“Word to God, if Big and ‘Pac was still here/Some of these weirdos wouldn’t act so cavalier/We all know that the game has changed/It’s crazy out here, rap’s got a bad name/Think about it, what if bling never happened?/And the true artists were gettin’ rich from rappin’/Word to God, some should give/Let’s delete the politics so real hip-hop can live.” – Guru
The lyrics come from the hook of Gang Starr’s latest release ‘Bad Name’. Despite the fact that the verse was recorded nearly a decade ago at least (prior to Guru’s passing), they could not ring more true in today’s hip-hop climate. The lyrics throughout serve as a reminder to respect the artform while also demonstrating Guru’s timeless appeal. Premiere’s production is perfect as always, leveraging ghostly vocal bends, funky horns and clever cuts. This is golden era hip-hop in its truest form.
Along with the release comes news that Gang Starr’s new album One Of The Best Yet will be out November 1st. Given the impressiveness of ‘Bad Name’ and ‘Family and Loyalty‘ it’s shaping up to be something special.
