Mikey: DJ Premier gave VIBE some more insight into the tragic loss of Guru, the controversy surrounding Solar, and  future of the Gang Starr legacy.

On Guru’s Deathbed Letter
“Well, I would love to see that letter. I would love to see the handwriting. Because I know Guru’s handwriting like the back of my hand with all the bills we had to pay together. I know it’s not him.”

On Solar Tarnishing Guru’s Legacy
“Guru was able to get two gold albums; he was able to do the Jazzmatazz album. So everything that we gained makes you think, “You mean to tell me you are going to blow it all away and act like that’s not an important part of what made us who we are?” With a silly ass letter like that??? When you say ‘Ex-DJ’ where is my name at? Because there are two other DJ’s that was DJing with Guru besides me. There was Doo Wop and Shawn Ski, who was our backup DJ when I had to go back to college. He always held us down. Calling me the ex-DJ doesn’t mean anything to me. Why don’t you just say Christopher Martin?”

(Read more after the jump)

Related: On the topic of Guru, the sad saga continues with a shocking and disturbing HipHopDX interview with Tasha Denham, Solar’s alleged baby-mother, who claims she witnessed Solar being physically and mentally abusive towards Guru. (read more after the jump)

1. VIBE: Do you feel like your relationship with Guru has been misrepresented by MC Solar?

DJ Premier: Well, I’ve always held down Guru… His spirit knows this. He used to get upset about so much stuff when we were dealing with the label all the time. We both would be upset. But I would take the calls because when he was upset he would flip [Laughs], where you might not be able to handle him when he’s wilding out. With me, although I had a temper, I was much calmer about it. But I always remember whenever I would tell him, “Yo Guru, don’t worry about it, they are going to take care of it,” he would be happy as fuck. He would be like, “Yo, let’s go out for a drink.” He was the go-out king. That was his routine. He was definitely a celebratory guy. Anyone from our era knows that Guru was in every club and every bar and every spot. He could go all night, all day. And he would never be tired!

When was the last time you spoke to Guru?

It was March 30, 2004. April 1 was the last email I received from him and I just found it in my computer. We were pretty much going at it about him straightening his life up with the drinking and everything… just getting himself together. Because talent wise, drinking or sober, he was always on point in the lab. He could lay down his vocals with no problem and he always wrote his rhymes dope. When he wrote his rhymes on page they were so messy [Laughs]. I used to ask him, “How can you even recite the verses and flow?” He would be in the booth turning the paper upside down while he’s still rhyming and without having to punch in.

Was there ever a time when you felt Gang Starr was going to break up during your successful run in the ‘90s?

Yes. That was with the Moment of Truth album, which was the most emotional album for both of us. I had actually left the group before that album came out. I’ve never really told that story, but even Guru knew although he’s not here to defend that—but I had left the group. We were not getting along over stupid shit so I straight up said, “I’m out of here.” He was going through his gun trial and facing a five-year bid. I have to thank our tour manager who I went to college with and who is a major part of my life to this day. Even with his own problems with Guru, he was like, “Yo man, you need to go back to him. Y’all were meant to be a duo, man.” Then the trial was about to happen and I called Guru and said, “I want to do this.” We made up, everything was cool and I went to his trial everyday with his parents and our Gang Starr lawyer and our criminal lawyer. We were there every day. Guru was so scared that he could have gone to jail for five years, so that’s why that whole time was very emotional. I had just had a major death in my family. I was not really focused. I just remember our lawyer telling us, “If Guru goes to jail, you are going to have to promote the album by yourself.” That entire time was crazy.

(Read the rest of the interview at VIBE.com)

2. HipHopDX interview with Tasha Denham, Solar’s alleged baby-mother

DX: In regards to 7 Grand, I know you probably wore many hats in the day-to-day, but what was your specific title?

Tasha Denham: My specific title was executive assistant. That was the general title I was given.

DX: The Hip Hop perspective is, somewhere in 2004, Guru and Solar began working together musically. Do you know the context in how they came to know each other?

Tasha Denham: Everything I’ve been told, I’ve been told by them. I was not around at the time that they met. But my understanding is that in 2003 I believe, they became friends. They would hang out and party together. Guru, at the time, was still with [DJ] Premier [in Gang Starr]. They had the album, The Ownerz at that time. They were just friends. Solar ended up going on one of the Gang Starr tours with Guru in 2003, I believe. They were talking one night, and Solar [was listening] to Guru. [Guru] was expressing his displeasure with [Virgin/EMI Records] at that time. Solar said, “Well, if you’re so unhappy with your label, why don’t you start your own?” Guru thought about it a little, I guess, thought about it overnight, and then came back to Solar the next day and said, “I want to do this, man. Let’s start the label.” Solar was like, “I didn’t mean us, I meant for you to start it.” [Guru reportedly responded], “No. No, man. I want to do it together.” At that point in time, Solar told him that if [Guru] wanted to do this, then he had to stop drinking. From that point on, that’s when they decided to build 7 Grand Records.

DX: It’s a weird question to ask, but I know that what you’re telling me a lot on pre-2006 is based entirely on what you’ve heard, but it’s an important question to the Hip Hop community, in the wake of last Tuesday’s letter – do you know the context from that Ownerz Tour of the relationship that Solar and DJ Premier may have had with each other? A lot of people believe that Premo has been [attacked by these words Solar may have written in the letter]. A lot of people are curious to know if Solar would have any motive.

Tasha Denham: Um…I do know that there were at least some tensions. I wasn’t there, obviously, so I can’t say to what extent. But I do know that there was some tensions. I can’t say that anything Solar had against Premier had to be one specific incident. Just watching, over the time that I spent with them, Solar had such a twisted sense of how important [his own role] was to the music game. I think there was an extensive amount of jealousy towards what Premier had already created in the music industry. I can’t speak that there was one specific incident that created that animosity between them.

(Read the full intervie at HipHopDX)

Related: Guru’s brother reminisces on Guru’s family life and career

Solar speaks on Guru’s alleged last words, and the nature of their relationship

HipHipDx:Tasha Denham: “Just To Get A Rep?”