DJ Premier Reveals How He Got the Guru Vocals for Upcoming Gang Starr Album ‘One of the Best Yet’

After years marred by lawsuits, hospital visits, and personal disagreements, the world will finally hear the new Gang Starr album on Friday.

Nearly a decade has passed since the death of Gang Starr‘s Guru. Even before his battle with myeloma, the rapper hadn’t spoken with partner-in-rhyme DJ Premier in years. In an interview with the New York Times, the man behind the boards explained the numerous battles surrounding the upcoming Gang Starr album — the first from the duo since 2003.

READ: DJ Premier Reveals the “Emotional” Process of Producing Gang Starr’s First Single in 16 Years

In the last years of his life, Guru had formed a relationship with DJ Solar. The two co-founded a record label together. Solar held the last existing Guru recordings, later claiming that they were intended to be released for a Gang Starr reunion project. According to the New York Times profile, n 2014 a Rockland County judged ruled against the latter DJ. Guru’s family received over $100,000 in damages, but the real issue here was the recordings. Premier and Solar, though still not on speaking terms, agreed on a figure.

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Over the course of 18 months, Premier constructed One of the Best Yet, producing beats around isolated hooks and verses. He enlisted Talib Kweli, Royce da 5’9, M.O.P., and others for the album.

To this day, Solar disputes the validity of the aforementioned agreement. Nonetheless, Premier has found the most elusive thing of all: closure. “I’ve been wanting this closure for a long time,” he said. “And I feel like this album does it.”

Source:: New York Times