Words By K1NG

One producer. One MC.
Back in the early days of Hip-Hop, that was one of the main criteria for the majority of albums. Even if it were more than one producer, and instead a production team involved, albums still benefited from one “sound.” For better or worse, having the backing of one sound has been a lost cause for the majority of our new artists, who blow their budgets buying beats by the pound from whomever the “hottest” producer is at the moment.
The thing that makes those earlier “one sound” albums so unique is the cohesiveness of the project. Sometimes, artists begin collaborating in the early stages of their careers and grow together musically over a period of time, garnering critical acclaim along the way. A chemistry unmatched is created. DJ Premier and Guru. Eric B. and Rakim. Pete and C.L.
But sometimes, it happens seemingly out of nowhere.
Case in point: Murs and 9th Wonder
Over the last several years these two have come together to create two near-classics in Murs 3:16 and Murray’s Revenge. With 9th’s soulful beats playing underneath Murs’ unconventional flow and honest lyrics, they crafted two great projects, each clocking in at under an hour with 10 tracks each. Read the rest of this entry »