Dear Guru
Dear Guru
Door: Ryan Claus
Fotografie: HOHH 21-04-2010
Het overlijden van rapper Guru heeft een schok teweeg gebracht in de wereldwijde hiphop community. Naast zijn werk met vele jazzmuzikanten op zijn alom geroemde Jazzmataz albums heeft hij vooral als helft van hiphopduo Gangstarr, samen met DJ Premier, een diepe impact achtergelaten op fans wereldwijd. De laatste maanden van zijn leven kenmerkte zich door veel onduidelijkheid over zijn gezondheid, vermeende problemen tussen zijn familie en ‘superproducer’ Solar, die naar eigen zeggen Guru zijn belangen behartigt vanaf zijn ziekbed. House of Hiphop journalist Ryan wilde de randverschijnselen er echter buiten laten, en zijn persoonlijke herinneringen aan Guru, en het interview dat hij op 9 november 2008 met hem had, vatten in een brief aan deze overleden legende. Het resultaat lees je hieronder.
Dear Guru,
When I woke up today I executed my everyday routine of crawling behind my PC for the latest songs and updates in hiphop. The first thing I saw was the news about your death. I didn’t believe it, but after some double-checking on my main news sources I realized they hadn’t posted a fake message about you. I gotta admit, it didn’t really hit me. I hope you don’t get too vexed about that, I know you won’t. But as the hours passed, I started realizing more and more. I started realizing you’re not with us anymore, at least in the flesh. We lost an amazing musical talent in you today. Moreover, we lost a magnificent mind, spirit and person in you today.
I’m writing this here letter to you with very mixed feelings. With Mister Cee’s tribute to you banging in the background, I just shed my first tear for you. Damn, your flow is doing it for me in Gotta Get Over. Mister Cee is taking good care of your sounds, don’t worry about that. Like I said, there are emotions going both ways as I write this letter to you. Despite your untimely departure, I can’t help but smiling when I think of the time we met. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to meet you in person. This was an extra special time for me, as it was my very first interview I ever did with any artists. To think it would be with you, one of my biggest childhood heroes, was unthinkable. I remember it like it was yesterday. I also remember I was nervous as fuck, and I wanted to do the interview with you before your show started so bad. Ofcourse I would not get to shake your hand and ask you my thoroughly researched questions untill after the gig. This would be the only time I could not fully enjoy a show of yours. I was just too nervous man, I know your warm heart will forgive me for this one too! Right after your last song I was called backstage and instructed to wait for Guru. You were still showing your fans love, signing autographs. When you finally stood in front of me, I could feel chills going up and down my spine. I’m not the type of dude that gets star struck of even nervous at all, but this was something special. When you’ve been listening to someone since the age of 15, feeling every single line spitted and bopping your head for damn near every minute of hearing him, you automatically build up a god-status of that person. But this is exactly the part that I love most about this story: you weren’t special at all. You’re special allright, you’re one in a million, but in another, better way. What you’re not, however, is different, arrogant or distant. We spoke for a good thirty minutes about your music, and you gave me props for my first interview. To this day, it’s still my favorite interview I’ve done, and probably always will be. I want to thank you for this night, you litteraly opened my eyes to the magic of hiphop. I will never forget you for that.
This is just one of many stories to you Guru. I know there are thousands of your fans out there with their Guru or Gang Starr story. You’ve been a true pioneer for hiphop, for me, for rappers, for hiphop lovers and journalists, for your family and friends and for the world. Your music is playing since this morning and I’m not planning on pressing pause anytime soon.
I’ll miss you Guru. One day, we will meet again, above the clouds. Peace to you, Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal.
Yours truly,
Ryan
Fan, admirer and friend.
