Guru (rapper)
Guru is an alternative rapper, best known for his pioneering work in the fusion of
jazz and
rap. He got his start in
Gang Starr and built up a sizable following by
1993, when he released his first solo album,
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. The album featured collaborations
Donald Byrd, N'Dea Davenport,
MC Solaar and Roy Ayers, while his second LP,
Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, featured Ramsey Lewis,
Branford Marsalis and
Jamiroquai. Though the
Jazzmatazz albums were commonly considered some of the best rap in the early
1990s, Guru's reputation suffered slightly with the mixed reviews of
Streetsoul (
2000) and
Baldhead Slick & Da Click (
2001).