Gang Starr (New York) – “Peace of Mine” [The Ownerz – 2003]
The Ownerz is the sixth and final studio album by the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, recorded two years before the duo broke up and seven years before Guru’s death. It was well-received critically and boasts four singles, “Skills,” “Rite Where U Stand,” “Nice Girl, Wrong Place,” and “Same Team, No Games.” Both members of Gang Starr had roots in the New York hip hop scene, despite hailing from Boston (Guru) and Houston (DJ Premier), and have each worked with several artists.
In February 2010, Guru suffered a heart attack, went into a coma, and died on April 19, 2010. Solar, a long-time collaborator of the artist, said Guru chose not to go public with the diagnosis of myeloma that was made in 2000. According to a statement released by his PR company upon his death, Guru appeared to have fallen out with DJ Premier seven years prior to his death and did “not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name, likeness, events, tributes, etc.” There’s speculation that the letter was not written by Guru since he was in a coma. But to be written by his business partner Solar. The validity of the statement continues to be heavily questioned by Guru’s family and many of his contemporaries within the Hip-Hop culture.
- “Intro (HQ, Goo, Panch)” – 0:46
- “Put Up or Shut Up” (featuring Krumbsnatcha) – 3:15
- “Werdz from the Ghetto Child” (featuring Smiley The Ghetto Child) – 1:09
- “Sabotage” – 2:22
- “Rite Where U Stand” (featuring Jadakiss) – 3:37
- “Skills” – 3:17
- “Deadly Habitz” – 4:12
- “Nice Girl, Wrong Place” (featuring Boy Big) – 3:32
- “Peace of Mine” – 3:01
- “Who Got Gunz” (featuring Fat Joe & M.O.P.) – 3:36
- “Capture (Militia Pt. 3)” (featuring Big Shug & Freddie Foxxx) – 3:23
- “PLAYTAWIN” – 3:11
- “Riot Akt” – 4:04
- “(Hiney)” – 1:31
- “Same Team, No Games” (featuring NYG’z & H. Stax) – 3:44
- “In This Life…” (featuring Snoop Dogg & Uncle Reo) – 3:03
- “The Ownerz” – 2:57
- “Zonin'” – 2:54
- “Eulogy” – 2:54
- “Natural” [Japan Bonus Track] – 2:46
- “Tha Squeeze” [Japan Bonus Track] – 3:29
