Guru (July 17, 1961 – April 19, 2010) was one half of the legendary hip hop… Read Full Bio ↴Guru (July 17, 1961 – April 19, 2010) was one half of the legendary hip hop duo Gang Starr and an accomplished solo artist. Guru, an acronym for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal, originally began his hip hop career in Boston but due to lack of local support moved to New York where Gang Starr then blew up. Guru was well known for his smooth voice; socially conscious and hardcore lyrics; and an effortless, confident delivery.

Founded in 1987, Gang Starr built a sizable following in the early 90's, releasing classic albums like Step in the Arena (1991) and Daily Operation (1992). Guru's lyrical style was based on battle rhymes delivered smoothly, modestly, and with sly wit; he typically avoided using overwhelming charisma, focusing instead on his rhyming ability. Over the years he even took on younger rappers, including Jeru the Damaja, as proteges. He is credited, along with DJ Premier, for the executive production of Jeru's debut, The Sun Rises in the East (1994).

In 1993, he released his first solo album, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1. The album featured collaborations with Donald Byrd, N'Dea Davenport, Dee C. Lee, and Roy Ayers, whilst his second LP, Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality, featured Ramsey Lewis, Branford Marsalis, and Jamiroquai. The Jazzmatazz albums have been met with mixed reviews, Guru continued with Jazzmatazz, Vol. 3: Streetsoul (2000) and Baldhead Slick & Da Click (2001).

Moreover, recent Gang Starr albums have continued to garner Guru critical acclaim. Prominent Boston underground rapper Mr. Lif frequently cites Guru as a major stylistic influence; he appears as a guest with Lif on the Perceptionists' debut album, Black Dialogue (2005).

Besides Gang Starr, his Jazzmatazz and solo albums, Guru collaborated with countless artists since the early 90s. Not only in Hip-Hop, but also with artists from various genres such as pop, electronica/dance, acid jazz, and even brass bands.

His "first proper solo album", in his own words, was Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005), released with the help of producer and new backup MC/producer Solar. The album reached #1 on the college hip-hop charts, but was a failure with both fans and critics. It still managed to sell relatively well for an independent release.

Guru's latest project is the fourth installment in the Jazzmatazz series, entirely produced by Solar. It was released in early June 2007 and received good reviews and comments from fans.

In 2007 Guru was ranked at 45 for the Top 50 MCs of our time: 1987-2007

On February 28th 2010, Guru suffered a severe heart attack and was in a coma. He passed away on April 19, 2010 at the age of 49 after a long battle with cancer.

Theres another artist with the same name:
2. Guru also refers to a Ghanaian hip-hop artist known for his single "LaPaz Toyota" and the song "Akayida" - basis for a azonto dance craze

Cry
Guru Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[talking]
Whattup whattup whattup, I got them 5 dolla Baldhead Slick CD's
Whattup whatttup come and get 'em
Yo come here, come here man (yo)
Didn't {*slapping*} didn't I say [slapping]
Didn't I tell you not to come around here with that shit
Huh?! Get down!

[Guru]
Yo I keep my enemies close, now I'm ready to squeeze
Watch 'em all cry, and make 'em get on they knees
"Cry... cry..." - "I want you to cry!"
"Yes I want you to get on your knees and cry!"
Get on your knees and cry, you know the reason why
You ungrateful motherfucker, can't believe you lied
You tried to fake me, snake me cuz my heart is good
I knew you would, you played the role as hard as you could
Revenge is my ammo - black whip, tinted windows
Relentless is my wrath, we in the mix like chemicals
Why I'm actin that way? Cuz this ain't back in the days
Still hold a grudge, old man thug about to blast you away
I'll straggle ya plot, effortlessly, with one thought
This is way past guntalk, so many blocks I done rocked
You didn't know that I was thorough, did you?
5 Boroughs of crews, I'm bout to bury you dudes

[samples] [x4]
"Cry..." - "I want you to cry!"
"Yes I want you to get on your knees and cry!"

[Guru]
Yo, look me in the eye, and explain to me why
That I should let things slide, we used to be on the same side
Now it's all twisted, and we no longer kick it
You had your chance to advance with me bitch, you missed it
It's too late to beg or plead, too late for apologies
Stop leavin messages, word stop calling me
See I got a nice little treat for you
I'ma make it crazy tough in these streets for you
I don't wanna hear nothin, cuz I called your bluff
You call yourself buck, my click'll flip and fuck you up
Punks that don't know me think I'm mellow and calm
But my peeps they know, I'm wild, gully, and slightly gone
Yo stupid, you bout to catch the whole can of this
Whoop ass, you shook fast, you shit your pants on this
I'm never losin mine, I don't feel like doin time
But I still ain't gonna have nobody foolin with mine

[samples] [x4]
"Cry..." - "I want you to cry!"
"Yes I want you to get on your knees and cry!"

[Guru]
Anger management -- yeah I probably need that
You feelin my feedback, just stay down on your knees cat
You quiet, that's cuz you afraid of dying
Afraid of losin yo' head when my lead start flying
You can't be serious, try to fuck with my career in this
100 soldiers every city, you suckers can't come near Da Click
I don't even got the time for the likes of you
So what I'd like to do, is finish with those like you
Just for schemin, boy you coulda made it, but you hated
So now you gon' find out that the pain is excrutiating
So fuck what you be sayin, cuz nobody heard
This is a dirty game, I'm takin all your chips, that's my word

[samples] [x4]
"Cry..." - "I want you to cry!"
"Yes I want you to get on your knees and cry!"

"Yo I keep my enemies close, now I'm ready to squeeze
Watch 'em all cry, and make 'em get on they knees"

"Yo I keep my enemies close, now I'm ready to squeeze
Watch 'em all cry, and make 'em get on they knees..."

Overall Meaning

The song Cry by Guru is a powerful expression of revenge and anger. The lyrics center around Guru's determination to make his enemies pay for their betrayals and lies. He talks about how he keeps his enemies close so that he can always be ready to strike when the time is right. He wants them to cry and get on their knees, to feel the pain that they've caused him. He talks about how he's always been a good person, but his enemies have pushed him too far.

There's a sense of desperation in the lyrics, as Guru seems to be fighting a losing battle against his own emotions. He talks about how he needs anger management and how he's barely holding on to his sanity. He wants to be free of the pain and the anger, but he can't let go of the revenge. The song is a powerful reminder of how emotions can take hold of us and lead us down a dangerous path.

Overall, the lyrics of Cry are powerful and raw, expressing deep emotion and a desire for justice. It's a song that speaks to anyone who has been hurt and wants to fight back.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo I keep my enemies close, now I'm ready to squeeze
I keep my enemies close to me and now I am prepared to attack them.

Watch 'em all cry, and make 'em get on they knees
I want to see my enemies cry and beg for mercy while kneeling before me.

"Cry... cry..." - "I want you to cry!"
I want my enemies to feel the pain and fear that they have caused me.

"Yes I want you to get on your knees and cry!"
I want my enemies to see the power dynamic between us, and to understand their place as subservient to me.

Get on your knees and cry, you know the reason why
My enemies should know that they will suffer consequences for their actions, and that they deserve punishment.

You ungrateful motherfucker, can't believe you lied
I am angry and disappointed that my enemies were disloyal to me and betrayed my trust.

Revenge is my ammo - black whip, tinted windows
I am fully prepared to seek revenge, and have the tools necessary to do so.

Relentless is my wrath, we in the mix like chemicals
My anger towards my enemies is intense and unwavering, and we are engaged in a volatile situation.

Why I'm actin that way? Cuz this ain't back in the days
I am behaving this way because the situation has escalated beyond what it used to be.

Still hold a grudge, old man thug about to blast you away
I am holding onto a grudge from the past and am now prepared to use violence to settle the matter.

I'll straggle ya plot, effortlessly, with one thought
I am confident in my ability to bring harm to my enemies without much effort or thought.

This is way past guntalk, so many blocks I done rocked
The situation has escalated beyond simple threats and posturing, and I have the experience to back up my threats.

You didn't know that I was thorough, did you?
My enemies underestimated my ability to navigate and manipulate the situation.

5 Boroughs of crews, I'm bout to bury you dudes
I have significant resources at my disposal, and am prepared to take down my enemies and their associates.

Yo, look me in the eye, and explain to me why
I want my enemies to confront the reality of the situation and explain why they acted against me.

That I should let things slide, we used to be on the same side
My enemies are clueless about the depth of the betrayal, and think that we can still be allies despite their wrongdoings.

Now it's all twisted, and we no longer kick it
The situation has changed dramatically and we are no longer on good terms.

You had your chance to advance with me bitch, you missed it
My enemies had an opportunity to benefit from our relationship, but they squandered it by betraying me.

It's too late to beg or plead, too late for apologies
My enemies have reached a point of no return, and their apologies are meaningless.

Stop leavin messages, word stop calling me
My enemies are desperate for forgiveness or reconciliation, but I am not interested in hearing from them.

See I got a nice little treat for you
I have something unpleasant in store for my enemies.

I'ma make it crazy tough in these streets for you
I am going to make life difficult for my enemies and ensure that they regret crossing me.

Punks that don't know me think I'm mellow and calm
Some people incorrectly assume that I am a peaceful person and will not retaliate when wronged.

But my peeps they know, I'm wild, gully, and slightly gone
My associates know that I have a fierce temper and will not hesitate to use violence when provoked.

Yo stupid, you bout to catch the whole can of this
My enemies are in for a world of pain and trouble.

Whoop ass, you shook fast, you shit your pants on this
My enemies are unprepared for the reality of the situation and are scared.

I'm never losin mine, I don't feel like doin time
I prioritize my own safety and well-being, and will not hesitate to take violent action to protect myself.

But I still ain't gonna have nobody foolin with mine
I will not tolerate anyone threatening or disrespecting me or my associates.

Anger management -- yeah I probably need that
I recognize that I have a problem with anger and likely need professional help to control my emotions.

You feelin my feedback, just stay down on your knees cat
My enemies should respect my power and dominance, and remain subservient to me.

You quiet, that's cuz you afraid of dying
My enemies are quiet and afraid because they know that their actions have consequences.

Afraid of losin yo' head when my lead start flying
My enemies are scared of being killed or seriously injured when I use my weapon.

You can't be serious, try to fuck with my career in this
My enemies are foolish for trying to damage my career or reputation.

100 soldiers every city, you suckers can't come near Da Click
I have a strong network of associates and allies who will protect me and attack my enemies if necessary.

I don't even got the time for the likes of you
My enemies are not worth my time, and I have more important things to focus on.

So what I'd like to do, is finish with those like you
I want to eliminate my enemies and anyone else who tries to cross me.

Just for schemin, boy you coulda made it, but you hated
My enemies had the potential to succeed and benefit from our relationship, but their greed and hatred ruined everything.

So now you gon' find out that the pain is excrutiating
My enemies will experience intense pain and suffering for their actions.

So fuck what you be sayin, cuz nobody heard
My enemies are delusional if they think that anyone will listen to their excuses or pleas for mercy.

This is a dirty game, I'm takin all your chips, that's my word
I am willing to play dirty and take everything that my enemies value or possess, and I will not back down from this commitment.

"Yo I keep my enemies close, now I'm ready to squeeze
I remain vigilant and prepared to attack my enemies at any time.

Watch 'em all cry, and make 'em get on they knees"
I want my enemies to experience fear and submission, and to understand that I have the upper hand in our conflict.

Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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