Moment of Truth

Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr pose in a warm, hazy orange photograph on the cover of their fifth album, both in light clothing, with the group's logo at the top and the title in silver letters along the bottom.

The Boston-born rapper and the Houston-born producer had defined New York boom bap through the 1990s, and Moment of Truth, released on 31 March 1998, found them at their peak. Premier's chopped samples and scratched hooks and Guru's calm, steady voice on "You Know My Steez" and "Royalty" set the standard for the sound.

Its title and serious mood reflect a group taking stock. It became Gang Starr's most successful record, and after Guru's death in 2010 it is often named as the purest statement of what a rapper and a DJ could make together.