MURS is an artist who raps from the heart. He isn’t afraid to allow listeners a searing look into his personal life, which in the past few years has been fraught with pain and tragedy. A bitter divorce and custody battle, followed by the death of his son, have affected him deeply, and he lays his experiences bare on his most recent album, A Strange Journey Into the Unimaginable.
Born Nicholas Carter, he adopted the name MURS as his musical identity, which either stands for "Making the Universe Recognize and Submit" or "Making Underground Raw Shit” depending upon one when asks. A member of Living Legends, 3 Melancholy Gypsys, and Melrose along with Terrace Martin (who also collaborates with Jazz Cafe artist Josef Leimberg) and others, MURS kept pretty busy until his world fell out from under him.
After signing with Strange Music in 2014, he’s released three albums, with the latest revealing his strange journey, a collaboration with producer collaborates with Michael “Seven” Summers which hit earlier in 2018. Pitchfork describes the record as “a harrowing look at his personal life buoyed by some lighthearted, throwback fare.” Albumism notes, “Mixed in with all the heart-rending true tales of tragedy are other unique stories. MURS has always been one of hip-hop’s truly gifted storytellers...he continues to craft the types of songs that you don’t hear anywhere else.”
Melancholy