Gang Starr front man Guru was born Keith Edward Elam.

He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts ( MA ).

No diss to my Indian family, but he took the name Guru as a backronym for “Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal“.

About.Com has Guru #49 on the list of Top 50 MCs.

The Source ranks him at #30 of the Top 50 Lyricists.

Elam’s father, Harry, was a judge.

His mother, Barbara, was co-director of libraries in the Boston Public Schools system.

Elam graduated with a degree in business administration from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

He took graduate classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, New York City, New York.

The other half of the Rap Group Gang Starr is DJ Premier.

DJ Premier was born Christopher Edward Martin.

DJ Premier is from Houston, Texas.

DJ Premier attended Prairie View A&M University.

Maybe your soul you’d sell to have mass appeal
I know I’m dope, but don’t wet that
I’ve suffered setbacks, but now I’m makin’ greenbacks
Just like baggy slacks, I’m crazy hip-hop
Check one two and you don’t stop
Your head’ll bop when I drop my crop of pure bomb
Just like the seashore, I’m calm
But wild, with my monotone style
Because I don’t need gimmicks
Gimme a fly beat and I’m all in it
Word is bond, I go on and on

And for my peeps I truly care
‘Cause without some of them I wouldn’t be here
And they all know how I feel

So I’ma end this lecture and I bet ya
Those who kick dirt, in due time I’m gonna get ya
‘Cause I be kickin’ the real
While they be losin’ the race tryna chase mass appeal

According to DJ Premier, “Mass Appeal” was recorded to poke fun at radio when it came to hip hop music:

“It was recorded as a joke. We just wanted to make fun of the radio on what it sounded like to get airplay. That’s why I made the background melody real simplistic. I was making fun of the radio, but I’m going to make a funky version of making fun of it. Everything’s a vision, and your brain has to be that intense to be able to capture that. What the radio played, when it came to hip-hop, it sounded too watered down. That was making fun of it, but that record did real good for us”.

All three Abrahamic religion told ya, how it will be

They said it will be this way as we get closer to the end

Don’t be surprised __ sell their soul to get ahead

Sing Along to my real __ who told ya how it will be.

Bump these b, who finesse __ out of their hard earned.

Get ghosted along the way.

For when I am lacking, I got 2 or 3 __ with me.

Dedicating to my ride along, Domingo, from Boston, MA.