This Generation by Murs + Fashawn

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.\"

Murs plays the role of the big brother character somewhat, having been in the game a while longer than relative newcomer Fashawn, but the sense of camaraderie and interplay between the two cuts across lines of age and experience.

Murs is a Los Angeles hip-hop legend, deep in the scene since 1993, with notable releases and collaborations including Felt (a duo he formed with Slug of Atmosphere), and his collaboration with 9th Wonder, Fornever. Fashawn meanwhile is a rising star from Fresno, who has toured with the likes of Talib Kweli and Wiz Khalifa. Their collaboration on This Generation is firmly entrenched in classic silver age hip-hop values, with sampled jazz and funk riffs underpinning tales of cars, girls and making money.

6 / 10

If we've learned anything from music History, it's this; not all collaborations are created equal.