After getting together in 1988, everything happened quite quick for Guru and Premier. The two had been active musicians since the late 1970's but had always considered their interest in music as a hobby. That changed up to become the most powerful and important duo in hiphop ever. Under the name Gang Starr, Guru and Premier started to record demo tapes and 12-inches in New York. Their work were soon given attention by the 1980's almighty Wild Pitch Records. Gang Starr released three 12" singles, including "Bust A Move" and "The Lesson", both of which were produced by DJ Mark 45 The King.

After recieving huge attention in NY's underground scene, Gang Starr signed up their deal with Wild Pitch. Since Premier's main residence was at a Texas college at this time, he exchanged phone calls and tapes by mail with Guru to keep the relation intact. In 1989 they released their first LP, "No More Mr. Nice Guy", including outstanding cuts "Manifest", "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration" and "2 Steps Ahead". This was the result of year's work and the album was completed in two weeks while Premier was on vacation.

As the 1990's arrived, so came the end to Wild Pitch. Financial problems were given as the official reason for the downfall and "No More Mr. Nice Guy" was never given any proper promotion. After moving out of the care of Wild Pitch, Gang Starr started working on new material. A new deal was set with Chrysalis Records and in 1991, "Step In The Arena" was released. Watching political groups like Public Enemy come through at the same time, Gang Starr stayed stucked to their own sound and concept. Premier's production of "Step In The Area" has a definate jazz vibe breathing over the sound.

This very emotional album made facts of the opinions that Guru and Premier is the most closest partners within hiphop. As in "Form Of intellect", where Premier assists Guru in the most perfect way with every element of hiphop involved. The intelligence of Guru's lyrics can't neither be denied. Compressing life into one lyric, Guru brings up almost every valuable element of life in "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" and in "Execution Of A Chump". "Step In The Arena" itself is a very straight album, combining basic hiphop knowledge with basic hiphop beats. But in a way that no one ever had done before.

Coming through with another album, in less than a year after "Step In The Arena", Gang Starr's third album, "Daily Operation" as released in 1992, were to be remembered as the most jazz influened hiphop album ever. Premier has always claimed how much more he rather preferes to work with samples rather than with live instruments and "Daily Operation" is filled up with samples from by outnumbers of various jazz records. Apart from the charachteristic jazz-hiphop sound of the album, "Daily Operation" also gave us the first introduction to an MC which were going to come through a couple of years later, Jeru The Damaja.

Shortly after the release of "Daily Operation", Guru and Premier started to work with other projects than Gang Starr and continued to do so for the next few years. Guru made his own solo albums, "Jazzmatazz Volume 1 & 2" which featured various jazz musicians combined with Guru's rhymes. Meanwhile, Premier grew up fast to become the most respected producer on the eastcoast. He produced widely for Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D, M.O.P., Fu-Schnickens, KRS-1 among others and recieved huge respect all over USA. Premier also produced a track on Mobb Deep's very first teen album and is said to be responsible for the group's originate.

Watching the super duo Guru and Premier working with separate projects, many fans became worried and rumours on individual fights and group split circulated for a long time. All answers were given on "Hard To Earn" in 1994. Still a notable jazz inspiration, but "Hard To Earn" was without a doubt the roughest album by Gang Starr so far. Guru's sensitive way of rhyming was still there, but with a definate certainty seperating right and wrong. "ALONGWAYTOGO" strictly put all newcomers within hiphop on the d-l and "Code Of The Streets" and "Tonz 'O' Gunz" gave us some of the most explicit streets cuts from the eastcoast ever.

This is also an album with strong collaborations. Group Home's Lil' Dap introduced himself on "Speak Ya Clout" and so did also Jeru The Damaja. "DWYCK" featured old schoolers Nice N Smooth and Guru's close friend Big Shug assists on trendsetting "F.A.L.A.". Overall, "Hard To Earn" comes as close to perfection as possible. It's street rough basics that Premier puts on this wax and with Guru on the very same mental level lyrically, this ain't nuthing but a hiphop classic.

As Gang Starr's fifth album, "Moment Of Truth", was released in 1998, Guru and Premier had already by far reached up to legend status in the hiphop world. The return once and for all made on "Hard To Earn" gave the audience the confidence in Gang Starr the group itself was in need of. "Moment Of Truth" was made with a relaxed accuration and maybe that's why the result became so strong. Awere of the fact that they are the main source of existance to many of today's new jacks in hiphop, there were no sence of a big-headed Gang Starr on "Moment Of Truth". Premier's sound seems more relaxed than other productions even though the tempo goes up in some cuts. Guru takes us back to basics, a song like "Robbin' Hood Theory" could've might as well been on a late 1980's Gang Starr release. That's how original this group is.

Connecting Wu's Inspectah Deck on "Above The Clouds" we get the perfect combination of intellectual eastcoast MC's. Allthough it would've been interesting having Group Home or Jeru appearing on "Moment Of Truth" we still gets powerful collaborations, such as "The Militia" with Big Shug & Freddie Foxxx and "B.I. vs Friendship" with M.O.P. Despite these collabo's, any Gang Starr fan would've been satisfied with "Moment Of Truth" anyhow. Why? Because Guru and Premier is still the most powerful duo within hiphop and no matter how the industry of hiphop develops, the two will still be representing Gang Starr regardless.