Gang Starr: Brooklyn Boom-Bap, Jazz-Wired

Two men from elsewhere ended up defining the sound of Brooklyn. Guru, born Keith Elam in Boston, and DJ Premier, born Chris Martin in Houston, met in New York and became Gang Starr. Together they made a hip-hop that felt unmistakably of the city.

Guru's name was a backronym: Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal. His delivery matched it, with a dry, unhurried baritone that never raised its voice to make a point. Premier worked behind him with sampled horns, bass and drums, cut into hard, stripped-down loops.

The jazz in that mix was never decoration. "Jazz Thing" makes the link explicit, and it fits our airwaves well. "Mass Appeal" and "Work" show how little the pair needed: a loop, a snare, a clear idea. "Moment Of Truth" is the more reflective side, and "Skills" shows the craft at full stretch.

Start with Step In The Arena (1991), Daily Operation (1992) and Hard To Earn (1994). Critics and heads have rated them highly for decades, and the records have earned it.