The X Label, founded by Guru’s nephew dedicated to preserving the legacy of his uncle, brings you a limited edition recreation of Guru’s first demo cassette tape. The demo is from 1986, back when Guru was still rhyming under the moniker MC Keithy E.

The X Label, founded by Guru’s nephew dedicated to preserving the legacy of his uncle, brings you a limited edition recreation of Guru’s first demo cassette tape. The demo is from 1986, back when Guru was still rhyming under the moniker MC Keithy E.

MC Keithy E at Lecco’s Lemma | Magnus Intro Interview (1986)



Back then he completed a demo tape that featured the early members of Gang Starr; DJ Mikey Dee and Damo D (Beat Box). The tape, recorded at Radio One studios in Boston, includes multiple racks featuring the young hungry Guru rhyming and displaying his singing voice over a bare drum machine.

The demo tape was clearly made and sent directly to Magnus Johnstone (a local DJ/radio host in Guru’s hometown Boston) for his show. Both the demo tape’s cover and the actual tape are labeled “For Magnus”. This demo tape earned MC Keithy E and his crew the right to be on the show and share their talents to the listeners for the very first time. And we don’t have to tell you what happened in the decades following up to that…

You can order the limited edition reissue (it’s unclear how many tapes are actually pressed though) for 15 dollar at The X Label. The recreation consists of the exact image Keithy E made for the cover, his handwriting of the songs on the tape, and the actual songs from the demo. Pop it in your vintage boombox to listen to Guru’s never-before-heard songs or put it on a mantle and keep it as an amazing collectors item that was a part of Guru’s hip hop legacy.