Rapper Guru has died aged 43 after a long battle with cancer, it’s been announced on the DJ Premier Blog site.

The New York MC – whose real name was Keith Elam – suffered cardiac arrest on March 2 and had been in a coma.

Premier and Guru made up the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, which released six pivotal hip-hop albums between 1989 and 2003, pioneering a new and ‘conscious’ brand of rap alongside acts like A Tribe Called Quest and De  La Soul – and a brand of sample- and scratch-heavy beats that still get imitated to death. Guru went on to release a series of “Jazzmatazz” albums featuring collaborations with the likes of Courtney Pine, Roy Ayers and Kool Keith.

I met him in South Africa a couple of years back, and whilst he was a little standoffish, he did sign my vinyl copy of ‘Full Clip’, which I’ll treasure forever.

He had a unique, unmissable voice that will be sorely missed. Here’s a reminder of what made Gang Starr so great:

“Above the crowds, above the clouds – where the sounds are original

Infinite skills create miracles…”

Let me take you back to the old school, cause I’m a old fool! This cut is classic in so many ways its sick. Sampled countless times by rappers and producers after this. Check out Primo & Guru way back when…

GANG STARR – JUST TO GET A REP