Nicholas Neil Carter (born March 16, 1978), better known by his

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

Murs, is an American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

. His name is an

acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...

(or

backronym A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...

) for which he himself has created multiple meanings, such as "Making the Universe Recognize and Submit" or "Making Underground Raw Shit." Murs is a former member of the rap group

Living Legends Living Legend(s) may refer to: Film and television * "The Living Legend", a 1978 episode of ''Battlestar Galactica'' * "Living Legend" (''CSI''), a 2006 episode of ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' * ''Living Legend'' (audio drama), an audio d ...

, along with

Luckyiam Tommy Woolfolk, better known by his stage name Luckyiam, is a rapper from Los Angeles, California. He is a founding member of Living Legends. He is also a member of CMA and Mystik Journeymen. History Luckyiam released ''Most Likely to Succeed'' ...

Sunspot Jonz Corey Johnson, better known by his stage name Sunspot Jonz, is a rapper from Oakland, California. He is a founding member of Living Legends, a conglomerate of underground hip hop artists from California. He is also one half of Mystik Journeymen ...

, The Grouch,

Scarub Armon Collins, better known by his stage name Scarub, is an American rapper and record producer from Los Angeles, California. He is a member of the collective Living Legends. He has also been a member of Log Cabin, 3 Melancholy Gypsys, and Afro ...

Eligh Eli Nathan Nachowitz (born February 28, 1978), better known as Eligh, is an American rapper and producer from Los Angeles. He is a member of the underground hip hop group Living Legends. Biography Eligh's inspiration for making hip hop musi ...

, Aesop, Bicasso and Arata. He is currently a member of several groups: 3 Melancholy Gypsys (along with Scarub and Eligh),

Felt Felt is a textile material that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic or acrylonitrile or wood ...

(along with

Slug Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...

), and Melrose (along with

Terrace Martin Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog ...

). He is also a vocalist in The Invincibles, along with

Whole Wheat Bread Whole wheat bread or wholemeal bread is a type of bread made using flour that is partly or entirely milled from whole or almost-whole wheat grains, see whole-wheat flour and whole grain. It is one kind of brown bread. Synonyms or near-synonyms ...

. On October 13, 2016, Murs set a

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for

rapping Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

for 24 hours non-stop during a

live stream Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...

Twitch Twitch may refer to: Biology * Muscle contraction ** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation ** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction ** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle co ...

. On June 11, 2013, Murs released an album as lead vocalist of a band called The White Mandingos. The album is entitled ''The Ghetto is Tryna Kill Me''.Frannie Kelley (August 13, 2013).
The White Mandingos: Music That Defies Definition
. National Public Radio. Murs signed with Strange Music in 2014 and has released three studio albums through the label. His record deal with Strange Music was a three-album deal.

Career

Murs formed 3 Melancholy Gypsys with fellow Alexander Hamilton High School classmates

and

. The group became friends with Mystik Journeymen, and joined them in the

collective in 1996. His solo debut album, '' F'Real'', was released on Veritech in 1997. Alongside

, Murs has been part of the group

since 2002. '' The End of the Beginning'', his debut album on

Definitive Jux Definitive Jux was a record label based in New York City. It was co-founded in 1999 by El-P and Amaechi Uzoigwe. History Definitive Jux was initially known as Def Jux. However, popular hip hop label Def Jam Recordings sued Def Jux over the nam ...

, was released in 2003. Murs released '' Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition'', an album entirely produced by

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a Murray's Revenge'', in 2006, Murs signed a contract with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, his debut album for the label being '' Murs for President''. It was preceded by '' Sweet Lord'' which was given away free to fans. Murs released ''Varsity Blues 2'', a follow-up to his '' Varsity Blues'' EP, with production duties handled by

Aesop Rock Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerge ...

and

Droop-E Earl Tywone Stevens Jr. (born February 18, 1988), better known by his stage name Droop-E, is an American rapper, and producer. He is the son of the Bay Area rapper E-40. Biography Droop-E was born Earl Tywone Stevens Jr. on February 18, 19 ...

, in 2011. He released '' This Generation'', a collaborative album with

Fashawn Santiago Leyva (born October 19, 1988), known by his stage name Fashawn, is an American hip hop recording artist from Fresno, California. He first gained major attention after releasing his debut album ''Boy Meets World'' in 2009, which was pro ...

, in 2012. Murs was invited by

Sacha Jenkins Sacha Jenkins (born 1971) is an American television producer, filmmaker, writer, musician, artist, curator, and chronicler of hip-hop, graffiti, punk, and metal cultures. While still in his teens, Jenkins published ''Graphic Scenes & X-Plicit L ...

, a hip hop journalist, to join the group The White Mandingos, a collaboration between Jenkins and

Bad Brains Bad Brains are an American rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1976. Originally a jazz fusion band under the name Mind Power, they are widely regarded as pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members have objected to the use of this ...

bassist

Daryl Jenifer Darryl Jenifer (born October 22, 1960) is an American musician, widely known as the bassist for the hardcore punk band Bad Brains and for the rap-rock group The White Mandingos. He appeared in ''TV's Illest Minority Moments presented by ego tri ...

. They released their first album, ''The Ghetto is Tryna Kill Me'', on June 11, 2013 under the Fat Beats record label. On February 7, 2014, it was announced via

Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two m ...

's Facebook page that Murs was signed to his record label

Strange Music Strange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music and founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999. History In 2009 Skatterman & Snug Brim fulfilled their commitment to Strange Music and left the label. In ...

. Later that year, Murs teamed up with fellow Strange Music members Mayday! to drop the ''!Mursday¡'' album as his first release on the label. He then released ''

Have a Nice Life Have a Nice Life is an American post-punk band founded in Connecticut in 2000 by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga. History Have a Nice Life was formed in 2000 by Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga of Connecticut. They have mentioned the likes of My Bloody ...

'' on May 18, 2015, '' Captain California'' on March 10, 2017, and ''A Strange Journey into the Unimaginable'' on his birthday in 2018 – all through Strange Music. In between projects, Murs partnered once again with 9th Wonder to create '' Brighter Daze'', which was released on December 31, 2015.

Personal life

Murs has one adopted child. He remarried and had another child in April 2018. He and his wife also have a third son. He is an advocate for

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 3 ...

; the video for his song "Animal Style" features his character kissing another man. Murs is known as a fan of

comic books A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

; there are videos on the internet of him at

Midtown Comics Midtown Comics is a New York City comic book retailer with three shops in Manhattan and an e-commerce website.Gustines, George Gene (May 8, 2019)"As Comic Book Industry Grows, Smaller Publishers Learn to Adapt" ''The New York Times''.Gustines, Ge ...

in New York City.

Discography

* '' F'Real'' (1997) * ''

Good Music GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...

'' (1999) * '' Murs Rules the World'' (2000) * '' The End of the Beginning'' (2003) * '' Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition'' (2004) * '' Murray's Revenge'' (2006) * '' Murs for President'' (2008) * ''

'' (2015) * '' Love & Rockets, Vol. 1: The Transformation'' (2016) * '' Captain California'' (2017) * '' A Strange Journey Into The Unimaginable'' (2018) * '' Brighter Daze'' (2019) *''The Iliad is Dead and the Odyssey is Over'' (2019) * '' Thees Handz'' (2019) (with The Grouch) *''He's the Christian, I'm the Rapper'' (2020) (with

Dee-1 David Arnold Augustine Jr. (born April 10, 1985), better known by his stage name Dee-1, is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the first rapper in Louisiana history to be an appointee of the governor. Biography Early life ...

) * '' Love & Rockets, Vol. 2: The Declaration'' (2020)

Filmography

• Himself (

The Eric Andre Show ''The Eric Andre Show'' is an American surreal sketch comedy television series which began airing on May 20, 2012. The show premiered on Adult Swim and is a parody of late night talk shows. The series is hosted by comedian Eric André and forme ...

) Maul dogs

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Murs African-American male rappers African-American songwriters Definitive Jux artists LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Rappers from Los Angeles Songwriters from California Underground rappers Warner Records artists West Coast hip hop musicians Activists from California 1978 births 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians Record Collection artists 20th-century African-American people American male songwriters The White Mandingos members