Murs (rapper)

Career

Murs formed 3 Melancholy Gypsys with fellow Alexander Hamilton High School classmates Scarub and Eligh. The group became friends with Mystik Journeymen, and joined them in the Living Legends collective in 1996. His solo debut album, F'Real, was released on Veritech in 1997.

Alongside Slug, Murs has been part of the group Felt since 2002. The End of the Beginning, his debut album on Definitive Jux, was released in 2003. Murs released Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition, an album entirely produced by 9th Wonder, in 2004. After another collaborative 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. It was preceded by Sweet Lord which was given away free to fans.

Murs released Varsity Blues 2, a follow-up to his Varsity Blues EP, with production duties handled by Aesop Rock, Terrace Martin and Droop-E, in 2011. He released This Generation, a collaborative album with Fashawn, in 2012.

Murs was invited by Sacha Jenkins, a hip hop journalist, to join the group the White Mandingos, a collaboration between Jenkins and Bad Brains bassist Daryl Jenifer. They released their first album, The Ghetto is Tryna Kill Me, on June 11, 2013, under the Fat Beats record label.

On February 7, 2014, it was announced via Tech N9ne's Facebook page that Murs was signed to his record label Strange Music. Later that year, Murs teamed up with fellow Strange Music members Mayday! to drop the !Mursday¡ album as his first release on the label. He then released Have a Nice Life on May 18, 2015, Captain California on March 10, 2017, and A Strange Journey into the Unimaginable on his birthday in 2018 – all through Strange Music. In between projects, Murs partnered once again with 9th Wonder to create Brighter Daze, which was released on December 31, 2015.

After leaving Strange Music officially on March 9 2019, Murs teamed up once again with 9th Wonder to release their album together The Iliad Is Dead & The Odyssey Is Over. Since then, he has released multiple collaborative projects and singles, including Thees Handz with the Grouch and Love & Rockets Vol. 2: The Declaration. On June 10 2022, Murs announced his impending retirement, but still intends to give the fans one more album before this, speculated to be a third volume in the Love & Rockets series.

Personal life

Murs has one adopted child. He and his wife had three more children. He and his wife have also lost and buried a child. He is an advocate for gay rights; the video for his song "Animal Style" features his character kissing another man.

Murs is known as a fan of comic books; there are videos on the internet of him at Midtown Comics in New York City.

Discography

Main article: Murs discography

• F'Real (1997)
• Good Music (1999)
• Murs Rules the World (2000)
• The End of the Beginning (2003)
• Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition (2004)
• Murray's Revenge (2006) (with 9th Wonder)
• Sweet Lord (2008) (with 9th Wonder)
• Murs for President (2008)
• Fornever (2010) (with 9th Wonder)
• Love & Rockets, Vol. 1: The Transformation (2011)
• The Final Adventure (2012) (with 9th Wonder)
• Have a Nice Life (2015)
• Brighter Daze (2015) (with 9th Wonder)
• Captain California (2017)
• A Strange Journey into the Unimaginable (2018)
• The Iliad is Dead and the Odyssey is Over (2019)
• Thees Handz (2019) (with the Grouch)
• He's the Christian, I'm the Rapper (2020) (with Dee-1)
• Love & Rockets, Vol. 2: The Declaration (2020)
• Take It Easy My Brother Murs (2023) (with El Lif Beatz)
• Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation) (2025)

Filmography

• Himself (The Eric Andre Show)
• Cal (Maul Dogs (2017))

References

References

1. "Nicholas Neil Carter, Born 03/16/1978 in California".
2. (October 7, 2008). "LAist Interview: MURS". LAist.
3. Eric K. Arnold. (April 1, 2005). "The Living Legends' Hip-Hop Masterpiece". XLR8R.
4. Anna Almendrala. (May 18, 2012). "LACMA Hip Hop Concerts: Murs Of 3MG Kicks Off Summer Series (VIDEO, PHOTOS)". The Huffington Post.
5. Adam Figman. (November 30, 2009). "Felt - Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez". URB.
6. (January 5, 2011). "Murs & Terrace Martin: On Melrose (Music Video)". Baller Status.
7. (July 6, 2012). "Murs & Whole Wheat Bread Are The Invincibles (Free EP + Video)". Okay Player.
8. Frannie Kelley (August 13, 2013). "[https://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/08/13/211396093/the-white-mandingos-music-that-defies-definition The White Mandingos: Music That Defies Definition]". National Public Radio.
9. (May 31, 2012). "LACMA: Through The Mic featuring Murs and 3MG". The 5th Element Magazine.
10. Bradley Torreano. "MURS Biography".
11. Luke Fox. (November 2011). "Murs - Interviews".
12. Tom Breihanon. (September 3, 2009). "Aesop Rock, Atmosphere's Slug, and Murs Team for Felt 3". Pitchfork Media.
13. Matt Kallman. (April 23, 2003). "Murs: The End of the Beginning". Pitchfork Media.
14. Rollie Pemberton. (March 15, 2004). "Murs: Murs 3:16 - The 9th Edition". Pitchfork Media.
15. Peter Macia. (March 21, 2006). "Murs: Murray's Revenge". Pitchfork Media.
16. Michael Denslow. (October 15, 2008). "Album Review: Murs – Murs For President".
17. Omar Mouallem. (September 2008). "Murs & 9th Wonder - Sweet Lord".
18. Jake Paine. (April 13, 2011). "Murs Releases Sequel "Varsity Blues 2," Production By Aesop Rock, Droop-E".
19. Luke Fox. (September 24, 2012). "Murs & Fashawn - This Generation".
20. Jay Balfour (July 5, 2013). [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.2139/title.the-white-mandingos-analyze-adam-yauch-s-role-in-their-formation "The White Mandingos Analyze Adam Yauch's Role In Their Formation"] {{Webarchive. link. (2014-08-08 . Hip Hop DX.)
21. Jake Crates (March 4, 2013). [http://allhiphop.com/2013/03/04/murs-and-new-group-the-white-mandingos-announce-new-concept-album/ "Murs and New Group “The White Mandingos” Announce New Concept Album"]. All Hip Hop.
22. Rys, Dan. (2014-02-07). "Murs Signs With Tech N9ne's Strange Music - XXL". Xxlmag.com.
23. (10 June 2014). "¡Mayday! And Murs Craft A Ripe Summer Album With '¡MURSDAY!' - XXL".
24. (12 June 2022). "Murs Announces Impending Rap Retirement With The Beginning Of The End - HipHopDX".
25. Baker, Soren. (May 17, 2013). "Murs Adopted Two Kids To "Help Change Someone's Life" {{!}} Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales {{!}} HipHopDX". Cheri Media Group.
26. Hernandez, Victoria. (June 22, 2015). "Murs Explains Why He Returned His Older Son To Foster Care". Cheri Media Group.
27. "Murs on Instagram: "Together. That's how we've faced our biggest fear and our brighter future. After losing our first son during delivery. We knew that this…"".
28. "Instagram".
29. (17 October 2019). "Be Nice (feat. Brady Watt) by Thees Handz, The Grouch & Murs".
30. Grindley, Lucas. (July 14, 2012). "Rapper Murs Kisses Another Man to Call Out Hip Hop Homophobes {{!}} Advocate.com". [[Here Media]].
31. (September 16, 2012). "Murs' 'Animal Style' Video: Rapper Supports Gay Rights, Kisses A Man In New Clip (GRAPHIC)". [[AOL]].
32. Fuse. "Murs Goes Comic Book Shopping".
33. A., Aron. (September 19, 2020). "MURS & Dee-1 Team Up On "He's The Christian, I'm The Rapper"". HotNewHipHop.