Gang Starr’s Guru Dies of Cancer at 43

I saw this the other day on Digg, and now on Kotaku. Guru, otherwise known as Keith Elam, who performed with the hip-hop group Gang Starr, died this week after an extended battle with cancer. He was just 43 years of age.


                        
Guru voiced the character 8-Ball in GTA III.

Interestingly, Guru did some voice work in video games, most notably in Grand Theft Auto III, as 8-Ball. In the beginning of the game, you play as the main character, Claude, who escapes the prison transport along with another character – that’s 8-Ball. He’s a tall black man who had his hands scalded – hence the bandages. His trade later became apparent as he helped the player in some missions, such as arming cars with car bombs and the like. He was Liberty City’s underground demolitions expert.

Hard to believe that game was made nearly ten years ago.

In other media, I remember listening to one of Gang Starr’s best hits, “Gang Starr”, while watching the DC skateboarding video years ago in Josh Kalis’s part, as well as hearing it at various points throughout the last several years, particularly at skate comps.

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Source: Guru, Rapper Who Portrayed Grand Theft Auto III’s 8-Ball, Dies At 43 [Kotaku]

Gang Starr’s Guru Dies of Cancer at 43