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Artist Murs

As befits a rapper whose name stands for “Making Underground Raw Shit,” California-based Murs consistently refuses to let genre or convention stand in the way of a good song. His beats are huge—fat and orchestral, filled with distorted guitar and samples of every conceivable provenance—and his collaborations are epic. He originally came up with Oakland’s storied Living Legends collective before working with the likes of Atmosphere’s Slug and the Afro-punks in Whole Wheat Bread. Murs' most recent album, Murs For President, came out in 2008, and it’s his first on a major label. That means guest spots from acts like Will.i.am and Snoop Dogg, but it’s always clear who’s in control.

Updated 09/02/2009