Power Mic Check: Young Guru Draws a Line Between Creative AI and Studio Tools
Young Guru is drawing a distinction between technology that helps musicians work and software that takes over the creative process. In an AllHipHop interview published October 10th, the engineer and longtime JAY-Z collaborator says he does not use creative AI, while remaining open to tools that provide assistance.
Speaking with Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur at New York Comic Con, Guru raises concerns about who controls those systems and how they handle personal information. He also calls for regulation informed by technical understanding. These are his views on the technology, rather than findings from a new study.
The conversation reaches beyond software. Guru describes teaching and sharing knowledge as part of preserving Hip-Hop’s future, rejecting the idea that younger artists should simply be dismissed. He also confirms that he recently finished mixing Erykah Badu and The Alchemist’s album, connecting his perspective to active studio work.
His educational role has a documented history. Long Island University’s faculty profile says Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton joined its Roc Nation School in 2021 as director of the Music Technology, Entrepreneurship & Production program. The school identifies audio engineering and record production as his specialties. That position places practical studio knowledge alongside preparation for careers in the music business.
An earlier USC classroom report offers a concrete example of his approach. During a 2013 visit to a MIDI and computer-production class, Guru emphasized listening to a song before beginning a mix. Students then watched him demonstrate techniques on the classroom screens. The report describes a hands-on lesson that connected his experience with analog recording to contemporary recording software.
Together, the new interview and that teaching record put the focus on judgment: knowing what a song needs before choosing the equipment. Watch the original AllHipHop conversation above for Guru’s own explanation of where he draws the line.
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