Styles P Remembers Meeting Guru

On a rainy and somber Monday afternoon in New York City, VIBE and Styles P took a few minutes to reflect on hip-hop’s most recent loss, Keith "Guru" Elam of Gangstarr.

“Meeting Guru and just to have him recognize us as The Lox—acknowledge us as real spitters—was just crazy for me,” Styles told VIBE.com of the lyricist, who died of cancer last Monday (April 19).

Though Styles never had the chance to collaborate with Guru, SP's partner-in-rhyme Jadakiss linked up with Gangstarr for "Rite Where You Stand," the lead single from DJ Premier and Guru's final album, 2003's The Ownerz.

Still, the The Ghost rhymed over a number of Gangstarr instrumentals throughout his mixtape career. “I can’t really say what my favorite Gangstarr record is but 'Just To Get A Rep' was kind of my anthem for a while… for personal reasons,” Styles says with a quick smirk.

Although there has been much confusion over Guru's age at his death, the Associated Press reports that he MC was 48 years old. —Mikey Fresh