This Generation

This Generation

A certified indie-rap mogul, L.A. veteran Murs has been putting out higher-level hip-hop since the early '90s. Down with Living Legends, 3 Melancholy Gypsies, and Felt, he also organizes the hugely popular Paid Dues tour every year and has dropped a steady stream of great solo albums, including Murs Rules the World, The End of the Beginning, and Murs for President. Fashawn is a younger cat from Fresno; he's been bombarding the scene with a gang of mixtapes and released his first true album, Boy Meets World in 2009. On This Generation, they join forces for an excellent collabo project. It's entirely produced by Beatnick and K-Salaam, who provide a compelling backdrop of neckbending future funk. From the radio-ready title track to the Cali-pride jam "64 Impala" and the "can't we all get along?" gangster anthem "Peace Treaty," every song on here is undeniably catchy and inherently smart. It's proof positive that so-called backpack rap doesn't have to be hyper-abstract, and strong hooks aren't always corny; there's truly something for everybody here. Other highlights include "Slash Gordan" (propelled by guitar and steel drums) and the Neptunes-esque "Future Love."

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