foundation[link]

Both members of Gang Starr had roots in the New York hip hop scene, despite hailing from Boston, Massachusetts (Guru) and Houston, Texas (DJ Premier), and have each worked with several artists.

The Gang Starr Foundation was a loose collective of various people who 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. The founding member was Vikar. Another member of the legendary Gang Starr Foundation is Big Shug, alongside rappers like Afu-Ra, Jeru the Damaja, and Group Home.

Discography[link]

• No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989)
• Step In the Arena (1991)
• Daily Operation (1992)
• Hard to Earn (1994)
• Moment of Truth (1998)
• The Ownerz (2003)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Year Round Records DJ Premier's label site
• "Jazz and Hip-Hop" by Jared Pauley, (Jazz.com)

Inspectah Deck
Inspectah Deck performing with the Wu-Tang Clan.
Background information
Birth name	Jason Hunter
Born	(1970-07-06) July 6, 1970 (age 41) The Bronx, New York City, New York
Origin	Staten Island, New York
Genres	Hip Hop
Occupations	Rapper, Producer, actor
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Loud, Relativity, Koch, Urban Icon, Traffic
Associated acts	Wu-Tang Clan, The Housegang, Kurupt, Gang Starr, Big Pun, 7l & Esoteric

Jason Hunter, (born July 6, 1970) better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Although he has not gained the same level of mainstream success in his solo career as some of his Wu-Tang counterparts like Method Man,^[1] he has acquired critical praise for his intricate lyricism, and for his verses on many of the group's most revered songs.^[2] He has growingly become a producer in his own right, taking up tracks for fellow clansmen and his own projects.

Background[link]

Early career[link]

Born July 6, 1970, Hunter routinely mentions the Park Hill Projects in Clifton, Staten Island, where he grew up, going to school with the future Method Man, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah.^[3] Coming from a musical family, his father died when he was six years old, and seeing his mother support the family contributed to his laid-back, quiet mentality; this led to his stage name, as he decided to play a low-key counterbalance to the antics of Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and RZA.^[4] This is also referenced by Method Man at the end of the track "Can it Be All So Simple?" on Wu-Tang's debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) :

Despite this inconspicuous persona, Inspectah Deck maintained a relatively high profile, as he was the second most featured member on the album, and provided highly acclaimed verses for the singles "C.R.E.A.M.," "Protect Ya Neck," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit," and "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'." In the years following, Hunter would appear on several Wu members' solo projects, including Method Man's Tical (1994), Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995), GZA's Liquid Swords (1995), and Ghostface Killah's Ironman (1996). On Wu-Tang's second group album, Wu-Tang Forever (1997), Deck produced the track "Visionz" and contributed a solo track, "The City", as well as writing one of the most critically acclaimed verses in hip-hop on the group's hit single "Triumph". He would also provide production for some of his Wu cohorts, including "Elements" and "Spazzola" for Method Man's Tical 2000: Judgement Day (1998), "Kiss of a Black Widow" for RZA's RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo (1998), and the title track for GZA's Beneath the Surface (1999).

Solo career[link]

Inspectah Deck's debut album Uncontrolled Substance was initially set for a late 1997 release, however, this experienced several delays due to a flood in producer RZA's basement studio, which destroyed over one hundred beats, including those made for the album. Wu-Tang affiliate Cilvaringz stated in a 2010 interview "Recently Deck pulled out some disks from the flood and they worked again and he used one for his upcoming album on Koch."^[5] In September 1999, Uncontrolled Substance was released, and featured more of Deck's own production, and appearances from several lesser known affiliates. The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics, but failed to garner the reception attained by earlier Wu-Tang solo projects. Shortly after this release, Deck returned to the Wu-Tang fold for the group albums The W (2000), and Iron Flag (2001).

In 2003, Inspectah Deck released his second studio album, The Movement (for which he would later state did not live up to his expectations),^[6] and in 2006, he released The Resident Patient, intended as a precursor to The Movement. In 2007, the rapper reconvened with the Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams. Along with Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck partook in the controversy, sparked when several group members disparaged RZA's tight artistic control of the album, championing Ghost's album The Big Doe Rehab. In regards to these disagreements, Deck stated in an interview:

Around this time, the rapper announced his up-coming project The Rebellion, confirming production from RZA and the Wu-Elements; it is now set to come after The Resident Patient II, and will reportedly be his final album as a solo artist.^[7]

On March 23, 2010, Inspectah Deck released his third solo album The Manifesto, which features guest-appearances from Raekwon, Cormega, Termanology, Planet Asia, Cappadonna, Kurupt, and M.O.P.'s Billy Danze. In 2008, a mixtape entitled The Resident Patient II was leaked on to the internet; this features some original material, as well as freestyles over other artists' songs. Inspectah Deck stated in an interview that The Manifesto was meant to be the originally announced full-length sequel, Resident Patient II.

Since early 2010, Inspectah Deck has begun work on the The Rebellion, and has expressed his interest in working with several Wu-Tang members, as well as Snoop Dogg, E-40, Nas & Jadakiss on the album. He had mentioned in an interview with Conspiracy Radio that he will only retire from solo albums if the fans don't show support for The Manifesto and The Rebellion.^[8] He has also mentioned his plans to release an instrumental album of his own production, entitled 'The Bodyrock Volume 1', which is inspired by the instrumental albums released by Alchemist, Ayatollah, and Pete Rock.^[9]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles and EPs[link]

• 1995 "Let Me At Em"
• 1996 "Semi-Automatic Rap Full Metal Jacket"
• 1998 "REC Room"
• 1999 "Forget Me Not"
• 1999 "Show N Prove (Power of God)"
• 1999 "Word on the Street" b/w "Movas & Shakers"
• 2000 "Thundercats Freestyle"
• 2003 "The Movement" b/w "City High"
• 2003 "He's a Rebel" b/w "Big City"
• 2003 "Bump & Grind" b/w "Vendetta"
• 2010 "The Champion"

Appears on[link]

^[13]

2012 "how you do that" | Illmaculate | Skrill Talk

Production Credits[link]

1995

Wu-Tang Clan - Tales from the Hood The Soundtrack

• "Let Me at Them"

1997

Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever

• "Visionz"

1998

Inspectah Deck (ft. Streetlife) - Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm

• "S.O.S."

Method Man - Tical 2000: Judgement Day

• "Spazzola"
• "Elements"

RZA - Bobby Digital In Stereo

• "Kiss Of A Black Widow"

1999

GZA - Beneath The Surface

• "Beneath The Surface"

Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substance

• "Femme Fatale"
• "Word on the Street"
• "Elevation"
• "Hyperdermix"
• "The Cause"

U-God - Golden Arms Redemption

• "Glide"

2000

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

• "Stay True"

2001

Cappadonna - The Yin and the Yang

• "Revenge"

2005

Streetlife - Street Education

• "A Star Is Born"

2006

Inspectah Deck - The Resident Patient

• "Get Ya Weight Up"
• "My Style"

2009

Fes Taylor - Flight 10304 (T-2 Fly)

• "Show Something"
• "CMG Salutes La Banga"

2010

Inspectah Deck - Manifesto

• "Luv Letter"
• "T.R.U.E."
• "We Get Down"
• "9th Chamber Part II"
• "Really Real"

2011

Masta Killa - Loyalty Is Royalty

• "Are You Listening?"

References[link]