In this fresh new in-studio video, the gifted duo of Bobby J From Rockaway x Daru Jones deliver their stylish and unique homage to “Take It Personal,” the Gang Starr classic from their legendary LP, Daily Operation.

Everything about their rendition distinctly blends the old with the new, including Bobby J’s personal spin on braggadocious bars, guest singer Gabriela Riley’s smooth vocals as the loop, and Daru’s impeccable work on the drums. It’s a tribute in every sense of the word, especially when you consider that it arrives in the same week that the late Guru would have turned 58 had he not have sadly passed in 2010.

In addition to watching how the track was recorded in this new set of visuals, you can hear it for yourself on the duo’s collaborative album, One Mic & Drum. It’s a concept album of sorts that itself harks back to the origins of hip-hop, which consisted of two turntables (DJ) and a microphone (emcee). But instead of a DJ playing breaks, Daru actually plays them live on the drums while Bobby J flexes his talents on the mic.

For Bobby J, their shared approach captures the essence of hip-hop. “‘One Mic & Drum’ is for the hip-hop heads, for fans of break beats, samples,” he explains. “We wanted to give people a live version of that.”

Building on that sentiment, Daru big-ups his collaborator—“he’s a musician on the microphone”—while explaining that they just wanted to return to the roots of hip-hop. “Hip-hop has grown with all types of styles, but it’s important to get back to what makes people excited about the art form—the breaks and the rapping,” he says.

As additional bonus footage, the pair are pleased to share a mini doc which helps shed some light on their artistic chemistry. Check out the both videos right here courtesy of RESPECT., which were shot, directed and edited by Bobby J at Pinch Recording in Long Island City. One Mic & Drum, which was recorded, mixed and mastered by Caio Carvalho, is available now on vinyl in limited quantities and can be supported through all digital retailers and streaming platforms through Daru’s Rusic Records imprint via Fat Beats Records.

Smart URL (Main/Clean):
• Main Version: https://soulspazm.ffm.to/onemicndrumexplicit
• Clean Version: https://soulspazm.ffm.to/onemicndrumclean

Bobby J Online:
• Website: https://www.bobbyjfromrockaway.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyjfromrockaway
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BobbyJRockaway
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbyjfromrockaway
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bobbyj
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mNL2rNOm7vXzgOo5u6vt8
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/bobbyjfromrockaway

Daru Jones Online:
• Website: https://www.rusicrecords.com/darujones
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darujones
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/darujones
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darujones
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3kOGIhN1mgwbrQMgY5KV9U
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-692981739

The post Bobby J From Rockaway x Daru Jones Salute Gang Starr’s “Take It Personal” on Collab LP, ‘One Mic & Drum’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

From Snoop Doggy Dog, to Grandmaster Flash, we’re hopping in a time machine as we go through Hip-Hop’s 25 Most Memorable Album Covers.

25. Juvenile, 400 Degreez (1998)

From the diamonds and flames, to the Z in “Degreez” being a dollar sign…There’s just something about the WordArt feel of this album that keeps fans coming back.

24. Wale, Attention Deficit (2009)

The obvious shoutout to a digital world reigns as the focal point for this album cover. A strong, yet simple message burns through the vibrant cool colors, and captures your attention immediately.

23. De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

You’ve probably seen these flowers before, or maybe even these 3 talented young men. Fun fact, rap group De La Soul actually hates this album cover. They felt that everyone would be associating them with flowers, peace, the whole hippie movement, when that wasn’t them at all!

22. Kanye West, 808s and Heartbreak (2008)

The minimalism in this cover is the beauty of it all. Kanye was hurting, simple as that!

21. 2Pac, Me Against The World (1995)

This album shook the charts, and you couldn’t go anywhere in 1995 without seeing it. 2Pac rocked the world right before his unfortunate passing, and sold hundreds of thousands copies of the album.

20. Run-D.M.C., Run-D.M.C. (1984)

Run-D.M.C.; Pioneers, legends, superstars. This classic cover had to make the list!

19. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Firstly, it’s Lauryn Hill etched into a school desk. This album taught everyone a couple of things. No further explanation needed.

18. Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggystyle (1993)

From the dogcatcher in the back to the Snoop Dogg lookalike on top of the dog house, this album cover is full of style, steeze, and comedy!

17. Eric B. & Rakim, Paid in Full (1987)

Money. Harlem was all about money. Eric B. and Rakim made it clear that they had it, and there was never any problem getting it! The Dapper Dan Gucci sweatsuits, the huge rope chains… The aesthetic of it all represents a very transitional era in the development of Hip-Hop music.

16. Ice Cube, Death Certificate (1991)

Ice Cube next to Uncle Sam’s corpse. No further explaining to do.

17. Missy Elliott, Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

Missy Elliott has always held more swag than most artists in the music industry, remaining humble and subtly stunting on everyone! This cover embodies exactly who she is; chilling for the moment… but don’t forget that she’s fly.

18. Wu-tang Clan, Enter the Wu-tang: 36 Chambers (1993)

This album cover is actually kind of wild. Firstly, no face, no case. Secondly, does the guy in the front have a finger gun? This album cover is great for its immense mystery.

17. Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001)

Jay-Z wearing a Rocawear jean jacket smoking a cigar. He won.

16. A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders (1993)

The various facial expressions in the background, the bulging eyes… What do we look at first?! This album cover is great because it leaves so much space for interpretation, the colors on the cover represent so many things, and everyone would formulate their own meaning.

15. Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

We need to take over the White House… and keep it. Bring our culture, our families, our music… make it OUR country. Simply put.

14. Kanye West, The College Dropout (2004)

We all know the bear. This bear costume (that Kanye FOUND, by the way) looks like any college student during the longest finals week ever: TIRED. The album cover is warm, relatable, and not complex; perfect in a sense.

13. Grandmaster Flash, The Source (1986)

Do we start off with the fly guy with this legs crossed, or old boy with the red leather hat to match his shoes? This album cover embodies the true start of Hip-Hop. B-boys, spitting bars in New York City’s uptown train station, even down the pager on homeboy’s hip!

12. Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Doggfather (1996)

The Godfather is a critically acclaimed cult classic, and Snoop Dogg actually might’ve done something, by simply switching 2 letters! This was Snoop’s final album on Death Row Records under his name of Snoop Doggy Dogg, and he was owning the game. The West coast made no moves without you hearing about Snoop, rightfully making him the Doggfather.

11. NWA, Straight Out of Compton (1988)

One of the most controversial groups, with one of the most rebellious albums of all time. These young men all banded together and shook the West coast with words that everyone in Compton couldn’t bring themselves to say.

10. The Fugees, The Score (1996)

Firstly, Lauryn Hill AND Wyclef Jean on ONE album cover… That’s art. The beauty lies in the minimal yet intense typography, and the 3 beautiful black faces.

9. Nas, Illmatic (1994)

This kid is too cute. Too cute for the cover, and too cute for the hood he reigns from. Nas showed that everyone was suffering and surviving, even the young.

8. Master P, The Ghettos Tryin To Kill Me! (1994)

The lace bra hanging from Master P’s name, the Boosie fade, my man creeping in the window “Cell Therapy” style… The lo-fi quality wraps it all together, you feel like you’re watching a movie, and you’ve barely even looked at the cover.

7. DMX, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998)

This album cover is bloody and gory, in every sense. Its beauty lies in the naive state of such a “Ruff” guy, and almost goes to show that the black man is one of the most sensitive species.

6. Redman, Dare Iz a Darkside (1994)

Redman is stuck buried in this Children of the Corn looking field, and its freaking me out. I love it.

5. Outkast, Stankonia (2000)

This album cover is great for 3 reasons: One, Andre 3000 was having an amazing hair day. Two, so was Big Boi. Thirdly, it calls out the entire country, so subtly, being a black and white world. We all knew… But did we really know?

4. Gang Starr, Daily Operation (1992)

Gang Starr is really giving off intellectual and successful vibes, and who doesn’t love that? “The goal is money, and this is how we get it. Don’t ask no questions, I thought this through.” Guys from the hood are smart too!

3. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return of the 36 Chambers (1995)

Have you seen the O.D.B tv special, where he took America into the food stamp office in Brooklyn, and got his money right? This man never cared, was never too embarrassed to live his life and let whoever wanted to look come and see. Hoping his unbothered soul is resting in peace.

2. The Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die (1994)

Foreshadowing? This was Biggie’s debut album, and just as his career was being born, he was ready to die. Sadly, he would pass away 2 years after its release. But in those 2 short years, he conquered the world. He started off on top, and he achieved what he needed to; he was truly ready to die.

1. Geto Boys, We Can’t Be Stopped (1991)

This man… Is in a hospital bed. The rap trio is standing in a hospital, posed for an ALBUM COVER. Who was stopping the Geto Boys? NOTHING! They literally cannot be stopped, no matter the circumstance. This cover is full of hustle and desire to reach success, and has to be respected as THE most memorable. Who’s forgetting this?

Do you have any albums you think should’ve been on this list? Leave a comment below and let us know!

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The post 25 of Hip Hop’s Most Memorable Album Covers appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Every true hip-hop head will never forget the first time hearing DJ Premier scratching on a record, and Guru throwing lyrical darts through the speakers. Keith “Guru” Elam may have been taken away from us physically in 2010, but his lyrics are eternal and his spirit is with us forever. This piece is a positive look into one record from each Gang Starr album, which are notable for their impact and certainly should not be forgotten. Take a trip down memory lane with us and enjoy:

1. “Manifest” off Gang Starr’s 1989 debut No More Mr. Nice Guy

With help from Big Daddy Kane‘s 1988 Word To The Mother(Land) vocals for the sample and smooth cuts from DJ Premier, Manifest is one of those records where the hook gets stamped in your memory. For this LP being Guru’s debut, he sure displayed some intense confidence without being overly boastful or cocky. If this was the first song you heard off No More Mr. Nice Guy you could surely say to yourself, “Gang Starr is in this for the long haul.”

2. “Check The Technique” off Gang Starr’s 1991 sophomore release Step In The Arena

Two years later came Step In The Arena. Though we all love Marlena Shaw‘s 1969 “California Soul,” DJ Premier flipped it something serious on “Check the Technique.” This record seemed less about content and more just a smack in the face with Guru’s effortless lyrical exercises. While checking him and Premier’s technique, you knew they were just getting warmed up in 1991.

3. “Take It Personal” off Gang Starr’s 1992 third studio album Daily Operation

Now it’s one year later and Gang Starr drops Daily Operation on us in ’92. With subject matter addressing old friends and backstabbers, Take It Personal is a calm, smirk-on-your-face diss to all you who fronted on the G-U-R-U. DJ Premier brought it with his classic consistent, higher pitched scratches and venomous drums.

4. “Comin’ For Datazz” off Gang Starr’s 1994 LP Hard To Earn

Hard To Earn was one of the hardest albums to choose just one record to highlight in this piece, as the whole album is top-shelf and timeless. “Comin’ For Datazz” was a bit more under the radar on the track list, but heavily notable for its head-nodding, jazzy rawness. Guru really gives you a taste of what he was living like at the time, and they both sounded beyond focused here. DJ Premier properly flips Run DMC‘s 1983 “Here We Go (Live At The Funhouse)” on the hook, making it that much more enjoyable.

5. “My Advice 2 You” off Gang Starr’s 1998 release Moment Of Truth

Four years after Hard To Earn comes the brutally honest, refreshing Moment Of Truth LP, which many say is their favorite Gang Starr album. Aside from the obvious fan favorites and bangers on the album, “My Advice 2 You” is a notable record for many reasons, one being its message. At this point Guru has been through a lot on and off the music scene, with about a decade under his belt as a recording artist. So any honest life advice given from the rap god is going to be honest and heart felt. 1976’s “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know” by Lydia Pense & Cold Blood is a wholesome, honest record as well, which DJ Premier gracefully flipped here.

6. “Put Up Or Shut Up” off Gang Starr’s 2003 sixth and final release The Ownerz

With a little help from Gang Starr Foundation’s Krumb Snatcha and DJ Premier’s thick production, Guru addresses all the loud mouth, fake gangsters in the game at the time. The early 2000’s was a gift and a curse, and definitely bred an abundance of funk fakers in the music industry, while the true school weren’t getting as much shine as they should have. Guru was letting us know he was still very much present and beating down all frauds, with assistance from DJ Premier’s flip of Queen Latifah‘s Wrath Of My Madness. Though this was their last album together, their force will live on forever.

Rest in Paradise Keith Edward Elam aka Guru (Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal).

July 17, 1961 to Eternity.

The post Gang Starr Is Forever: 6 Notable Guru Moments appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

His music has been featured on popular video games such as Grand Theft Auto IV, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4, and True Crime: New York City, but Jeru the Damaja was first heard on wax with his feature on Gang Starr‘s “I’m the Man” in 1992.  It’s this relationship with DJ Premier and the late Guru that would help make the Brooklyn bred MC’s 1994 debut, The Sun Rises in the East, a major success. The album was soley produced by Premier and Afu-Ra would be the lone feature on the entire project. The result was a critically acclaimed album with a number five slot on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, with rhyming that blends conscious rap and hardcore street talk. Singles off the album include “Come Clean“, “D. Original“, and “You Can’t Stop the Prophet.”

Jeru’s sophomore effort was Wrath of the Math in 1996. It followed the same formula as his first album with Premier handling all the production, and Afu-Ra as the sole guest artist. Though it was another triumphant moment, reaching number three this time on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, there was some controversy over the song “One Day.” Jeru angrily recites, “We’ll see if Puff knows what’s up cuz he’s the one getting him drunk and fucking his mind up.” The song depicts a fictional situation where Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs is holding a man named Hip-Hop, the personification of the genre, for ransom along with Foxy Brown. Bad Boy Records was already under fire from other artists, and this attack from a fellow New York rapper made for even more bad publicity, eventually leading to several subliminal rhymes from Notorious B.I.G. in retalition. More trouble would follow Jeru after his second album as he stopped working with Gang Starr due to unknown reasons.

Jeru would go on to drop three more albums in 1999, 2003, and 2007, but none would return him to the same amount of U.S. acheivement he made commercially with his first two albums. Jeru would experience great success internationally though working with Italian producer Fabio Musta, Japanese disc jockey DJ Honda, and Polish duo Slums Attack. Today, Jeru the Damaja is working on new album. Since the two have reconciled their differences, DJ Premier is expected to make a production appearance on the album along with Large Professor, Pete Rock, and JuJu.

The post Hip Me To … Jeru the Damaja appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

In 1992, a trio named Da Youngtas emerged on the hip-hop scene with their debut album Somethin 4 Da Youngsta’s. Though only children, Da Youngstas had a very aggressive rapping style. The group’s biggest hit from their first album was “Pass Da Mic“, which peaked at number 10 on the hip-hop charts. Part of the first verse would later be sampled by DJ Premier in 1994 for the Gang Starr song “Mass Appeal.” Check out the video for the remixed version of “Pass Da Mic” below. “Once again I reveal the skill. Money’s growing like grass with the mass appeal.”

The post Respect Your Elders: Da Youngstas — “Pass Da Mic Remix” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Yesterday, Wale dropped a video to his “Mass Appeal Freestyle“.  It’s been a busy week for the MMG spitta with the drop of his sophomore album Ambition, but nobody will blame him for more getting in more work in the studio. Mr. Folarin throws it up to the late emcee Guru before going in on the Gang Starr banger. Few joints can touch the flair of “Mass Appeal,” but the DC-bred emcee does his thing on the DJ Premier offering. Be sure to check out the video below.

Photography by Far Fetched Future

The post New Video: Wale – Mass Appeal Freestyle appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

I had the unique pleasure of working with Gangstarr (GURU and DJ PREMIER) a number of years back as they released their 10 year anniversary album “Full Clip: A Decade of Gangstarr.” We shot somewhere near the Brooklyn / Queens border in an abandoned train tunnel. The photos to me represented all that Gangstarr stood for… two legends in the game, no gimmicks, feet firmly planted, focused and confident.

More words and pics here.

RELATED: Official Statement from DJ Premier on the Death of Keith Elam… Guru

The post Jonathan Mannion Remembers Guru appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.