March 2006. I was out here just getting a paycheck working with a temp agency, working at one of the world’s top banks. New York City was beginning to change up, with Michael Bloomberg making his business acumen and an eye on maximizing the city for his cronies and tourist dollars shifting the atmosphere. You saw it in the music as well, sometimes referred to as the “Bling Versus Backpack” days when it came to Hip-Hop. But it was always more nuanced than that.
I sought out rappers that were speaking to the spirit of what I was going through - a young cat in his 20s still growing and asking himself serious questions as well as asking that of others. I got up on OkayPlayer, and that led me to a dope new group out of North Carolina by the name of Little Brother with a dude providing some of the most soul-rich beat production I had ever heard by the name of 9th Wonder. It’s fair to say that I was also diving deep into other regions of rap, particularly the West Coast. (Here’s where I give some love to one of the key resources from that time, Sandbox Automatic.) That journey led me to Living Legends, the supergroup that featured several MCs including one out of Los Angeles who was already building quite the discography - Murs.
I remember it was a Friday night and I had a flash drive plugged into my eMac that Pops had got me. On that flash drive were some zip files of albums one of my friends sent me.“I know you dig 9th wonder,” they wrote, “did you peep this new joint he did?” It was Murray’s Revenge. I uploaded it to my iTunes and kicked back to listen. I wound up spinning that album for the rest of the night.So I didn’t realize then that it was the second collaborative album between Murs and 9th, the first being Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. And I dig the hell out of that album, but Murray’s Revenge? It’s one that I still spin repeatedly, twenty years later and an album that sonically needs more reverence in Hip-Hop overall for a couple of reasons.
First off, Murs’ lyricism and range. The man is an excellent storyteller with his rhymes. While every track out of the 10 can serve as a leadoff example, I’m gonna first go with “Dreamchaser.” The way that Murs lays out the story of a young boy from the ‘hood who idolizes an older gang member and grows up to become one, has you riveted and 9th’s production is like a gilded frame you’re watching the entire story through. It’s soulful and taut, and ends in an quick way that even though you expect it, still jars you. I feel like it was an inspiration for Kendrick Lamar and music from his second album, Good Kid MAAD City.
Another standout of lyricism I love on this album comes with “Barbershop” which features Rapper Big Pooh of Little Brother. The way they both capture the atmosphere of the shop as a third space for Black men to just BE, no matter if its Inglewood, Durham, Harlem or anywhere else is superb.
There’s also a little revelation at the end of that track, where Pooh signs off and goes, “Sorry Murs.” The reason? Murs dropped all those bars on that album WITHOUT CURSING. There’s one or two jaded individuals who’ll look at that and scoff. But what Murs did was not only illustrate that it could be done, he linked back to other artists who’ve accomplished the same feat back in the day, like Nas and Heavy D.
It also reminded me of one interaction from the X-Men comics when Wolverine first joins the team, and Storm sees him track a doe thinking he’s going to slaughter her. But he tells her, “it takes no skill to kill”, revealing that he’s using his heightened skill to get close enough to touch the animal gently and let it go. Not everyone can display that dexterity in rap.
And not everyone has that dexterity on the boards, or the ear, that 9th Wonder has. His approach on Murray’s Revenge is like how I view jazz drummer Max Roach’s dynamic compositions on his 1968 album Members, Don’t Get Weary. 9th’s sample chops are usuallypremium, but on Murray’s Revenge it was absolutely insane.
The title track, which ends the album, is proof. Hearing Bob James’ iconic “Nautilus” that way made me appreciate him and 9th so much more. I would’ve loved to have been there when Murs first heard it, because it is a genuine neck-snapper. That track served as the backdrop for quite a few “NBA Live” contests for months after. You hear that again on “Silly Girl”, Murs’ tale of dealing with insecure women with Justice League affiliate Joe Scudda, an unreal beat with bass that knocks just hard enough to accentuate, not overpower.
The album though, was one that I needed at that time to step into maturity. It marks a time when I got to hanging out with Pops more, without the tension fathers and their sons can sometimes find themselves wrangling with too much. “Yesterday and Today” helped me understand the value of striving for positivity and not being beaten down by the various -isms out there, through the stories of two different people. I still listen to that particular song when I’ve had a stressful day at work, or need to get a boost to start my week.
If it’s not in your rotation, correct that and take a listen to Murray’s Revenge. Doesn't matter if it's your first or fortieth time. I’m sure it’ll be just as solid and impactful for another twenty years.