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Murs

Mr. Lif – Mo’ Mega (2006)

August 11, 2010
*Definitive Jux Records, Aesop Rock, Akrobatik, Blueprint, Mr. Lif, Murs, ^Big Nose, ^El-P, ^Nick Toth
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Mr. Lif is on a level lyrically that is unattainable by 99.9% of rappers.  It’s not only intelligent but it is put together in a way that is so creative and organic.  You will have these tracks on repeat like crazy just tryin to pick apart his lyricism.  This album is doubly dope because on top of dope lyrics you have El-P providing some of the beats and you have top-notch features from the likes of Blueprint, Akrobatik & Aesop Rock.  If you have never experienced El-P’s production before than you are in for a hip hop treat.  His beats bang and are so interesting to listen to.  Lif  has a grip of good albums and this one does not disappoint.

Production:  Big Nose, El-P, Mr. Lif, Nick Toth

Features:  Aesop Rock, Akrobatik, Blueprint, El-P, Murs

Label:  Definitive Jux

Full Preview:  Mo’ Mega

Website:  http://www.myspace.com/mrlif

Mr. Lif – ‘Brothaz’

Murs – 3:16: The 9th Edition (2004)

April 30, 2010
*Definitive Jux Records, Murs, ^9th Wonder
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Whenever people ask me what underground hip hop sounds like I always tell them to listen to this album.  This is the epitome of the underground sound and I think I could literally listen to this album over and over again and be just as happy as the first time I heard this magic to begin with.  To me this reaches classic status.

Full Preview: 3:16: The 9th Edition

Murs – ‘And This is For’

Murs – ‘H-U-S-T-L-E”

Felt – Felt Volume 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet (2005)

April 30, 2010
*Rhymesayers Entertainment, Felt, Murs, Slug, ^Ant
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Murs & Slug make quite the dynamic duo and with Ant supplying the beats for this album the recipe is a major success.  From beginning to end I never skip any songs and event the skits (which I’m usually not a fan of) provide comedy and flow to the album as a whole.  Ant really has some gems on here and the mix of Murs’ playful side and Slug’s serious side equals one very well-rounded album.

Full Preview: Felt Vol 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet

Felt – ‘I Shot A Warhol’

Felt – ‘Morris Day’

3 Melancholy Gypsies – Gypsy’s Luck EP (1998)

April 28, 2010
*Legendary Music, 3 Melancholy Gypsies, Eligh, Living Legends, Murs, Scarub
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Man these guys were talking about real shit from the get-go.  Sometimes you see people progress and mature throughout their careers but damn Murs, Scarub & Eligh start on a level that’s already much more progressive & intelligent than most.  This is a dynamic combo.

Preview a few tracks here: Gypsy’s Luck

3 Melancholy Gypsies – ‘Hopeless Romantic’

Living Legends – Classic (2005)

April 28, 2010
*Legendary Music, Aesop, Bicasso, Eligh, Living Legends, Luckyiam, Murs, Scarub, Sunspot Jonz, The Grouch
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I guess I will just make this a Living Legends day and throw a whole bunch of shit out there from the collective & solo work.  Well the title of the album is a pretty good indicator of things to come.  This album is thee best for summer chillin.  The vibe is one that can’t be produced by most and it will definitely keep you captivated from beginning to end.

Full Preview: Classic

Living Legends – ‘Blast Your Radio’

Living Legends – ‘Never Fallin’

Living Legends – Angelz W.I.T. Dirty Faces (2000)

April 28, 2010
*Outhouse, Aesop, Bicasso, Eligh, Living Legends, Luckyiam, Murs, Mystik Journeymen, Scarub, Sunspot Jonz, The Grouch
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Sunspot did a nice job with the production on this album.  I like it too because this was towards the beginning of the crew getting together so it’s cool to see how they sounded when they started out vs. how they sound now.

Full Preview: Angelz Wit Dirty Faces

Living Legends – ‘Take A Chance (ft. Lord Takim)’

Murs & 9th Wonder – Fornever (2010)

April 8, 2010
Living Legends, Murs, ^9th Wonder
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Okay this album hasn’t ‘technically’ been released yet but you know how things go in the Internet world.  Anywho Murs is gonna have to change his name because he is no longer ‘Making Underground Raw Shit’.  3:16 Part 2 this is NOT. Basically it lacks substance. It sounds like something Murs would have done at the beginning of his career when he was younger & less seasoned.  But I’m not interested in writing a long drawn out post bashing what Murs has going on now.  All I’m sayin is if your about old Murs, you probably won’t be about this.  My only hope at this point is that Murs remembers his roots and goes back to the Legends to make some more hip hop magic.  And as for production, some of 9th beats are pretty good but it doesn’t have that same spark that previous Murs/9th collabs have had.

This is one track from the album that I actually liked though: Murs & 9th Wonder – ‘I Used to Love H.E.R. (Again)’

But I miss these days: Murs & 9th Wonder – The Pain

Living Legends – Almost Famous (2001)

December 12, 2009
*Legendary Music, Aesop, Bicasso, Eligh, JC, Jo Wilkinson, Krush, Living Legends, Luckyiam, Murs, N8 The Gr8, Pep Love, Scarub, Slug, Sunspot Jonz, The Grouch
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Okay I know I say this a lot but this album is definitely one of my top five favorite albums of all time.  It’s not just songs it’s a whole experience.  Sometimes you get a bunch of raw talent together and things can go awry.  Too much struggle for creative control.  But LL has somehow figured out a way to manage the production of dope music without letting their ego’s get in the way (At least long enough to drop a few dope albums).  And without a doubt they are one of the absolute best groups to see live.  The energy created at their shows is unlike any I’ve ever seen.  ’Almost Famous’ is one of those albums that you don’t skip any songs because they are all that good, plus they all flow together so well.  Using all kinds of crazy samples from Jefferson Airplane to Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, imagination is not lacking here.  Right alongside with Hieroglyphics, LL has created and formed the mold of underground hip hop in the west-coast.  And best believe these guys have formed a fan-base worldwide.  I think the main reason I appreciate their work is because they totally have their own style, they don’t sound like anyone else.  Completely refreshing in an era full of fake fucks haha.  And definitely check out all their albums because there is more good stuff where this came from.

Production:  Eligh, Sunspot Jonz, The Grouch

Features:  JC, Jo Wilkinson, Krush, N8 The Gr8, Pep Love, Slug

Label:  Legendary Music

Full Preview:  Almost Famous

Website:  http://www.legendarymusic.net/

Living Legends – ‘Nothing Less (ft. Slug)’



3 Melancholy Gypsies – Grand Caravan to the Rim of the World (2005)

December 2, 2009
*Legendary Music, 3 Melancholy Gypsies, Eligh, Living Legends, Murs, Scarub, ^Belief
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Ten cool points just for the name of this album.  Murs, Eligh & Scarab allow us to escape the monotony of everyday life and take an adventure in imagination.  Now I consider myself a pretty smart girl and even some of these lyrics go over my head.  Not in a bad way though, in an amazingly intriguing and wonderful way.  In a way that makes me want to listen to these songs over and over again.  The poetic artistic nature of this album will have you on a whole other level.  I think its hilarious that even back when these guys were basically still in high school they were straight shittin on fools.  And still are pretty much, but this is a raw, grimy side of them that we rarely gain access to anymore.  I always knew Eligh & Scarub had crazy creative minds but I never realized how abstract Murs could be too.  And you can’t go wrong with production from Eligh who is basically a God among mortals when it comes to beat-making.  Everything the Legends touch turns to gold.  Plus the album cover cracks me up…gangsta gangsta!

Production:  Belief, Eligh, Murs, Scarub

Label:  Legendary Music

Preview:  Grand Caravan to the Rim of the World

Website:  http://www.myspace.com/3melancholygypsys

3 Melancholy Gypsies – Beautiful Mind

Felt – Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez (2009)

November 17, 2009
*Rhymesayers Entertainment, Aesop Rock, Felt, Murs, Slug
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I kinda think this album should say Aesop Rock feat. Murs & Slug because this has Aesop written all over it.  Much darker, more raw & almost morbid compared with their first two releases ( Think Atmosphere – ‘Overcast’ or Aesop Rock – ‘Labor Days’).  It’s a pretty awesome album but  just so different from their other offerings that it kind of sounds like a different group all together.  At times Aesops beats can be over-powering but this is Murs, Slug & Aesop Rock after all so there is no lack of creativity.  These emcees are saying so much on here that its hard to catch it all on the first listen.  But I seriously like this album more and more everytime I hear it, it definitely has staying power.  Plus there is still that good ol’ Felt humor that we know and love.  “I seen Henrietta sittin down by the well/messin wit her camel toe talkin on her cell/breakin up some weed gettin ready for a blunt but she never felt the need to fix her wedgie in the front” ha! (Henrietta Longbottom).  ‘The Clap’ & ‘Get Cake’ are pretty funny too.  Aesop killed it on some of these beats too.  ‘Permanent Stand-by’, ‘Ghose Dance Deluxe’ & ‘ She Sonnet’ all have really dope, ghostly, complex beats.  If you are expecting another Felt album that sounds like the first two then ten-to-one you are gonna be a little disappointed with this.  BUT if you are open-minded then this could have some offerings that you will appreciate.  I still think all three of them needed a hug or something while making this though =D.

Production:  Aesop Rock

Features:  Aesop Rock

Label:  Rhymesayers Entertainment

Full Preview:  Felt Vol. 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez

Website:   http://www.myspace.com/mursandslug

This song just fuckin makes me laugh everytime I hear it.  Where do they come up with these concepts?

  Felt – ‘Whaleface’

 

  Felt – ‘Ghost Dance Deluxe’

 

    

 

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