Electric Relaxation: Moment of Truth (Gang Starr)

They say it's lonely at the top, in whatever you do
You always gotta watch motherf**kers around you
Nobody's invincible, no plan is foolproof
We all must meet our moment of truth

When I listened to this yesterday, I knew I had to make this a separate post from my Guru tribute last night. This song has always hit me on a deeper level because the words are uplifting and the beat takes you a higher place.

I first heard this song in 2006, months before I was going to graduate from college. It was my moment of truth - my time to figure out what was going to do next and I had no idea. This song encouraged me to figure something out but it also made me reflective on my life up to that point.

The song became the anthem of my last semester. It's one of my favorite songs of all time and I listen to find encouragement or get reflective on my past.

"Why do bad things happen, to good people? Seems that life is just a constant war between good and evil."

From a Gang Starr perspective, if the Moment of Truth album was a victory lap, this is playing in the background. Guru just put some of the best lines of his career on here that could only come from having been in the game for a decade at the time.

The entire second verse (from which I quoted the above line) is a message of hope. No matter how hard things get, they're hard for everyone so don't give up and remember what you've done. The end almost hit me hard listening to it yesterday. It's mature lyricism/real talk at its finest.

I really love the 3rd verse too cause it feels like Guru is being autobiographical about his craft and what Gang Starr is about - staying true to who they are and calling out the fakers with his monotone style. He was so gifted with his words and this song just shows it. A man at the peak of his skill and success with Gang Starr looking back at it all.

On formspring, I was asked to name my Top 10 favorite songs and it's always hard to do. But I named this song on the list and I'd do it again. It's such an inspiration and with all of us saddened by Guru's passing, this song speaks volumes. He's met his Moment of Truth and in our lives, we have to do at various times.

Rest in Peace and enjoy the music. Go get this album and you won't be disappointed. He lives at peace "Above the Clouds where the sound is original". Let's give Keith Elam the final word from Verse 2.

My only crime, was that I'm too damn kind
And now some scandalous motherf**kers wanna take what's mine
But they can't take the respect, that I've earned in my lifetime
And you know they'll never stop the furious force of my rhymes
So like they say, every dog has its day
And like they say, God works in a mysterious way
So I pray, remembering the days of my youth
As I prepare to meet my moment of truth