He has stated that he wishes to work with as many artists as possible in his career to help avoid creative stagnation and this certainly shows in his musical output. Together with his crew, living legends he has put out a total of four albums. Then there is the Three Melancholy Gypsys (3MG), a group consisting of three living legends members, who have put out two full length releases. His collaboration with atmosphere's slug has so far produced three cd's, the first of which was a tribute to Christina Ricci whom he also sang softly of on another collaboration - netherworlds together with lesser known rappers anacron and himself.
In 2005 he broadened his horizons by directing an indie film called "Walk Like a Man" with the plot being loosely based on the track by the same name from Murs 3:16 - The 9th Edition. A soundtrack to this movie was also released which besides his own material also featured artists such as atmosphere, DJ Z-Trip, blueprint and brother ali.
Tale Of Two Cities
Murs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
Black and did the sandals with the stripes
Sucks poured it up on west coast and for life
On my way to the store on the little homie’s bike
I done earned my stripes, knows you might lose your life on any given night
Them black and white cars
Them dudes inside, they from streets like ours,
So they hop out with their guns drawn
Make us lay down on the front lawn
Nights takes palms to the holding cell, we hope we make bail body dawn.
That’s what really goes on,
Where’s Bunch and Carter, man it’s been too long
Geronimo, Gijagga, hope Obama free Assad and we just doing what we gotta
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
Shout out to Tooky Williams, shout out to Timmy Rogers,
Shout out to all the homies locked down with no fathers
We got a lot of problems, seen a lot of drama
Some believe in Jesus if you, few of you believe in karma
We got daughters, a couple baby mamas
But love can’t compete with the power of a dollar,
You see overseas is what they built their Impalas
While we’re working in these streets ’cause their job’s not promised
Graduate to a key, become a street scholar
’Cause red and blue rags are the new blue color,
It’s hard to swallow, make me wanna holla
But you came here my voice, the radio don’t bother
Could play the positive I give you knowledge on the whole west coast
There ain’t one black college
Wonder why we got problems without knowledge of yourself
Is impossible to solve em
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
The land of smog and earthquakes
Thought I’d be dead bout my 21st birthday
Dead cars, we ride dirty because the blocks hot
Kevlar under E-bock of Jerseys the block shots
When you went to a city that’s never known
when to redistrict just so they can cut us out of the staple center
That’s less funding for schools
Now the kids with the guns make the rules,
Hunger games, battle royal, Lord of the flies
The city’s re-born while more of us die,
Gentrified, genocide, everywhere the winter’s hot
Watch a local business start to wonder why the kitchens rise
We use music as release, has a zulu wash her teeth so I do it over beats
The future’s in our reach, find solutions to the beef
Get every shooter in the streets to ride for universal beast
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
Murs's song "Tale of Two Cities" explores the two sides of Los Angeles, his hometown. The lyrics begin by acknowledging the division and violence present in the city, with a "red side" and a "blue side," referencing the notorious Bloods and Crips gangs. The song suggests that the city's problems could be overcome if everyone unified, putting aside their allegiances to gangs and neighborhoods.
Murs reflects on his own experiences growing up in Los Angeles, including seeing police brutality and friends losing their lives. He also references famous gang leaders, such as Tookie Williams, and acknowledges the absence of fathers among some of the youth in his community. The lyrics touch on the struggle of making a living in the city and the difficulty of improving one's circumstances. Despite these challenges, the song offers hope for change and renewal through unity and education.
Line by Line Meaning
There’s two sides to my city, a red side and a blue side to my city
There are two distinct areas in my city that are characterized by different gang colors, red and blue.
Too many died in my city, imagine if we all unified in my city
The number of fatalities in my city due to gang violence is staggering, and it would be powerful if we could all come together as one community.
Black and did the sandals with the stripes
I am wearing black sandals with white stripes.
Sucks poured it up on west coast and for life
I am a part of the West Coast hip-hop scene, and I represent it for life.
On my way to the store on the little homie’s bike
I am on my way to the store, riding a small bicycle that belongs to a young friend of mine.
And I don’t break a sweat, I let the young niggas fight
I do not get overly involved in petty disputes among the younger members of my community.
I done earned my stripes, knows you might lose your life on any given night
I have established my reputation as a respected member of my community, but I am aware that violence can occur unexpectedly.
Them black and white cars
Police cars are typically black and white in color.
Them dudes inside, they from streets like ours,
The police officers are also from within our community.
So they hop out with their guns drawn
In some cases, police officers may draw their firearms when responding to incidents.
Make us lay down on the front lawn
As a means of ensuring safety, police officers may instruct community members to lie down on the ground when responding to an incident.
Nights takes palms to the holding cell, we hope we make bail body dawn.
Many community members end up being detained and awaiting release in holding cells, hoping to be released by the next morning.
That’s what really goes on,
These are the harsh realities of life in our city.
Where’s Bunch and Carter, man it’s been too long
The absence of certain individuals who have passed away and are no longer with us is felt deeply within our community.
Geronimo, Gijagga, hope Obama free Assad and we just doing what we gotta
These are calls to action for specific issues that are impacting our community, and an acknowledgement that we are all just trying to make the best of a difficult situation.
Shout out to Tooky Williams, shout out to Timmy Rogers,
These are shout-outs to specific individuals who are known within the community for their contributions or their struggles.
Shout out to all the homies locked down with no fathers
This is a shout-out to those who are incarcerated and who do not have a father figure in their lives.
We got a lot of problems, seen a lot of drama
Our community has many obstacles and challenges, and we have experienced our fair share of conflicts.
Some believe in Jesus if you, few of you believe in karma
While some people in our community place their faith in religion, others believe in karma.
We got daughters, a couple baby mamas
Many members of our community have children and are balancing the responsibilities of being a parent.
But love can’t compete with the power of a dollar,
The need for financial stability and security often overpowers the importance of love and relationships.
You see overseas is what they built their Impalas
The wealthy enjoy luxuries that are not accessible to those who live in our community.
While we’re working in these streets ’cause their job’s not promised
Many individuals in our community face economic instability and are unable to secure steady employment.
Graduate to a key, become a street scholar
Some individuals in our community resort to selling drugs as a means of supporting themselves and their families.
’Cause red and blue rags are the new blue color,
Gang colors have become the new normal in our community, replacing traditional blue clothing.
It’s hard to swallow, make me wanna holla
The harsh realities of life in our community can be difficult to come to terms with and can be emotionally distressing.
But you came here my voice, the radio don’t bother
Despite the challenges, there is value in expressing one's voice and sharing perspectives.
Could play the positive I give you knowledge on the whole west coast
By focusing on positive aspects of life and sharing knowledge, we can have a positive impact on our entire region.
There ain’t one black college
There is a lack of educational opportunity within our community, with no accessible black colleges in our area.
Wonder why we got problems without knowledge of yourself
Without understanding ourselves and our community on a deeper level, we will continue to face challenges and problems.
Is impossible to solve em
Without a deep understanding and acknowledgement of our circumstances, it will be nearly impossible to create meaningful and lasting solutions.
The land of smog and earthquakes
Our city is defined by its air pollution and frequent earthquakes.
Thought I’d be dead bout my 21st birthday
Due to the high levels of violence in our community, many individuals do not live past the age of 21.
Dead cars, we ride dirty because the blocks hot
We drive old and worn out cars because it is not safe to drive something new or expensive within our community.
Kevlar under E-bock of Jerseys the block shots
In order to protect themselves from gun violence, some individuals wear Kevlar beneath their clothing, including basketball jerseys.
When you went to a city that’s never known when to redistrict just so they can cut us out of the staple center
People in power have intentionally redistricted our community in order to limit our resources and opportunities, including access to major sports arenas like the Staples Center.
That’s less funding for schools
Lack of resources has resulted in local schools and educational programs receiving less funding.
Now the kids with the guns make the rules,
In many situations, individuals with weapons have the power and control within our community.
Hunger games, battle royal, Lord of the flies
The extreme and violent conflicts within our community often resemble those depicted in popular works of fiction.
The city’s re-born while more of us die,
While the city continues to grow and evolve, many members of our community continue to suffer and die due to violence and other issues.
Gentrified, genocide, everywhere the winter’s hot
There is a trend of gentrification that is displacing lower-income residents, and this is viewed by some as a form of genocide. Additionally, even in colder seasons, there is still a high level of violence and conflict present within our community.
Watch a local business start to wonder why the kitchens rise
As violence and crime continue to escalate, many local businesses are impacted and may struggle to stay afloat.
We use music as release, has a zulu wash her teeth so I do it over beats
Music is a means of expressing oneself and is often used as a release from the challenges of daily life, much like how a Zulu warrior might use dental hygiene as a means of finding release from stress.
The future’s in our reach, find solutions to the beef
By working together and finding ways to solve problems, we can create a better future for ourselves and our community.
Get every shooter in the streets to ride for universal beast
By unifying as one community, we can eliminate violence and other problems and create a better future for all of us.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind