Keith Edward Elam died last April. Most of us knew him as Guru, the ever-steady emcee for Gang Starr. The news of his passing left every one shocked, and left a gaping hole in the hip-hop community. In anyone else's hands, a moniker like the King of Monotone might've come across as a diss, but with Guru it was a self-anointed title that perfectly described the control he displayed when rhyming. Flat, unaffected, and precise. He carved out a specific style no one can replace.
To honor his legacy, Revive Da Live Big Band, a 19-piece jazz army, will play arrangement of classics from Guru, drawing especially on his Jazzmatazz project. In addition to hip-hop, Guru was a jazz fanatic, and the Jazzmatazz project he curated famously fused the worlds of hip-hop and jazz.
Expect a number of special surprise guests Thursday night. All proceeds from the show will go to K.C. Elam, Guru's son.
Revive Da Live Big Band Tribute to Guru
Thursday, April 21
10 p.m.
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker St, New York
Tickets $20
