Considering the tragic circumstances surrounding the end of GURU’s life, it’s not surprising that this project has taken nine years to arrive. As opposed to the ghoulish cash-in of Born Again and seemingly infinite posthumous Tupac albums, One of the Best Yet delivers a heart-felt farewell to the beloved MC Keith E.E. from members of the Gang Starr Foundation and those who grew up admiring his work.
There are some stand-out moments to be found here, especially the stirring performances from Freddie Foxxx and Royce Da 5’9″, but I can’t help but feel that this would have worked better as a tribute album to GURU rather than patching together what sound like vocals that weren’t good enough to make The Ownerz. Likewise, the beats on Gang Starr albums always had a different feel than the stuff that Premier produced for others, having a collaborative feel to them that set it apart from his freelance work. Technically, everything is on place, but it just doesn’t feel like a proper Gang Starr album.
‘Hit Man’ come off like an inferior retread of ‘Just To Get A Rep’, except with Q-Tip providing wacky gun sound effects, and isn’t even the best rap song with that title, while the obligatory M.O.P. feature, ‘Militia’ chapter and song about how Slick with the chicks Baldhead was are rolled out in a workmanlike but hardly thrilling manner. The less said about the J.Cole, Talib and Ne-Yo parts, the better. Without that classic chemistry that made Step In The Arena and Daily Operation so powerful, this unfortunately comes off like a paint-by-numbers remix album of not very good GURU raps and awkward hooks.
Nevertheless, the LP is worth a listen or two, but it’s not something I can see myself revisiting in three months (or even three weeks) from now, and I certainly don’t consider it a canon Gang Starr album without Keith Elam’s direct creative input. Nevertheless, I’m glad that One of the Best Yet exists, as it may help long time fans get a sense of closure and inspire some others to revisit the glory days of GURU and Preemo. More importantly, it works as a loving tribute to a fallen friend and comrade from DJ Premier and the Foundation, and maybe that’s enough.
Agreed. It’s a nice closure. None of the songs are memorable though. None of them bad either. Just something that exists.
The vocals actually came from Solar sessions. Premier had to pay him for 30 pieces of content. Guru was never in top form working with Solar.
He bought the raps from that dreaded C-bomb? Good grief.
I have yet to listen to this but I’m honestly kinda scared based on everything I’ve read. I shutter at the thought of Ne-yo & J. Cole being involved with anything pertaining to Gangstarr.
SO DISREPECTFUL TO GURU! THIS IS NOT QUALITY GANGSTARR AND SHOW HAVE NEVER BEEN RELEASED. GURU DIDNT WANT THIS SHIT OUT, HE WASNT EVEN DOWN WITH SELL OUT ASS PREMIER ANYMORE! NEYO ON A GANGSTARR ALBUM??? J COLE??? GURU IS ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE!
CHEAP WAY TO MAKE A BUCK PREMIER!
You’re glad an album that you wont be listening to in three weeks was made?
I agree overall with Robbie. I read some twitter reviews going crazy about it, so when I got around to listening, it was a little bit of a let down. Some random thoughts:
— Fame had the best cameo, naturally. F what a wise man said!
— I noticed that Freddie Foxx threw a small diss at Solar, who wasn’t otherwise mentioned.
— I didn’t hate the J Cole feature, it wasn’t that bad. The Q-Tip one was the worst, just embarrassing.
— yeah, the vocals came from Solar. That’s why Guru doesn’t even mention Premier like he usually does. I wonder if Solar will put out an album where Guru disses Premier.
— as Robbie said, I’m glad the album came out, and I’ll probably buy it on vinyl just to have it and support the group.
“SO DISREPECTFUL TO GURU! THIS IS NOT QUALITY GANGSTARR AND SHOW HAVE NEVER BEEN RELEASED. GURU DIDNT WANT THIS SHIT OUT, HE WASNT EVEN DOWN WITH SELL OUT ASS PREMIER ANYMORE! NEYO ON A GANGSTARR ALBUM??? J COLE??? GURU IS ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE!
CHEAP WAY TO MAKE A BUCK PREMIER!”
Is that you Solar? LMAO!!!
@Dino: I’m glad that his old crew got to give GURU a musical send off, but it’s not something that I ever need to hear again. Much like the final ATCQ LP.
The last ATCQ album was good. Overly long but overall good and, imo, better than “The love movement.” This Not-Gangstarr project is not good. Jeru, Group Home etc have already recorded tributes to Guru elsewhere. This project reminded me of that “The return of Dr Octagon” cut’n’shut bodge job.
Not awful, not a classic, it just is. A few shining moments that gleam through the fragmented sounding verses, Preem confirmed that he payed solar the “ransom” for those vaulted vocals on hot 97. I actually enjoyed it more than “the ownerz”, which doesn’t say a lot. I too, saw all the hoopla pre-release tweets, and expected a stellar lp. I am a huge GS fan, and I can’t help feeling like the bulk of the album feels rushed, and incomplete.
“yeah, the vocals came from Solar. That’s why Guru doesn’t even mention Premier like he usually does.”
….on family and loyalty tho….
“Bill with you, split the diamond into ice blue
Thrice he tried to disrespect our kinship, I don’t like you
And now you axed out the fam’
But I’m cashin’ checks, with Premier on this jam”
I need more proof fam
Premier said he bought 30 tracks of material from Solar. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some leftover stuff from ‘The Ownerz’ on there too. A damn shame Primo had to give that snake a penny, Solar needs to die slow.
I agree it’s a damn shame that’s why I’m like wtf yo….universal (Chrysalis) ain’t loosing none of them masters? I woulda took a jazzmatazz throwaway
I enjoy the album. As someone who never anticipated to hear another Gangstarr record again, I listened without seeing or hearing anyone’s opinion first. Naturally, I was excited for it as a lifelong fan. My expectations weren’t sky high (as they would never be for a posthumous album) but I thoroughly and honestly enjoyed it. I can understand some of the gripes expressed here, but I’m glad I enjoy it. The production certainly sounds Gang Starr-ish to me as opposed to Preme’s standalone work, though the two are not that far off. I think Premier did an excellent job with what he had to work with. No tarnish to the catalog, imo but rather a nice addition.
The new Gang Starr album has a joint with Ne-Yo, an R&B singer but don’t forget, Gang Starr collaborated with Jodeci for Royalty, and Total. J-Cole is a dope MC. How is Primo a sellout? He is true to Hip Hop and true the undergeound New York boom Bap sound. He is not a sellout by any means. The album is dope. Only that jackass Solar would call Preme a sellout. That dunce is sweeping hair at a barbershop.
I’d say the excitement and and joy of hearing some Guru period got me amp’d. Then the fact that it’s over some Preemo got more amp’d. It’s Gangstarr for those facts period. But it’s not an official “Gangstarr” album without Guru having say on the beat selection and artist features. So in all, I’d say this is dope Gangstarr project(?). Having Royce on it was dope in a (torch passed for a group unoffically)and he had the best Guru reference on the album. But….. I think after this one his remaining vocals should be used for some kind of final Jazzmatazz album produced by people Guru worked with already for that series with only his close fam overseeing it.
Any thoughts on the second generation Wu group,Robbie ?
That bit where he mentions Premier sounds like it was edited tho, no?
If Q-Tips name want on the track I wouldn’t even have known it was him, what the hell was that?
Haha, Superwack-Producer SoBroke is at it again! https://thesource.com/2019/11/13/producer-solar-accuses-dj-premier-of-production-plagiarism-on-new-gangstarr-album-offers-up-original-songs-created-by-him-and-guru/
He doesn’t seem to realise that releasing these terrible songs only proves to show how far superior a producer Primo is.
Peace!
I totally disagree with the reviewer.
True, the Cole or Kweli features weren’t worthy or right and exact, but the Q-Tip, Bumpy, MOP, Gang Starr foundation’s contributions were DOPE! GURU loved and respected Q-Tip, so why not? Tip laced that hook man.
No it wasn’t GURU’s best verses, but they weren’t wack either. Premier did an exceptional job considering what he had left of GURU to work with.
Preem was in rare form too with the scratches. He bodied EVERY scratch on this album.
I respect everyone’s opinion, but this album is HANDS DOWN the best Hip Hop Album release of 2019!
Preem did the best with what he had!
Peace & Respect!
I was completely and utterly gob-smacked to see this album release. I listened to it with low expectations, having felt Primo lost his magic the first time D&D closed in 2002/3. (With exceptions, like Don’t Give a Fucc, Make It Clear, Zonin, and the Bumpy Knuckles tracks with old Primo beats). But OMG… ‘Bless The Mic’…it honestly gave me the chills, like hearing a ghost of Gang Starr at their greatest. The Militia cut was OK too, nice to hear Shug, Guru, and Bumpy over some suitably crunchy beats. But ‘Bless The Mic’, wow…
The album’s enjoyable but quite a few bits have been used before. Lights Out vocals have been released on the first Baldhead Slick 12″ (under the same title), Bless the Mic has the same chorus as What I’m Here 4 off Moment of Truth, several lines on other tracks have been used before etc… and Q-Tip’s appearance is careerendingly bad
Is this project in the $/£/€ bin yet? I might cop it then for sake of quasi completism but only an idiot paid full price for this CD. Did we ever find out why Guru ditched on Gang Starr and went all-in with that no-name hack? Is the new Big Shug album that dropped around the same time any good? Will Jeru The Damaja and Psycho Les’s Panda-themed collaborative album ever see the light of day? Was Guru tone/partially deaf because I recently dug out my old copies of the first two Jazzmatazz projects and my god! The ^singing^ on those joints is painfully pitchy. Why weren’t Neneh Cherry, Bahamadia or Nefertiti invited to participate in this ^Gang Starr^ album? I know they weren’t GSF members but Guru was instrumental in their careers.
The Moment of Truth: Guru/Gang Starr Life & Death Story by Solar At last the whole story is ready to be told. Read out whole story in the book “Moment of Truth” on Amazon.
Guru “ditched” Premier and went all-in with Solar because he was his partner / lover. Solar was manipulative and controlling and exploited Guru’s misgivings about Premier’s multiple productions for no-name rappers. It was like the Lennon / Yoko thing. The new lover gets into the artist’s head, tells them they’re being taken advantage of / ripped off or whatever, and ultimately the band breaks up.
its a good album, your review is trizash. hitman is dope, militia is dope, from a distance is dope, what’s real is dope. Thats 4 stand outs. Preem shoulda used the beat he gave shug (EMF) for the first track with MOP. that woulda been crazy. PEACE GMG
Me personally, if Guru didnt have a say in anything on the album, then it aint a true GS album. I’ll just wait for the instrumental album to drop, at least it be more enjoyable to listen to