Vibe Magazine have posted an in-depth interview with DJ Premier, where the producer address the questions surrounding the death of his former partner in Gang Starr, Guru, and particularly the rapper’s last letter, which, some have speculated, was not written by Guru.

Premier claims that the last time he spoke to Guru was on March 30, 2004, when he received an album from the rapper. “We were pretty much going at it about him straightening his life up with the drinking and everything… just getting himself together. Because talent wise, drinking or sober, he was always on point in the lab. He could lay down his vocals with no problem and he always wrote his rhymes dope. When he wrote his rhymes on page they were so messy [Laughs]. I used to ask him, “How can you even recite the verses and flow?” He would be in the booth turning the paper upside down while he’s still rhyming and without having to punch in.”

He also reveals that he left Gang Starr at one point in the nineties, after the recording of Moment of Truth. “I had actually left the group before that album came out. I’ve never really told that story, but even Guru knew although he’s not here to defend that—but I had left the group. We were not getting along over stupid shit so I straight up said, “I’m out of here.” He was going through his gun trial and facing a five-year bid. I have to thank our tour manager who I went to college with and who is a major part of my life to this day. Even with his own problems with Guru, he was like, “Yo man, you need to go back to him. Y’all were meant to be a duo, man.” Then the trial was about to happen and I called Guru and said, “I want to do this.”

When talking about the frequently maligned Sonar, Guru’s post-Premier partner, Premier both addresses rumours that the pair were an item (“I don’t believe it. All these little rumors about Guru and some other shit… it can’t be. Because he had too many women”), and states that “it hurts [that Solar could manipulate Gang Starr’s legacy] None of the things being said are true. Just from the amount of work we have put in… We talking about almost 18 years. That’s a long time. If we didn’t make history, maybe I could deal with it a different way. But we made history together and he was alive to see it. Guru was able to get two gold albums; he was able to do the Jazzmatazz album. So everything that we gained makes you think, “You mean to tell me you are going to blow it all away and act like that’s not an important part of what made us who we are?” With a silly ass letter like that???”

And when it comes down to the real nitty gritty (the letter), Premier is candid: “I would love to see that letter. I would love to see the handwriting. Because I know Guru’s handwriting like the back of my hand with all the bills we had to pay together. I know it’s not him … I talk to [Guru’s family] all the time. His father, his sister Patricia; the only one I haven’t spoken to is his younger sister. But they all know me well. His brother Harry… They all know me. And they know this is all some bullshit.”

We’d strongly recommend reading the full piece, which can be found here.

Premier photo also from Vibe

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