“No Surprises” is where his flow experimentation begins. The record starts off with the title track consisting of a piano loop and introspective lyrics filled with insight and positivity. This is indicative of his sometimes-wry sense of humor which is now tempered with his enlightenment and maturity as a man. The cover of the album is a black-&-white image of Murs holding a birthday cake with the title written on it. The variation of producers on this album has allowed Murs to experiment with different flows over modern-sounding beats. Also, this is an actual solo album from Murs, it doesn’t follow the tried & true formula of one emcee/one producer.Īfter signing to Tech N9ne’s Strange Music early last year, he’s given birth to an album that’s an amalgamation of both his label’s musical leanings and his own. His latest effort, “Have a Nice Life”, mostly epitomizes the latter. Over soul sampling beats and Def Jux soundscapes, he’s come out with braggadocio rhymes and weaved narrative tales that are relatable without being contrived. Since 2004, this listener has copped all of Murs’ collaborative efforts with producer 9th Wonder as well as those with Slug from Atmosphere under duo Felt. For over the past ten years, he’s had a steady output of albums that convey equal facets of both his humanity and his ability as an emcee. Los Angeles’ Nick Carter (aka Murs) is a hip-hop everyman.