Live: Las Vegas

Guru - Divine Rules
Guru & Solar at the X Games 2009



State of Clarity Cuz’ Im Jazzy Jazzy Ways Who Got It on Lock Guru's HipHop Shop:
http://www.myspace.com/gurushiphopshop

7 Grand Records "The Movement"

Guru's Jazzmatazz the Mixtape: The Timebomb (Back To The Future)

IN STORES NOW

Jazzmatazz vol.4:
The hip hop jazz messenger: "Back to the Future"

In Stores Now

“This album is the absolute embodiment of the growing maturity of Hip Hop music. It is not only a great album for rap in 2007, but a success by any musical standards that should be in any music fan's collection.”- RapReviews.com



GURU’s JAZZMATAZZ vol.4 THE HIP HOP JAZZ MESSENGER: “BACK TO THE FUTURE” PRODUCED BY SUPERPRODUCER SOLAR “Since the inception of Jazzmatazz, one of the main focuses has been that it has something for every generation and music lover. It’s timeless. When we enter into these projects we’re working with artists that are relevant and it provides for that fresh new territory,” says Guru, the voice and foundation of the series, who is about to offer the world Jazzmatazz Volume 4 The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: “Back To the Future.” While Volume 4 gives you all that goodness you’ve come to expect from this revered catalog, the message on the newest release may just be independence and freedom. This album comes to us when the future gleams so brightly and the past is a legacy due largely to the stellar partnership of Guru with “SuperProducer” and fellow New Yorker, Solar, whose very name is the definition of the sun, light and heat. “With this album in particular, the fact that the production is done by Solar is an even more contemporary statement,” says Guru. “It’s a futuristic sound,” says Solar, who studied the origins and social implications of jazz in America, which informed his production with a depth and richness that is unprecedented. “I’m forward thinking,” admits Solar, whose style references classics such as “Summer Breeze,” paying homage while still putting a subtle, soulful and modern spin on these songs—evoking an effect that is at once comfortable, soothing and familiar but also new, fresh and fly. Melded with Guru’s laid-back, cool and confident flow, it’s a complementary match of creative talent and wits that simply soars to new heights. Planting their partnership even deeper on hip-hop’s ground, Guru and Solar started their own label that’s a direct result of the liberation from the big gun record labels that once ruled over their creative decisions and stifled artistic progress. Enter 7 Grand Records, which Solar says was named for being “larger than its own entity. Classy, but not overstated—and elegant.” The two friends and business partners, who came from varied backgrounds but found common ground in music, aren’t afraid of leading moral, anti-materialistic lives. Juxtaposed with the bling-bling attitudes of others in the hip-hop game, Guru and Solar are proud to set a higher spiritual standard. “We’re the moral gangstas,” laughs Solar. Many talented friends also come through on Jazzmatazz Volume 4 to bless the record and be a part of its tradition. Slum Village, Common, Blackalicious, among many others lend their unique voices and styles to record. “Stand Up (Some Things’ll Never Change)” features Damian Marley, one of the joint’s stand out tracks that helps to set the whole project ablaze. All gets ignited when Jazzmatazz Volume 4 The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: “Back To the Future.” hits streets early summer, 2007. Make sure to wear your sunglasses for this one! TRACK LISTING: 1. Cuz I’m Jazzy – feat: Slum Village 2. State Of Clarity – feat: Common and Bob James 3. Stand Up (Some Things’ll Never Change) – feat: Damian Marley 4. Look To The Sun (Solar) 5. Connection – feat: Kem 6. Fine and Free – feat: Vivian Green 7. Wait On Me – feat: Raheem DeVaughn 8. International – feat: Bobby Valentino 9. This Is Art – feat: Ronny Laws 10. Fly Magnetic – feat: Dionne Farris 11. The Jazz – Style feat: Omar 12. Follow The Signs – feat: Shelley Harland 13. Universal Struggle – feat: Brownman 14. Infinite – feat: Blackalicious 15. Kissed The World – feat: Caron Wheeler 16. Living Legend – feat: David Sanborn

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Press Release: Guru 8.0 Lost and Found

Hip-Hop’s not dead. It’s just been in need of an upgrade. Legendary emcee Guru and super producer Solar, a teaming that has already produced three classic albums (Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures, Jazzmatazz Vol. 4 and The Timebomb / Back To The Future), have created that much needed upgrade with Guru 8.0 Lost and Found.

For Guru and Solar their upgrading of Hip-Hop started in 2004 when they launched 7 Grand Records and continued in 2005 when they released Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures. The album went on to be one of the best selling independent releases of the year. According to Guru, nearly four years after the release of that album it has become obvious that the game is in need of another boost. “It’s necessary to get upgrades to keep real Hip-Hop alive,” he explains, “and 8.0 represents that next level of growth.”

That next level of growth is illustrated in a raising of the bar, both lyrically and production-wise. According to Solar, “this is the next evolution of intelligent Hip-Hop, Hip-Hop on the next level.” He says that sonically he hasn’t just raised the bar, he’s taken the bar and blown it away. This is saying a lot as the beats on Guru 8.0 Lost and Found range greatly as Solar put his unique twist on a variety of styles. With everything he creates, however, there are two constants - they are all decidedly Solar tracks, and Guru rips over all of them with a skill and ferocity that even his most dedicated longtime fans will be impressed by.

Three examples of the diversity, both musically and lyrically, found on Guru 8.0 Lost and Found are the songs “Best Of My Years,” “Fast Lane” and “Divine Rule.” “Best Of My Years” has a classic Hip-Hop feel to it and features Guru rhyming about his relationship with emceeing. “Fast Lane” is a southern Hip-Hop inspired track that shows off Solar’s ability to take an established subgenre of Hip-Hop and rework it to make it his own. Stretching things out even further is “Divine Rule,” which is a throwback to Hip-Hop’s early beginnings when emcees used to rhyme over disco breaks. Guru speeds his flow up a notch for this song, proving he can still go toe to toe and flow to flow with anybody in the game.

Make no mistake, Guru 8.0 Lost and Found is Hip-Hop in its purest form. Guru is quick to point out that this album isn’t another edition of the Jazzmatazz series, saying “this is not Hip-Hop jazz, this is straight Hip-Hop, so lyrically you’re going to have that straight Hip-Hop element.” Solar adds the album is “indicative of Guru’s ability to command the Hip-Hop arena.” This is a big reason why they limited the number of guest appearances on Guru 8.0 Lost and Found as all but one are in-house, 7 Grand, artists. UK soul singer Omar is the lone non 7 Grand artist involved with the project. The others featured on the album are K. Born, Highpower, Doo Wop and the super producer himself, Solar, who makes his first ever appearance as an emcee, an appearance he calls a “natural evolvement of who I am.”

Much of the evolvement of both Solar and Guru has come from their time spent touring. The duo, who’ve spent each of the last two presidential elections (2004, 2008) overseas, spent most of 2008 on the road for the Timebomb / Back To The Future world tour and as Solar sees it, every time they travel they grow a little and that growth is reflected in their music. “When you see how Americans and America is looked at abroad and you see how other people are living in other countries, that’s reflected in the work and that gives the work that classic level that people are talking about and that’s something that I believe the major labels just haven’t been equipped to see. They just haven’t been able to tune in to something that deep, or that intelligent, they’re more in tune with other things.” He continued, adding “this is why you get a level of maturity and scope in our records that you’re not going to get from your average artist that’s just been invented and put out there.”

Lesser men would be burned out by such a schedule and lifestyle, but not these two, Solar thrives on it and Guru seems to be getting even stronger with age. He’s Hip-Hop’s version of Bernard Hopkins, the veteran boxer who is knocking people out. Solar is quick to note that Guru’s time in the game actually works as an advantage for him. He explains, “ It’s been happening with important men in many other areas and this is another establishment of that in the realm of Hip-Hop and music. It’s something great and something above and beyond what men half his age are not able to accomplish.”

The latest great thing that Guru and Solar have accomplished is Guru 8.0 Lost and Found. It’s the upgrade Hip-Hop fans have been waiting for. “The concept of real Hip-Hop had gotten lost,” Guru explains, “but now it’s found again on this record.”

So if you’re tired of what passes for Hip-Hop on the radio right now, pop in Guru 8.0 Lost and Found and enjoy the upgrade.

ABOUT 7 GRAND RECORDS
7 Grand Records are dedicated to the art of hip-hop and beyond. Whether it's providing an outlet for challenging and stimulating music or releasing records with high artistic value, Guru and Solar are committed to providing an independent outlet for highly creative and uncompromising art. For more information about 7 Grand Records please visit:

http://www.myspace.com/gurusjazzmatazz
http://www.myspace.com/guru7grand
http://www.myspace.com/solar7grand
http://www.guru7grand.net

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LINKS
Beatbroker - http://beatbroker.com.au/
"Guru takes the cake as the realest MC ever. 7.0 is yet another piece of evidence to prove his case. In Hood Dreamin’, Guru captures everything every rapper ever wants in one song, in one song. Think about it, EVERYONE is hood dreamin’. Everyone who hasn’t made it, even the people who have. It’s just like some people get it, and some people don’t. Guru has brought something real in a time of musical drought. Spread the Truth, Guru is the best MC of all time". - source > http://www.hipghopgalaxy.com

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Rap Attack Chart Position (www.rapattacklives.com)

jul 31 2007 - charts 290 - top 30:
position 1 - Guru ft. Common "'State of Clarity"- 7 Grand
jul 31 2007 - charts 290 - top 5 mixtape:
position 1 - Guru ft. Common "'State of Clarity"- 7 Grand

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