Statik Selektah On Guru Situation: “It’s Bigger Than Solar…” (Video)

Interviewing the Hip Hop duo back in 2007, Guru described his work with Solar as “probably the ultimate in producer/artist relationships….one of the most dynamic duos of all time”, and has since continued to champion their work together. “Just as I discovered [DJ Premier] and his talents, I discovered the brilliance and talents of super-producer Solar and actually those principles of Gang Starr – street knowledge, intellect, spirituality – those have been brought with us into 7 Grand and actually have been taken to a higher level.”

Reportedly recovering in hospital this week from a heart attack last weekend, Gang Starr co-founder Guru’s health is currently the subject of widespread speculation.

Producer/DJ Statik Selektah [pictured above] spoke to SoulCulture shortly before his gig with Saigon in London at Madame JoJo’s on Thursday, 4th March 2010. During the interview, the subject of Guru’s current health issue arose – something Selektah has already been vocal about on Twitter earlier this week (“Its really unfortunate that Guru had to go through this for the world to see what a thirstbucket Solar is. Ive known it since 04.” - @StatikSelekt, 9:38 PM Mar 3rd). Selektah makes his feelings known on the situation – particularly regarding Solar’s role.

“I don’t know personally why he’s sick and why he’s in the hospital. Me and Guru go back to 2001. He came to my birthday party… I’ve known him for a long time, I’ve DJ’d for him a couple of times. I’ve seen… Everybody’s talking about the dude Solar, I’ve met him a bunch of times and he’s in his own world, he’s got his own agenda… It’s obvious. I’m not even being insulting, when you talk to him he’s on his own agenda, he’s in his own planet, he can be real disrespectful. I think the way he’s handling this whole situation, at least the details that the public have – and that he’s publically said – is real disrespectful. I’m sure it’s even extremely more disrespectful if I really knew what was going on.”  –Statik Selektah

On Wednesday, ‘Guru’ released a statement through AllHipHop.com [click to read full statement] claiming to be ‘fine’ and ‘recovering’, along with the following information: “Guru and his family are asking for privacy as he recovers and stressed for fans to continue to send prayers, thoughts and love. His partner Solar echoed Guru’s comments about the need for privacy but told fans the outlook is positive for the rapper. Additionally, only Solar will have access to Guru and accurate information regarding the status of his health.”

There have since been allegations from Guru’s friends and family that they have been prevented from visiting Guru in hospital by Solar. One such claim was made on Wednesday in YouTube video by Guru’s nephew, Justin Nicholas-Elam Ruff – click to watch – specifically calling out Solar for not notifying Guru’s family for two weeks that he was in hospital, and cutting off his family from the situation, retaining “complete control” on information about Guru’s condition.

Solar responded to these claims today, officially stating: “I have nothing but the deepest love and respect for The Elam family. But I have not stopped anybody from seeing him… Guru’s brother, sister and niece has visited with him and his brother was here for three days. I am in touch with them on a daily basis… The hospital records will show that Guru’s Brother, sister and Niece visited him last week, Fact! Guru’s well-being and need to heal is what I am concerned with, and that Guru’s wishes in this matter be observed.” [AllHipHop]

“It’s bigger than Solar. That’s the thing,” Selektah says. “Premo said those words to me, ‘It’s bigger than Solar’.” According to Statik, DJ Premier and Gang Starr affiliates are ‘upset’ they can’t visit Guru in hospital despite having worked so closely with him and known him personally for years.

“I think a lot of people feel like Guru could be their uncle the way they grew up off GangStarr,” Selektah comments.  Anger, confusion and concern is being expressed all over the internet by Hip Hop fans, collaborators and Guru’s peers at the reported lack of access to Guru in his condition – it has so far believed that Solar is the only person currently able to see or speak with Guru in hospital.

“People are mad, and I am too. I hope Guru wakes up and someone has an explanation. Because this other guy, ’super producer’ who’s never produced a good beat, he ain’t gonna be accepted.”

–Marsha Gosho Oakes

Saigon – Free At Last (Released From Atlantic Records)

“I own the masters… It was worth the wait.”

Speaking from a hotel lobby in Central London last night, Brooklyn emcee and Entourage star Saigon reveals to SoulCulture.TV that after battling them since 2006 he has now officially been released from Atlantic Records.

Calling it “a good release, a fair release” the rapper comments, “Moving forward, I’m not gonna position myself to where I’m just somebody’s artist and they can have me just sitting around not able to put out music… I’m gonna play the game by my rules. When I was talking about quitting it was moreso saying that: I’m quitting playing it their way, I’m doing it my way from now on.”

He goes on to talk about better record deals, the business backbone of successful artists and the benefit of having a strong team.

Now that he owns the masters to The Greatest Story Never Told, we may actually be hearing it soon…!

Corinne Bailey Rae Talks About The Sea Album Artwork (Video) + Win Signed Albums and More.

I don’t know about you but we loved the lush, dreamy artwork for Corinne Bailey Rae’s latest album, The Sea. Find out more about Tierney Gearon’s technique and what Corinne loves about it, in our video below…

Now win yourself a prize!
Up for grabs today…

• A pair of tickets to see Ms Bailey Rae perform with a full band in London on February 24th, live at Shepherds Bush Empire.
• Two SIGNED copies of Corinne Bailey Rae’s new album, The Sea

To win, simply comment below – letting us know why YOU should win.
The most interesting/creative/entertaining comment(er) will win.

Get creative and good luck!

NB. Make sure you put your REAL email address in the details section (not visible to the public) so we can let you know you’ve won!

Competition closes Wednesday 17th February at 12pm.

Corinne Bailey Rae inspired by Erykah Badu and Bjork (Video)

SoulCulture had the pleasure of interviewing Corinne Bailey Rae this week – and of course caught it all on camera for you. Keep an eye out for the full interview next week – along with your chance to win signed copies of her new album The Sea [click for our review] plus tickets to see her perform live in London with full band this month.

In the meantime, check out this snippet from our interview below in which Corinne describes her experience of attending Erykah Badu’s recent album listening party held in New York – and explains why the figurehead of Neo Soul is one of her key modern musical inspirations, alongside Bjork.

CorinneBaileyRae.net | Twitter.com/CorinneBRae | Facebook.com/CorinneBaileyRae

Salaam Remi Reveals He Made Unreleased Sade & Nas “Lovers Rock” Remix (Video)

When Sade’s comeback single “Soldier Of Love” leaked in December, many of us pictured [and/or willed] a Nas feature on it. But who knew that he’d actually recorded official Sade Lovers Rock remixes with Salaam Remi nine years earlier?

Watch and learn…

Here’s the “Imagine” remix he refers to in the video…

Nas + John Lennon …+ Pitbull – “Imagine” (Remix):

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Inua Ellams: Poetry and The Broken Hearted (Video)

“I started writing poetry in 2001… because I couldn’t afford paint.”

25 year old Inua Ellams: born in Nigeria but resides in London where he spends his days and nights busily establishing himself as one of the city’s most buzzworthy visual and verbal artists.  As part of his word domination, he has performed all around the country and is a member of a growing number of poetry and creative collectives including OneTaste, A Poem In Between People, Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, NewBlood, Generation Txt… and probably several others since I began writing this paragraph.

“I’m from a long line of trouble makers, of ash skinned Africans, born with clenched fists and a natural thirst for battle, only quenched by breast milk.”

- The above quote hollers from his self-penned play: The 14th Tale, which opens at London’s National Theatre in the second week of February. A biographical coming of age story, the one-person play charts his experiences growing up in Nigeria, being schooled in Ireland and returning to England, where his career currently blossoms.

Watch Inua talk about his play, his poetry – and the life experiences that inspire both – along with a performance of his poem “What Becomes of The Broken Hearted”, in our video:

The 14th Tale will be at the National Theatre (London) for 10 performances between 9 February – 13 March.
All tickets are priced at £10 – nationaltheatre.org.uk

Win a pair of tickets to see the show in March by emailing comps@soulculture.co.uk with your contact details, stating which date you’d like to see the show. Read more

Salaam Remi on ‘Thief’s Theme’ vs ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’ (Video)

Versatile producer and long-time Nas collaborator Salaam Remi shares his thoughts on will.i.am using the very same [Iron Butterfly's] ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ and [the Incredible Bongo Band's] ‘Apache’ samples for the title track of Hip Hop Is Dead that Remi had used to create ‘Thief’s Theme’ and ‘Made You Look’ for Nas merely a few years earlier.

“On ‘Thief’s Theme’ I intended it to sound like the summer of 2004… We put the record out, I remember we took it up to Flex… But nobody said, ‘You know what, that record’s crazy’ – we didn’t get that feedback. We got, ‘Uh oh, what’s he doing?’” he says in the video below.

“When he [Nas] called me when Will had the track for ‘Hip Hop Is Dead’, he was like, “Um, you know, Will kinda did  a track you gon’ laugh when you hear’.. Then when I heard it, I laughed, because that was the irony.  Like, ‘Hip Hop is dead so I’ma choose the same beat that I used for ‘Made You Look’… and my last single and use it again, because it doesn’t make a difference what I come out with’.  And it was kinda a part of his sarcasm.”

Look out for our full interview with Salaam Remi coming soon: featuring more behind-the-scenes insight on more classic songs and albums, why he’s content not to be in the spotlight, scoring the Sex And The City Soundtrack and more!

Kano speaks on his “White Flag” feature on new Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach

East London rap star Kano explains his feature on Gorillaz‘ forthcoming album, Plastic Beach, which has been in the making for 3 years. He features on a song called “White Flag” alongside fellow UK rapper Bashy and The National Orchestra For Arabic Music. [Click here for Plastic Beach full tracklist and information]

Bonus footage: Check out this video of Kano performing with Damon Albarn and Scratch at an Africa Express gig in 2007: Read more

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