Jay-Z - The Black Album

Between 1996 and 2002, Jay-Z made a dizzying ascent to the top of the rap game, going from emerging boom-bapper to pioneer of the jiggy movement, to the man that bought the Dirty South to the forefront of the genre, to veteran and legend by the time The Blueprint was released in 2001. He proved his cemented status in hip-hop in 2002 when a collaborative album with newly-exposed-as-a-paedophile R. Kelly and a bloated mess of a double album both had his name on, and he still was considered one of the greatest active MCs in the game. Even being on the receiving end of one of the best and most brutal diss tracks in history couldn't stop him. By the time 2003 came around, Jay-Z realised that the only man who could realistically end his career was he himself, and since he was getting a bit long in the tooth for this rap shit by then, he decided it was time to retire. Therefore, he announced his final album, a project which would return to a humble one disc format (thank God), and have the interesting concept of different producers for every track (which was almost the case, although not entirely). The Black Album.

This was the first Jay-Z album to have no featured rappers whatsoever, and was also one of his most successful projects to date - hell, my geography teacher made reference to the track "99 Problems" a few weeks ago, and that wasn't even the lead single. I myself didn't really like this disc on first listen, though. I can't really remember why, as this was a long ass time ago, but I think I just didn't feel it's vibe. In all fairness Jay's was the third hip-hop discography I listened through after Eminem and 50 Cent, so I wasn't exactly ready for a lot of his work at the time, but even so the only track I remember enjoying on that first listen was the last track. However, the album grew on me overtime, and nowadays I think I can safely say that this is my absolute favourite Jay-Z album. Yes, above The Blueprint, and yes, above Reasonable Doubt. Maybe it's the thought that this was his final album, and the epic connotations that come with that. Maybe it's the diversity of producers, or the array of classic Jay-Z songs that are in more abundance than ever before. Whatever it is, this one edges it to the top of my list every time.

And now I get to review it! I realise it's been a while since I've done a Jay album on here, partly due to the heinous allegations levelled at him a few months ago, partly due to me trying to not review too much in case I run out of albums. But since he seems to have been cleared, and since I really, truly believe he is innocent in this, I figure it's time to bring his name back to the blog. Let's get into this one, then. 

L'album, noire. The Black Album.

1. Interlude (prod. Just Blaze)

Given that this was supposed to be his last album, Jay-Z decided that he may as well get the one thing he'd never done before out of the way while he still could - a rap album intro, complete with spoken word and a great instrumental that will sadly never be rapped over. Still, the instrumental really is "great", so this is enjoyable enough. 

2. December 4th (prod. Just Blaze)

The first song on this album serves as an autobiographical cut that aims to explain Jay's younger days as a drug dealer, why he got into that profession, and also how he managed to get out through hip-hop. Just Blaze's triumphant instrumental is fitting and poignant, and I absolutely love the interludes from Hov's mother - but it's Jay himself who makes this opening song as brilliant as it is. Aside from one or two cuts, I don't think the man has ever been as lyrically invigorating and engaging with his storytelling as he is here, and he uses his unique delivery to full effect too in order to give the audience as many quotables as possible. The track also introduces a common theme on The Black Album, referencing classic hip-hop tracks Jay grew up listening to - here it's Cypress Hill's "Insane In the Membrane". The verses are brilliant, but perhaps the best moment of this song is the outro, with Jay's echoes of "maybe you'll love me when I fade to black", leaving the listener sad, but also proud for this man who has had such a successful career despite humble beginnings. This track really makes you root for Jay-Z, and not only that, it sounds great too. I'm a massive fan of this one. 

3. What More Can I Say (prod. The Buchannans)

Over more horn-filled, triumphant production, Jay gets into explaining exactly why he deserves to retire - he's a brilliant rapper and he's made his fortune, so what else is left to do? This track is really just another classic Jay joint, filled with line after line of quotables - "I'm not a biter, I'm a writer for myself and others / I say a Big verse I'm only biggin' up my brother" - was there a better way to address those accusations? The line about Busta Rhymes is also pretty interesting, as is the subliminal to 50 Cent, and there's a bunch of others I could name too. This isn't my favourite on the album, as I'm not the biggest fan of the sung chorus from "Hum-V", but Jay's verses and the brilliant instrumental are quite enough for me to name this a great track. 

4. Encore (prod. Kanye West)

Yet another anthemic, brass-fueled instrumental accompanies Jay on this one, only now it's produced by a young Kanye West, and feels faster paced than the previous two as a result. This track is one of the more creatively structured on the album, what with it's live setting, amalgamation of backing vocals and an interlude which portrays an actual encore - but this is just one of the reasons why it's so brilliant. Not that it's short of those: the instrumental from Kanye is as fantastic as you might expect from him in 2003, and Jay's lyrics are motivational and exude masses of confidence, which is exactly the intention. This is simply a brilliant song. 

5. Change Clothes (prod. The Neptunes)

The lead single to this album, in the same vein as "Excuse Me Miss" in that it's a track for the ladies where Jay paints himself as a gentleman - only here it's even more convincing. Also, this song is just better. The Neptunes craft a wonderfully relaxing and very early 2000s beat for this one that really sounds nothing like the last three tracks, and it's the perfect match for Hov's lyrics about being the best rapper and pulling some chick. Sure, it's shallow, but it's the lead single so whatever. I also love the chorus from Pharrell Williams, and Jay's "so necessary" bridge is a surprising earworm. I know a lot of people think this one is a blemish on the album, but personally I'm a massive fan. 

6. Dirt Off Your Shoulder (prod. Timbaland)

Probably the nastiest beat Timbo has ever concocted, and some of the slickest rhymes and flows Hov ever spit. I mean, does it get much better than this? The waving synths, the main loop and the drums on this instrumental are all fire as fuck, and Jay's verses are as easy to learn off by heart as the alphabet, which is meant as a compliment by the way. The lyrics are pretty similar to what we've heard previously on the record, with some lyrics about drug dealing, cooking cocaine, being rich and successful, etc. etc.... but it still works, and Hov's extra swagger with his flow certainly helps this one stand out a lot. And what about that chorus, man?? One of the most memorable in all of hip-hop history. This might well be the definitive Jay-Z banger. Classic stuff.

7. Threat (prod. 9th Wonder)

Arguably the most underrated track on here in my opinion, this one is actually produced by 9th Wonder, who I've covered on here many times before thanks to his frequent work with one of my favourite underground rappers Murs. Don't ask me how this collaboration with Jay-Z came about though - it wasn't like 9th was a hugely sought after producer back in '03, and it wasn't til '04 and '05 when he made a name alongside Murs and Little Brother. Still, he shows a lot of promise on here, with an aggressive and, well, threatening instrumental with a great melody and nice female vocal sample. Jay-Z's rapping is also arguably the best it has been on this entire album so far, with the aggressive lyrics and silky smooth flow complementing the beat perfectly. This is top tier stuff. Also, Cedric the Entertainer is pretty funny on here. 

8. Moment Of Clarity (prod. Eminem, add-prod. Luis Resto)

I guess Jay-Z didn't like that Eminem produced a record on Nas' 2002 album God's Son without rapping on it, so for The Black Album he decided to get the same thing, regardless of the fact that Eminem isn't actually a very good producer - outside of his own albums his beats are all a bit drab and plodding for my tastes. This one is solid though, I guess, with a nice pounding bassline, even though it still drags on a bit - Jay-Z is left to make something out of it, and somehow he enhances this instrumental a million times with one of his best performances on the entire album. The chorus utilises the names of all of his studio efforts up to that point, which is absolute heaven for nerds like me - one of my pet peeves is when artists ignore the existence of their past albums. And on top of that, every verse is incredible too, painting a picture of Jay's realisation of his status in the rap game, and how exactly he rose to that point. The infamous lines about Common and Talib Kweli also appear on here, and to me those are definitely compliments - he's basically saying that he sold out, unlike them. As I said, the beat on this track isn't brilliant, but everything else about it certainly is. 

9. 99 Problems (prod. Rick Rubin)

Simply put, one of the best hip-hop songs in existence. Jay-Z takes Ice-T's original hook and puts it over some energetic, Beastie Boys style production from Rick Rubin, and then laces that with three of the most memorable verses of his entire career, the second which is his best ever in my personal opinion. I mean, this guy literally had a conversation with a police officer within his verse. It's just phenomenal, not to mention as memorable as waking up to someone breaking into your house (I say that because I had a suspicion someone had last night, but they hadn't (checks under bed for the tenth time)). That's not to discredit the other two verses either, because they are both full of quotables and classic Jay flows that are timeless and some of his best. Honestly, this might just be the best Jay-Z song full stop, and with that iconic of a chorus it's certainly one of his biggest. This song is the fucking shit!!!

10. Public Service Announcement (Interlude) (prod. Just Blaze)

Notable for its recent appearance in a Google advert that popped up all over TV recently. Also, because it's one of the greatest "interludes" of all time. I use quotation marks because this isn't really an interlude at all - instead, it's a two verse wonder (yes I just made that up) from Hov spit over one of the most iconically brilliant Just Blaze instrumentals of all time, and with one of the best opening lines in hip-hop history just for it's legendary status - "allow me to reintroduce myself, my name is Hov!". The tension built before this entrance is also perfect, and the line deserved every bit of that. Matter of fact, so did the song. This is unbelievably good. 

11. Justify My Thug (prod. DJ Quik)

Probably the only song on here that seems to be divisive in Jay's fan base, which I kind of understand given the dodgy Madonna interpolation on the hook - but still, can you really argue with that beat? DJ Quik's instrumental on this one absolutely bangs, with incredible synths and bass, and a perfectly placed Run-DMC sample that adds an almost creepy vibe to the track. And while Jay's opening lines are weirdly repetitive and completely irrelevant, he flows over the beat pretty well afterwards, and has some nice lines within his verses too - especially the second one, for sure the best here. Even if the hook probably should have been re-written, I'd say this is a decent attempt at a West Coast banger - and is certainly a hell of a lot better than "Get Your Mind Right Mami", his last Westside collaboration. 

12. Lucifer (prod. Kanye West)

Kanye's second effort on here certainly isn't quite good as the first in my opinion (which I appreciate will rile people up, and I understand), but it's still decent - I just think the samples and main instruments are a little... weird? They just don't feel like they fit the vibe of the album. However, I think that Jay-Z helps the track's case by dropping three incredible verses and a surprisingly catchy bridge that keeps this short track's quality in line with everything else on the album. I especially love the last verse, and specifically the last line poking fun at the belief that a Christian's wrongdoings are the Devil's, not theirs. As I said, I don't love the beat personally, but I do really enjoy Hov's performance - it's for sure one of the best here. 

13. Allure (prod. The Neptunes)

Alongside Kanye, The Neptunes are the only production outfit to get more than one credit on this LP, and I'm happy with that, as their contribution to this track is absolutely bloody lovely. I remember that when I was first listening to Jay-Z's music, this was actually my least favourite song on the album, but I can only imagine the reason was that I never payed enough attention to it and kept forgetting it - because now it's comfortably one of my favourites. Not only is the instrumental beautiful, but the rapping from Jay-Z is perfect, with a lot of reminiscent and regretful lyrics about drug dealing - and his delivery of the chorus is simply perfect. If this isn't Jay-Z at his finest, then I don't know what is. It's an absolute classic. 

14. My 1st Song (prod. Aqua & Joe "3H" Weinberger)

Ironically intended to be the very final song Jay-Z ever released - when you listen to the chorus and realise that fact you'll get goosebumps whether you like it or not, trust me. In contrast to the last song, this was my favourite track on the album on first listen, but since then it's ever so slightly grown off me, even if I still enjoy it. I mean, Jay's double time flows may have worked for him when he was young and hungry for a deal, but here he often doesn't sound entirely comfortable, and on top of that the extended outro where Jay announces he's going "golfing", before acting like ordering a cheap coffee is a massive treat, makes me not want to play this song as much outside the context of the full album. Still, the negatives don't outweigh the positives to any extent here - this beat is incredible, Jay's falsetto in the hook is surprisingly not awful, and the lyrics and chorus are compelling no matter how they're delivered. This is not only a great song, but a fitting way to close out Jay's impressive eight year run. Although maybe it would hold more weight still, had the retirement lasted for more than three guest-appearance filled years... 

It's no wonder that this project is frequently mentioned among some of the best hip-hop projects of the 2000s. The Black Album is incredibly diverse both musically and lyrically, meanwhile being equally consistent in its quality throughout the runtime, and ending exactly when it needed to around the 55 minute mark. This project contains probably the best track run in the Jay-Z catalogue from "Encore" to "Public Service Announcement", and even either side of that there's very little in the way of faults to be found. Oh, the choruses on "What More Can I Say" and "Justify My Thug" are kind of annoying. Oh, the beat on "Lucifer" is out of place. Oh, Jay-Z admitted to being a sellout. These are tiny nitpicks that are ants when put next to the monstrous levels of quality presented elsewhere in this album. You'd think a song like "99 Problems" would be an easy standout on whatever album it appeared on, but for me there's an argument for it not even making the top three of this LP - I mean it is competing with "Encore", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", "Threat", "Allure" - I could keep going. And I also love the layout of this project, with (almost) every song with a different producer behind the boards - it allows Hov to both revel in what he's used to with Timbaland, Just Blaze, Kanye and The Neptunes, as well as experiment and work joys with the sounds of new producers to him, like 9th Wonder, Rick Rubin and DJ Quik. And for my money, this is the best Jay-Z has rapped ever. He sounded ever so slightly more comfortable on his first two albums, sure, but here he masters the swagger and confidence that has defined much of the man's music up to this point in his career. This isn't just one of the best Jay-Z albums, and a personal favourite for me - it's one of the best artistic statements in the genre full stop, and when it came to send offs, it couldn't possibly have got much better than this. There was only one problem...

Enter: Kingdom Come

Best Tracks: hmm... let me think about that...

Worst Tracks: Oh, come on. Are you kidding??

Catch up on quite a few more Jay-Z reviews I've written here.

Murs-athon pt. 16 - Have a Nice Life

Damn I haven't done one of these in a while.

I mean, it's not like I've fallen out of love with Murs' music or anything - since late September when I last covered a new Murs album on this blog (Jesus that feels like years ago) I've still been bumping quite a bit of his music from time to time, especially tracks from the first two 9th Wonder collabs, which still hold up as incredible projects. I think the main reason for me not listening to any of his new albums is simply that it was all becoming a bit samey. Murs was releasing so much music in the early 2010s, and with his flow being admittedly quite set in stone, and his lyrical content frequently teetering on the edge of corny while just maintaining more of a sense of relatability, it really just came to the point where I liked what he was making, but never really felt much urge to come back to it. I think having a long break from the Murs-athon was a good idea, as it means his style will seem more fresh to me now. Hopefully, since it was three years since The Final Adventure and the project we're covering today, it'll be more fresh for him too, but I won't get my hopes too high on that front. 

The hilariously titled Have a Nice Life is the 16th (!) project I'll be covering in the Murs catalogue, but make no mistake this is no regular release for the guy. Because in 2014, after switching between labels as fast as he was random collaborators for different albums (half of which I didn't even cover), Murs struck up a three album deal with Strange Music, the label headed by one of my favourite rappers of all time, Tech N9ne. This led to three appearances from Murs on Tech's Collabos project Strangeulation, and I still remember the first time I heard Murs' performance on "Hard (A Monster Made It)", incidentally the first Murs performance I heard full stop. I was blown away, as I'm sure a lot of Tech's (at this point) large fan base were as well. For an introduction to a completely new set of fans who would never have dreamed of checking him out before, this verse was phenomenal, as were his other two performances on the project. This meant that Have a Nice Life became one of Murs' most anticipated projects up to this point, and when it was released in May 2015 it charted at no. 94 on the Billboard Hot 100 - his first to land on the chart at all since 2010's Fornever. And this is without a single Strange Music artist even landing a feature - the only name I recognise on the back of this CD is E-40, who wasn't exactly mr. flamboyant anymore by 2015. 

The reception to this album was... alright. I'm seeing mixed reviews on the internet, complementing Murs' rapping but criticising some of the album's production. I've already heard two of these tracks, and I really like both, but then again these are two of the most well-regarded on the entire album, so I'm not going to get my hopes too high. What I'm most hoping to get out of this project is simply a different take on the Murs formula - I want an album that pushes Murs out of his comfort zone, into doing something perhaps a bit different to what he kept putting out over and over in the early 2010s. It doesn't have to be perfect, but with any luck it'll at least be interesting.

Right. Let's do this. 

1. Have a Nice Life (prod. The Arsonist, co-prod. DOC)

Starting off with one of the two songs I've already heard, the title track of this album is also one that's going to be bloody difficult to beat when it comes to the best track on this album. The song opens with a nice drum loop that soon is complimented by absolutely beautiful piano, and a long-ass verse from Murs that happens to contain some of his best writing ever - I will always remember the bar "I don't wanna dye my grey, I don't wanna hide my hair; 'cause a lot of my homies died before they got there", one of the most poetic and goosebump inducing lines this man has ever written. The verse is also helped my Murs' delivery, which for the first time sounds tired and weary - he sounds like an old man, one who is ready to settle into a veteran status that he has very much earned, and it compliments the reflective and content subject matter within the verse. Instrumentally, lyrically, vocally... this is the best song Murs has made in a long while, and I would be shocked if we get something better than it here. I love this track. 

2. Surprises (feat. Ryan "Myagi" Evans) (prod. Bernz & Gianni Ca$h, add-prod. Danny "Keys" Perez)

After such a somber and melancholy opener, I feel like a turn-up track might have been appreciated here, but that's evidently not what Murs has in mind - clearly the rather depressing photography for this album is going to be representative of it's overall sound. I didn't have high hopes for this one when guest vocalist Ryan Evans begun his crooning chorus, but I will admit that the track grew on me as it played through. Murs tells two stories here of people that he grew up with who no longer want anything to do with him, and it's quite compelling - Murs' matter-of-fact style of lyricism has always been put to good use when storytelling, and this track right here is a great example of this. I also like the chorus quite a bit - rather than hopeful and irritatingly pretentious like most of these male R&B hooks rap albums utilise, this one is accepting and agreeable - "nothing surprises me no more". The generic trap beat isn't exactly a winner, but everything else about this song went down as well as I would have hoped. This is a good track. 

3. Mi Corazon (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Probably the most radio-friendly sounding song Murs has ever made in his life, this tale of love with a near-death experience woven in (easily the most engaging moment of the track) is helped along by a beat and female-sung chorus that could easily pop up on radio 2 in your mum's car. I was half expecting to hear a "this is Heart" followed by a swooshing sound effect after the last ear-worming cry of "tell me that you're never gonna leave me", sung by an uncredited Raquel Rodriguez, passed through my speaker. Murs' storytelling on here is pretty nice, and the music is very competent... but it's very clear that the man is aiming for a completely different audience here to what he was on Good Music and Murs 3:16. Also, the whole Spanish element of this song was completely random and unnecessary. There, I said it. 

4. Woke Up Dead (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Say what you want about Jesse Shatkin, but you can't deny that he's got diversity. After the previous attempt at making a song for the white women, here's a track from Murs that he actually seems to have made for himself - a track about PTSD-induced nightmares where he's getting murdered by people for who he hangs out with - the crips. Murs is no stranger to commentary on gang violence, and here his message is only accentuated by Jesse Shatkin's intense instrumental, that makes you nod your head til it falls the fuck off. It's a great beat, and Murs' rhymes are both engaging and socially relevant, which is a pretty great combo if you ask me. I'm a massive fan of this one. 

5. P T S D (feat. E-40) (prod. Curtiss King)

While the synth-heavy beat from Curtiss King was clearly made in mind with the intention of guest E-40, Murs makes a pretty good case for himself over this beat, proving that he can move away from his usual flow and still sound good. Seriously, Murs' vocal delivery and flow have been really nice throughout this album so far. As for E-40... he's okay, but the constant ad-libs are kind of off-putting to me, and don't really help convey the seriousness of his message well at all. The subject matter of this song is good though, and it's sequenced well - Murs goes from talking about his own trauma on the last song to that of others here, and it's a good choice. The track as a whole is good - would've been better with a verse from Tech N9ne though...

6. Okey Dog (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

I'm pretty sure that this is Murs' most streamed song, and the only other song on here aside from the title track that I've already heard prior to today. It is a good track, and you can definitely see why it's so popular, even if personally I think this album has a couple of better tracks so far (especially "Woke Up Dead"). The instrumental is bouncy and percussion heavy, and one that's very easy to dance to - meanwhile the repetitive chorus is an earworm without being excessively poppy like that on "Mi Corazon".  Also, Murs exhibits a talent only few other rappers (like Andre 3000) have exhibited in the past - staying true to his storytelling self whilst still being able to make a radio banger. On this track Murs talks about a gang banger that he idolised whilst growing up, and the potent storytelling is only emphasised more by the great video. Overall, this one is a big time banger of a track. 

7. Pussy and Pizza (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Jesse Shatkin's sentimental beat doesn't really reflect Murs' lyrical content on this song, which is about how he'll fucking kill you if you don't provide him with women and junk food. Seems like a good philosophy for life. It's a shame that this song failed to really engage me - Murs' lyrics aren't exactly likeable on here, and the chorus isn't profound enough to be played so many goddamn times throughout. I didn't hate this one, as the beat was nice and Murs still sounds good, but this is the first song where Murs' occasionally corny immaturity is evident on this album. In short: ehh.

8. Two Step (feat. King Fantastic) (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

I think I've heard this one before as well, although it does sound very similar to "Okey Dog", so I'll forgive myself for forgetting that. This track aims to do exactly what that track does, which is make a West Coast-style synthy banger for the clubs, and it does a decent job - again, it has a repetitive yet potent chorus, and this time the addition of King Fantastic (damn that guy must spend a lot of time in front of the mirror) helps out the track, as the guy has that West Coast drawl that Murs is missing. The track does feel like a bit of a rehash of "Okey Dog", but on its own it's still a decent banger that I enjoy a lot. This is pretty good. 

9. No More Control (feat. MNDR) (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

I'm only just now noticing how much of this LP is produced by Jesse Shatkin. I mean, he's good, but it's no wonder why there's such a mainstream air about this thing. "No More Control" is an attempt at a protest song from Murs - he claims on the track to want an "educated street movement", and follows it up with the rather incredible lyric "it's fucked up what the police doing / but motherfucker, look what we doing". This isn't the first time a hip-hop artist has mentioned how gang violence is just as if not more detrimental to the black community than police brutality, but it is still a powerful note to end the track on. Meanwhile the instrumental and chorus from MNDR help bring the anthemic movement feel of the track home, and I actually found myself humming this chorus as I was writing this up. Despite myself, I really enjoyed this song. Fuck it.

10. Skatin Through the City (prod. Plex Luthor)

Murs takes things a bit more down-to-earth on this one, talking about his progression as a skateboarder over a relaxing instrumental that's actually one of my favourites on here, and one of the few that sounds like it was made with Murs in mind specifically, rather than any Strange Music artist who would take it. This track is one of the few songs here that you could actually chill out to, and it's very successful at this vibe too - Murs understands the assignment, and makes sure not to drop any clangers of bars throughout, which I commend him for - and this beat is nice as hell (the scratching is also appreciated). Despite the title being a bit iffy, I overall enjoyed this track a lot. 

11. Anyways (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Another dodgy title? Jeez Murs, anyone would think you'd want the consumer to leave this one at the stores. And that'd be a mistake, because I was actually surprised at how well this turned out. The track is about Murs' resignation to the fact that him choosing to get into rapping rather than drug dealing, and live an ethical life whilst uplifting others, isn't going to stop his neighbourhood from being the drug infested place it has been since he's been growing up. He begins the track by telling us how his father left his mother in pursuit of drugs when he was very young, and how cocaine and other hard substances have plagued his friends ever since. Sure, he can stop taking them, but he feels helpless to the plights of others, and the rather sad instrumental certainly helps exemplify this emotion. The track has a feeling of hopelessness about it, and without a happy ending it becomes one of the more depressing songs on the whole record. Oh, and also one of the best. 

12. The Worst (prod. ¡MAYDAY!)

This track, which stood out to me on the tracklist because it shares its name with a certain Tech N9ne album, is all about Murs being unfaithful to his wife, because he can't help having sex with this woman who was at one of his concerts. Musically, this song is really good, and with some better vocals this chorus could have been one of the catchiest on the whole album (even though I fucking hated it at first). However, I can't fully get into this track, because Murs seems to act like his infidelity is only a problem because his life will be ruined if his wife finds out - he expresses absolutely no guilt about his actions in the entire song, and acts like the woman texting him in front of his wife is an inconvenience for him and nothing more. It's like he doesn't even think his wife has feelings. Sorry to come off as some sort of Karen here, but I just really dislike Murs' demeanour on this track. Still, musically... it's good. 

13. Black Girls Be Like (prod. Gianni Ca$h)

I appreciate the sentiment, but no. Just no.

14. I Miss Mikey (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Carrying a very similar vibe to the opening track, this was actually a really sweet closer to this album, even though I do have issues with it. My main problem with this one is that both of Murs' verses only have twelve bars, which is an annoyance because it's always bars 13-16 that hit the hardest, and when the verse cuts off at bar 12 it kind of reduces the impact of the message for me. Still, I liked Murs' flow on here, and I really enjoy the instrumental from Jesse Shatkin. Overall, easily one of my favourite tracks here. Also, it was interesting to hear the "Straaaangeeee Music!" tag on the end - even though I said a lot of the beats sounded like a product of the label, Murs' presence and the lyrical themes made this album feel completely separate from everything else the label had going at this time. 

The following song is the bonus track available with the pre-order version of this album.

15. Fun-eral (performed by Felt feat. Ces Cru) (prod. Jesse Shatkin)

Easily the grimiest and most underground song on the album, it's easy to tell why this was relegated to bonus track status - despite Ces Cru's involvement, the Strange Music audience were more used to airy trap beats and futuristic synths at this point in time. On a Rhymesayers release this track would have been promoted better, as it should be, because it's really dope. I love Murs, Godemis and Ubi on here, even if Slug sounds like a random white dad they pulled straight out of an office cubicle into the studio (sorry if that sounds harsh), and we've got more record scratching here too, which is always a good thing. I really enjoyed this track, and the fact that it's not available on a CD pisses me right off. 

And so we come to the end of Have a Nice Life (*emits light chuckle*). And... I liked it quite a bit! I feel like Murs did what I wanted of him here and switched up his sound a bit, experimenting with lots of different styles of instrumentals and managing to work his magic over most if not all of them. He also made attempts to switch up his flow on here, which was very much appreciated, and managed to place guests in the right places, without having too many of them (something his label head at the time definitely couldn't relate to). Have a Nice Life isn't without flaws - some of these songs sound way too radio friendly to ever be appearing on a Murs record, some of these song titles make me want to vomit (I mean, "Black Girls Be Like"? That sounds like the title of a two minute racist YouTube video), and occasionally Murs does get a little corny. But on the other hand, his ear for beats seems to be pretty clear on this thing, with variation but still a cohesive sound to the project, and his lyricism is more potent than it has been on some previous releases, with lots of great quotes and messages to be taken away. The overall vibe of this project is one of loss, but also one of acceptance of the ills of this world, and it's a relatable release that I'm sure most of my readers would enjoy listening to. Sure, it's not his best, but what it does do is make me a bit more interested in the Murs catalogue yet to come. So mission accomplished, I'd say. 

Best Track: "Have a Nice Life"

Worst Track: "Black Girls Be Like"

Catch up on more of the ever growing Murs-athon here!