- Murs (rapper)
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For the Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS), see Multi-Use Radio Service.
Murs 
Murs (right) and 9th Wonder performing at the Paid Dues hip hop festival at the Nokia Theatre in New York City.Background information Birth name Nick Carter Born March 16, 1978 Origin Los Angeles, California Genres Hip hop Occupations Rapper Years active 1996–present Labels Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers Entertainment, DD172, BluRoc, EMI Associated acts Living Legends, Felt, 9th Wonder, 3 Melancholy Gypsys, Aesop Rock, The Invincibles,[disambiguation needed 
] Skream, tabi BonneyWebsite www.mursworld.com/ Nick Carter, (born March 16, 1978), professionally known as Murs, is an American rapper. His name is an acronym that he himself has created multiple meanings for such as "Making the Universe Recognize and Submit" or "Making Underground Raw Shit."[1] He is signed to the independent label Record Collection and is a member of the hip hop groups Living Legends, Felt, and the 3 Melancholy Gypsys. Murs is also part of a punk fusion band called The Invincibles with Jacksonville, Florida's Whole Wheat Bread as lead vocalist.
Contents
Career
Murs released his first single in 1993, taken from a self-released album by his first group, 3 Melancholy Gypsies (aka 3MG).[2] The group became friends with Mystik Journeymen, and joined them in the Living Legends collective in 1996.[2]
Murs appeared as a rapper on more than 20 records, EPs, and singles over a seven-year period, both on releases by 3MG and Living Legends.[2] His debut solo album, The End of the Beginning, was released in the spring of 2003.[2] He also worked with Slug under the name Felt, taking a more experimental approach.[2] A second solo album, Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition, was produced by 9th Wonder. Taking a more thoughtful approach than gangster rappers, the album prompted Andy Gill of The Independent to say "eschewing bogus glamour for emotional realism, Murs manages to say more about the corrosive cancer of hip-hop's gun culture than all the thousands of column inches lavished on 50 Cent's bullet wounds".[3] The track "Walk Like a Man" from that album inspired a film of the same name in which Murs starred along with Damien Wigfall.[2] After another solo album with 9th Wonder, Murray's Revenge, in 2006, Murs signed a contract with Warner Bros., his debut album for the label being Murs for President.[2] This was preceded by Sweet Lord which was given away free to fans.[4] Murs has recently announced a follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2002 EP, Varsity Blues, with production duties handled by notable producer Aesop Rock.[5]
Group collaborations
- 3 Melancholy Gypsys ( 3MG ) - 3MG was formed with fellow high school classmates Scarub (vocals) and Eligh (vocals/producing). All three would later go on to join the underground group known as the Living Legends. Murs does not see a reprise of 3MG. In the HipHopHeadz interview, he said, "Except for Slug, I don't see myself working with anybody in the near-future. I want to be in control. I want to do what I want to do. Every project I've been a part of, I feel like I was never been able to do what I wanted to do. I want 150% creative control, even though I know that's not a real percentage, but I have to get this out of my system. Then we can talk about a new 3MG album."[6]
- Living Legends - LL consists of Sunspot Jonz, Luckyiam, The Grouch, Scarub, Eligh, Aesop, Bicasso
Bicasso, Arata[disambiguation needed
] and Murs. They joined forces in 1996, while several members were still living in Oakland, CA. The members eventually migrated south to Los Angeles, CA. Although still a member, Murs no longer tours or works with the group although he appeared with them at the 2006 Paid Dues Tour.[6] He denies there is any friction in the group, and attributes the lack of firsthand involvement to them being "together for ten years and everybody is creating their own thing."[6]- Felt - A hip hop duo formed by Murs and rapper Slug (Atmosphere). As Felt they have released three albums and toured together to support the albums.
- The Netherworlds - A hip hop group consisting of Murs, producer Anacron, and rapper Himself.
- The Righteous Brothers Project - A hip hop group consisting of Murs, Eligh, Scarub (3MG) and Basik MC
- The Underbosses - A project rumored to be in the works consisting of Murs and Luckyiam.PSC
- The Invincible(s) - A hip hop / rock group formed by Murs and Whole Wheat Bread debuted at the 2008 Coachella music festival.[7]
In 2007, Murs was featured on "The Breakdown", a show on where he discussed his LP with 9th Wonder, a new movie, the start of a Hip Hop Festival Tour, his start in hip hop, as well as other topics. In 2009 Murs accompanied Tech N9ne on the Sickology 101 Tour.
In 2001, Murs was featured on Potluck's 2011 album Rhymes & Resin, on the song Hands Up, also featuring Mistah Fab.
Discography
Solo albums
Year Title Peak chart positions U.S.[8] U.S. Rap[9] U.S. Ind[10] 1997 F'Real' - Label: Veritech
- Format: CD, digital download
— * — 1999 Good Music - Label: Veritech (999)
- Format: CD
— * — 2000 Murs Rules the World - Label: LLCrew
- Format: CD
— * — 2001 Murs Is My Best Friend - Label: LLCrew
- Format: CD
— * — 2003 The End of the Beginning - Released: February 25, 2003
- Label: Definitive Jux (48)
- Format: CD, digital download
— * 27 2008 Murs for President - Released: September 30, 2008
- Label: Warner Bros. (176828)
- Format: CD, digital download
45 11 — 2011 Love & Rockets, Volume 1: The Transformation - Released: October 11, 2011
- Label: DD172/BLUROC
- Format: CD, digital download
- 200 - TBA Love & Rockets, Volume 2: The Declaration - Released: TBA
- Label: DD172/BLUROC
- - - Collaborative albums
See also: Living Legends discography, 3 Melancholy Gypsys discography, and Felt discographyYear Title Peak chart positions U.S.[8] U.S. R&B[11] U.S. Rap[9] U.S. Ind[10] 2001 Pals (with the Netherworlds) - Released: October 10, 2001
- Label: Basement
- Format: CD, digital download
— — * — 2004 Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition (with 9th Wonder) - Released: March 23, 2004
- Label: Definitive Jux (80)
- Format: CD, digital download
— 87 — 16 2006 Murray's Revenge (with 9th Wonder) - Released: March 21, 2006
- Label: Record Collection
- Format: CD, CD/DVD, LP, digital download
166 70 — 15 2008 Sweet Lord (with 9th Wonder) - Released: July 23, 2008
- Label: Record Collection
- Format: CD, digital download
— — — — 2010 Fornever (with 9th Wonder) - Released: April 13, 2010
- Label: SMC (0425)
- Format: CD, digital download
— — — — 2011 Melrose (with Terrace Martin) - Released: February 8, 2011
- Label: Murs 316
- Format: CD, digital download
— — — — TBA The Final Adventures of Murf and Beef Dog (with 9th Wonder) - Released: TBA
— — — — Compilations
- Murs 3:16 Presents... Murs and the Misadventures of the Nova Express (2007)
EPs
- 3:16 the EP (1999) - LLCrew
- Bac for No Good Reason (2000) - LLCrew
- Do More + Yeah EP (2000)
- Varsity Blues EP (2002)
- Def Cover (2003) - Definitive Jux
- Varsity Blues 2 (2011)
Mixtapes
- 2011 - Mursworld 2011 Winter/Spring
Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Album US Sales US R&B Sales 2003 "Def Cover" — — The End of the Beginning "God's Work" 64[12] — "Risky Business" / "Brotherly Love" — 73[13] 2005 "Bad Man!" / "3:16" — — Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition 2005 "H-U-S-T-L-E" / "Bartender" — — 2007 "Better Than the Best" — — Murs for President 2008 "Can It Be (Half a Million Dollars and 18 Months Later)" — — "Me and This Jawn" — — "Time Is Now" (featuring Snoop Dogg) — — Compilations
- 2005 - Walk Like a Man - Genaro Bautista Jr - Legendary Music
- 2005 - The Genocide in Sudan - Various
DVDs
- MC*TV *Mass Chaos (1998) LLCrew
- Walk Like a Man (2005) Legendary Music
- Murray's Revenge: The DVD (2007) Record Collection
Video game appearances
"Transitions az a Rydah" is featured in Tony Hawk's Underground
- The song "L.A." from his album Murray's Revenge, appeared on the soundtrack of the E.A. video game NBA Live 2007.[14]
- "Dreadlocks" is featured in the EA Sports NFL Football game Madden NFL 08.
- "Lookin Fly" Is featured in Midnight Club LA.
- "SWC" Is Featured In WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009.
- "DJ Hero" featuring Z-Trip is featured in DJ Hero against Foreigner's "Jukebox Hero"
- "The Problem Is...." Featuring 9th Wonder, Sick Jacken&Uncle Chucc is featured in Fight Night Champion"
- "Fresh Kicks" is featured in the iPhone version of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2.
References
- ^ LAist; Oct 7, 2008. "LAist Interview: MURS." http://laist.com/2008/10/07/laist_interview.php
- ^ a b c d e f g Torreano, Bradley "MURS Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- ^ Gill, Andy (2004) "Album: Murs", The Independent, 9 April 2004
- ^ Martin, Andrew (2008) "Murs: Murs For President - Not a write-in candidate just yet", PopMatters
- ^ Varsity Blues 2 (2011) "[1]", Prefix
- ^ a b c Murs Interview HipHopHeads March 27, 2006.
- ^ Punknews.org - Whole Wheat Bread and Murs form the Invincible(s)
- ^ a b "Murs: Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/artist/murs/chart-history/431655?f=305&g=Albums&sort=date. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ a b "Murs: Chart History: Rap Albums". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/artist/murs/chart-history/431655?f=335&g=Albums&sort=date. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ a b "Murs: Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/artist/murs/chart-history/431655?f=326&g=Albums&sort=date. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Murs: Chart History: R&B Albums". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/artist/murs/chart-history/431655?f=333&g=Albums&sort=date. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard chart search" (XML). Billboard.com. http://api.billboard.com/apisvc/chart/v1/list?artist=murs&song=god&sdate=2003-01-01&edate=2010-12-01&api_key=bvk4re5h37dzvx87h7rf5dqz. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard chart search" (XML). Billboard.com. http://api.billboard.com/apisvc/chart/v1/list?artist=murs&song=risky&sdate=2003-01-01&edate=2010-12-01&api_key=bvk4re5h37dzvx87h7rf5dqz. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- ^ EA unveils NBA Live 07 tracks - PlayStation 3 News at GameSpot
External links
Interviews
- ONLOQ.com Video Interview
- MURS podcast interview from Synthesis (magazine)
- Michael, John (2008) "Murs - Presidential View", Six Shot
Reviews
- Bush, John "The End of the Beginning Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- "The End of the Beginning Review", The Independent, 7 March 2003
- Bush, John "Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- Bush, John "Walk Like a Man Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- Brown, Marisa "Murray's Revenge Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- Bush, John "Murs For President Review", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
Notable members 9th Wonder • Cesar Comanche • Chaundon • DJ Flash • Edgar Allen Floe • Khrysis • L.E.G.A.C.Y. • Phonte • Big Pooh • Sean BoogNotable albums by
membersThe Listening • Connected • Sleepers • True Links • National Anthem • The Minstrel Show • The Commercial Free EP • Getback • Leave It All Behind • Leftback LPAffiliates Jean Grae • Supastition • Nicolay • Skyzoo • Murs • Kaze • Sean Price • Buckshot • Darien BrockingtonCategories:- 1978 births
- Living people
- African American rappers
- American vegans
- Rappers from Los Angeles, California
- Underground rappers
- Warner Bros. Records artists
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