T.R.O.Y.

Exclusive Interview with Guru (Gang Starr) and Solar

Posted: 06 Jun 2009 07:30 AM PDT

Exclusive Interview with Guru (Gang Starr) and Solar

As you can imagine I was ecstatic to interview Guru, who I feel is one of the the most prominent emcees of our time. He's was part of one of the most influential hip-hop groups ever.

Now I've done interviews with Ghostface Killah, AZ, Cormega, Kurupt and Ras Kass just to name a few, and never have I balked at asking a question. I do these interviews as a fan not a journalist.

Prior to the interview I was informed that Solar would be accompanying Guru on the interview. I had no problem with this, but I was not prepared being that I was under the impression it was just Guru. Not to mention the fact I knew very little about Solar and didn't have ample time to study his work and create some questions for him.

I was also informed that Guru requests no questions about Gang Starr or DJ Premier. Well, when I heard that I thought how am I going to do this interview without bringing up the past? Without a past there is no present. There is no Guru 8.0, there is no fans buying the album or attending their concerts. How could you have an interview with Guru and completely ignore the past?

Every Paul McCartney interview you hear John Lennon is always brought up. Every Scottie Pippen interview you hear Michael Jordan is brought up. You don't think C.L. Smooth gets asked about Pete Rock all the time? The shit goes with the territory and as an artist you have to understand that. We're not talking about an intimate relationship about an ex-wife, this is about a very public and professional relationship that was in our faces, in our tape decks, in our magazines and on our radios for 20+ years. You cannot dismiss that.

Now I understand both their positions about wanting to move forward, but as fans and long time supporters we should be entitled to know what happened, right? How come Guru won't work with DJ Premier? How come there is no more Gang Starr Foundation? What happened to his childhood friend Big Shug who he no longer friendly with? Why has Guru chosen to work exclusively with Solar?

These are very legitimate questions with absolutely no maliciousness behind them. This isn't about hating on their future. This isn't about not supporting Guru and Solar, this is about how did we get to where we are today? Prior to doing this interview I read a few recent Guru and Solar interviews and even saw a clip and it was no secret that when the mention of Gang Starr or Premier happens the interview takes a sharp turn. I didn't want any knee-jerk reactions and I definitely didn't want to agitate either of them, but still I wanted to get my questions in somehow because I felt we deserved some answers.

As loyal and longtime fans, we are the shareholders or their stock. Without us there is no Gang Starr, no Guru, no Solar. That's not to say we are owed an answer to everything but when it becomes public you can't expect the very people who run out the Tuesday to cop your album to simply forget past. My biggest concern with this interview was making it an informative an informative one. I may have failed or succeeded in some eyes but I gave it my best and now you can make the call yourself. Apologizes in advance as you can imagine how hard it is to conduct an interview over the phone, much less with two people answering at will.

Philaflava Interview w/Guru & Solar - Part 1

Philaflava Interview w/Guru & Solar - Part 2

Download a HIGHER QUALITY rip of the entire Guru & Solar interview here

All in good fun...

Check out the interview in its entirety and make sure you leave your comments and questions for both Guru and Solar.

Click here to join the Guru and Solar interview discussion thread.

And if you've been living under a rock, you missed one of the the most in-depth Gang Starr celebrations ever on the blogosphere. Catch up here - Gang Starr month from April.

Check out Guru & Solar at www.guru7grand.net

Peace,

Jason Gloss
philaflava@philaflava.com