Every time I see Murs and 9th together on a track, I get chills. As someone who grew up listening to Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition, these two artists exposed me to the rabbit hole that is underground hip hop; for that, I am forever grateful. Now after hearing their 6th collaborative project, Brighter Daze, I'm glad to say that they haven't missed a step in the decade-plus since their first collaborating. At 12 tracks, the album serves as a warning shot to those who think they can keep up with the legacy these two have created.
Daze kicks off with "The Battle," a crisp, horn-heavy beat filled with all kinds of sharp lines from the Los Angeles rapper (you know you're in for a good time when you hear bars like "your story will end before it begins, I throw your demo CD on the floor of my Benz"). Murs continues with his signature story-driven rhymes with "God Black/Black God" and "How to Rob with Rob," the latter of which describes a the repercussions of a heist gone wrong. These introspective joints are then juxtaposed with tracks like "Lover Murs" and the aptly titled "Wait…Back It Up," in which Murs uses a Q-Tip quotable on the hook to speak on a particular female he's pursuing.
But if you thought Daze was just Murs waxing poetic over some 9th beats, you're mistaken. The project also features appearances from a variety of today's hip hop acts, including Problem on the lush, baby making jam "Get Naked," Bad Lucc on "The Shutters" (probably my favourite verse on the album,) the rap queen Rapsody on "Walk Like a God," and Mac Miller on the slick posse cut, "No Shots." All and all, Brighter Daze is another great project from Murs and 9th Wonder; let's hope that they team up once again for another album in the near future.
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