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am eu albumu in original, si e marfaKremlin wrote:gangstarr e TARE! si mie-mi place <da asta cu eminem asculta si altceva in afara de em>.vazusem odata un cd cu ei intr-un magazin de pe-aici.albumu era Gangstarr - Ownerz .si era vreo 750 de mii....frate de unde atatia bani :
?...si acuma nici nu-l mai gasesc
super tare.Guru, the legendary MC of Gangstarr, is out to start a whole new legacy. No longer working with DJ Premier, he has aligned himself with Solar for his latest album, Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures. In this SOHH.com exclusive, Guru and Solar talk about their new label, the status of Gangstarr, hip-hip losing its originality and the "fake" Guru.
Tired of being a part of the major record label business, Guru decided to team up with Solar to form 7 Grand Records. Their goal is to breathe new life into the game and rejuvenate original hip-hop culture. And they are confident they can succeed.
SOHH.com: Tell me a little bit about your label.
Guru: Ok, well it's 7 Grand Records, it's that new powerhouse label that is coming out of New York City which will bring you a pure vision of Hip-Hop, but with a futuristic approach. We're gonna bring some of those elements that we miss, but at the same time, move the culture forward.
Solar: Basically, 7 Grand represents a point of Hip-Hop where we see the damage and destruction these cats at the top are doing not only to Hip-Hop, but to people in general. They're setting unrealistic expectations for people, even in their personal relationships between men and women, they're making the order of the day, million dollar cars, the mansions and the jewelry just to be sexy and that's unfair to do to the minds of the masses. So we're gonna take it back to Hip-Hop where it's supposed to be.
SOHH.com: Who are you gonna sign?
Guru: We're working on a mixtape project that will come out with the legendary DJ Doo Wop. It's got legendary mixtape DJs and pioneers of the art form and we're gonna drop a groundbreaking album and that will be very inspirational and motivational. Just a creative idea from the industry, another aspect 7 Grand can do.
Solar: I'd say after a year or so, we'll start really concentrating on building some new tracks. We got Jazzmataz Volume 4, Doo Wop's album and then probably Guru 8.0 and during that time will be cultivating new artists, bringing them into the game.
SOHH.com: Let's talk about Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures. Guru, in what direction did you to take this album in?
Guru: In a direction that would be competitive with today's market. I wanted to continue the Guru style of teaching without preaching, but that street element, the lessons that I put in my lyrics without being an authoritative figure talking down. I speak the language the youth speaks. I speak it directly to them and they like that. So I wanted to take that to the next level with some hot new production that will put me more competitive with what's going on right now, but at the same time, not fall too far from what has been laid down by Gangstarr and Jazzmattaz and I feel that Solar did that and went beyond that. It all happened kinda spontaneously the way it all evolved cause Solar and I were introduced by a mutual friend and we've been hanging and everything during the times I was sparring with Gangstarr and recording with Gangstarr. I was venting to him my frustration with all the major label influences on my creativity and my vision. He said to me, "Start your own label." I was like, "Hmmm." So I got back at him and we started talking about putting things together and he played me some tracks. I took those original tracks home, wrote to those tracks, went to the studio with full songs and we crafted the sound. For me, it is very exciting because it's like I'm taking myself to another level. It's renewing my history with all my favorite artists too. It's a good feeling. At the same time, I got to pop my own collar because this has never been done. Ya know, an MC discovering the life of DJ Premier and creating that legacy and now, embarking on a whole new legacy on the genius of brains on Solar. That pretty much has never been done. The only thing that could compare to could be Snoop with Dre and now, Snoop with Pharrell.
SOHH.com: It seems like you have done a lot of collaborations on the album. You've worked with DooWop, Styles P., Talib Kweli, B. Real and Jaguar Wright. Why was it so important for you to work with all these artists for your album?
Guru: Actually, if you look at Hip-Hop right now, I have less featured guests than most of the Hip-Hop albums in over the last 3 to 5 years. Collaborations is a style that is prevalent in Hip-Hop right now. You know, they'll go and get the triple platinum artists just to try and get some units. My collaborations are with real artists I connected with and Solar connected with and they really put their hot 16 together for us and didn't just do it to get a check. These are real, mutual respect collaborations, just like Jazzmatazz or any of my other previous work. It's good to do a record with somebody who feels good about us.
SOHH.com: So you guys are also planning on continuing the Jazzmatazz series?
Guru: Yes, we are working on Volume 4 already, so we plan to release it, I believe in June 2006 and we also have that on 7 Grand Records and the Jazzmatazz is a real chance for us to push the boundaries. It's gonna be great.
SOHH.com: Do you feel Hip-Hop is losing some of its originality?
Guru: Yes I do and that is due to, what I was sayin', some of the top conglomerates are so full of themselves and gluttonous, so to speak, they are like selling a lifestyle to the people that the people don't really want, that's not good for them or they can't afford or makes them feel bad about themselves because they can't compete. So the self-esteem is lowered and Hip-Hop wasn't designed for that. Hip-Hop was designed to elevate our self-esteem. That's what it was for. We were different from society because we had our own thing. The fact that made us different made us special. It's like now, if I don't have this bling, if I don't have these rims, if I don't have that, I can't bag a fried chicken. That's whack. We used to be on the subways baggin' fried chicken, fly Hip-Hop shit.
SOHH.com: So what would it take for Hip-Hop to gain back it's originality?
Guru: 7 Grand Records, hahaha. There's your answer. It's really, really, really, really, it's like a vote, especially with media people like yourself. You have a key position you play in this whole thing. We appreciate your time.
SOHH.com: Sweet, best of luck with that man. You're doing some great stuff so far.
Guru: Well thank you, man. It's like for me, I love this. It's all about the love for the art and the culture. And like I was saying, when I was locked down on those contracts with Gangstarr to the majors, I just always thought about doing this one day, so now it's happening and it's a natural evolution for me and there's no extra emotionality attached to doing Gangstarr anymore, ya know, no drama, this is grown man's business. This is Guru taking charge of his career and ya know, setting up this new powerhouse label with Solar and really taking Hip-Hop into the future. This is what we do. Sometimes, I think people get so caught up with what you've done, that they can't move forward. Well, when we went to Europe with this stuff, they caught on right away. Everybody has to really wake up and see what's going on in the culture because it's our culture.
SOHH.com: What exactly is going on with Gangstarr? You guys broke up or still together?
Guru: It's not a breaking up kind of thing. It's just ended. We went to the Zenith of where it's gonna go. I wanna leave it as a legacy, not milk it or start trying to tour and trying to get some money and end up burying the whole shit, because that's what happens. It's just like that champion who keeps going back into the ring who gets knocked out, and it's not always the champions fault, but the ones who egg them on to get back in the ring. So for me, I wanted to start a new legacy. There's no beef, no emotionality. That's it.
SOHH.com: So you wanted to go out on a high note?
Guru: Yea and for me, this is where I want to be. You don't know how refreshing it is to own your own catalog and have your own label you can put your music on. That is the greatest thing. We have 20 employees worldwide. We're building this up. This is gonna be big. No doubt.
SOHH.com: So let me ask you, what's your relationship like with DJ Premier?
Guru: I haven't talk to him in a while. He's doing his thing, I'm doing mine. The respect is there. It will always be there.
SOHH.com: I hear that. What do you think of M.O.P. signing with G-Unit?
Guru: Well, I think that's better than Rocafella for them. I'm glad because I didn't want them working with Young Guru. The fake Guru. The engineer over there at Rocafella.
SOHH.com: Yea. What's up with you and Young Guru?
Guru: When you asked about originality before, we're talking about things like that. Ya know, you work for one of the top companies and top organizations in Hip-Hop and you can't come with your own name? Like something original? And got the balls not to even talk to us when we reach out to him? It's not about taking someone's name, like what are we gonna have next? The Skinny Heavy D or the Handsome Biz Markie? That's how I feel about that.
SOHH: Well he said in the past he was a big fan of yours and was going under the Young Guru name for years now.
Guru: That doesn't make any sense. You can't be a fan of someone and take their name. They're also referring to them being old and you're young. That is ridiculous and I will not accept that. I would never do it and just like the Bible says, "Do onto others as you would want them to have do onto you." I'm not going for it.