Thurz was one half of Los Angeles' critically lauded sub-commercial rap duo… Read Full Bio ↴Thurz was one half of Los Angeles' critically lauded sub-commercial rap duo U-N-I, Yannick “Thurz” Koffi has already racked up over 2 million views on Youtube while being rained with accolades - named “Best Breakout LA Artist” at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, featured in URB Magazine's “NEXT 100” & “NEXT 1000,” XXL Magazine’s “New Kids in Town,” Billboard Magazine’s “Acts to Watch,” The Source Magazine’s “Unsigned Hype” & “Off the Radar,” Time Out New York’s “The Volume,” MTVu’s “The Hot Seat,” BET.com's "Rookies of the Year" and ending up on the “SoundBoard” of The Los Angeles Times while serving as the official hosts of MTV’s “Sucka Free” - on the strength of their observant, life-affirming rhymes that revolved around everything from limited-edition sneakers to cosmic existentialism and old-school video games to down-home musings on life and actress Lauren London.
In Summer of 2011 Thurz, released his debut solo album, L.A Riot inspired by the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict which took place during six days in 1992 from April 29th to May 4th and saw the second most populous city in the U.S. serve as the home to rampant and widespread unrest, including looting, arson, assault and murder. The death toll from the riots officially tallied at 48 men and 5 women cross racial and ethnic lines—35 fell from gunfire (eight at the hands of law enforcement and the National Guard); Thousands more were injured. Property damages totaled over $1 billion.
Thurz—whose rap name nods to the weekday of his birth as a counterpart to his last name ("Koffi" which actually means "born on a Friday" in Ghana's native language, Akan- found the L.A. Riots were the perfect metaphor for the direction his music was moving into: mature and confident yet reactionary and emotional; the response to decades of things unspoken and undone. As someone who had identified with Los Angeles his whole life, it was natural that his artistic manifesto chronicle the most defining moment in the city's modern history.
Produced by hometown heroes Ro Blvd (U-N-I), DJ Khalil (Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent), Aaron Harris (Dr. Dre, Dead Prez), and THX (Murs, The Clipse, Mobb Deep), L.A. Riot relies heavily on live instrumentation that eschews samples without sacrificing the boom bap. "What do you Riot for?" is a central question to the music. It's a matter of importance and meaning— statement masquerading as a query; a movement smuggled through an album and carried out by a multimedia campaign, both online and off, which pays homage to the recent North African political uprisings.
Produced by longtime collaborator Ro Blvd, the first single "Los Angeles" was built around a jazzy horn riff, the beat—wide-open and sparse, anthemic and definitive, groundbreaking yet accessible–was a rapper's dream: the type of music that demands a statement. "This could be your 'Exhibit C'," said Ro, alluding to ascendant rap superstar Jay Electronica's Just Blaze-produced lyrical magnum opus. In paying respect to his hometown of Los Angeles Thurz had to go beyond the good times, palm tress and gangsta tropes, he had his fellow Los Angelenos call into his voicemail and leave one sentence definitions of the city. He wound up receiving over 100 messages of civic pride and observation—poetic, straight-forward, sentimental, braggadocios, complex, simple—that would anchor the song in place of hooks. He laid his rhymes as a skilled latticework of street bravado, ghetto art, sports franchises, and social commentary with the individual vocal drops of nearly twenty proud Los Angelenos articulating its borders. A movement had begun.
Musically, L.A Riot is an album that strives to stand for something and succeeds. "Niggas" uses an electric guitar and widely-sourced vocal snippets to create a discussion around the divisive n-word, race, self-hate and self-love, ending with the declaration: "F%#$ being a nigga, I'd rather be a king." "Home," featuring soul singer Aloe Blacc tackles the homelessness of Africans in America, debt slavery and cycles of families in the penitentiary system, showing the personal and political as one in the same. "Two Clips," featuring street-based singer-songwriter Kobe deals with patterns of recurring gang violence by dissecting the ideas of honor, loyalty, revenge and karma. Other guests include Black Thought of The Roots and Jive Recording R&B sensation Miguel.
Last month to commemorate the night of the Rodney King beating (March 3rd, 2011) Thurz released a grippingly haunting video clip transforming himself into the image of the beaten motorist (via makeup and computer effects). The song "Rodney King" off the upcoming album is a first-person perspective detailing King's night with acuteness—from the statistics of the basketball game he was watching, the drinks he threw back, the marijuana he smoked, the make and model of car he was driving; the chase through highways and residential areas through Lake View Terrace interspersed with King's parole worries; the relentless brutality captured on video by a plumber named George Holliday. And it's the events of that night which make "Rodney King" one of L.A. Riot’s most compelling songs, full of sentiment and anger, music and motion, ominously rising from the mundane and deepening into dark anger and ending as a beginning, Thurz raps: "Beware: This stormy black Monday will morph its way into a black plague of agony: broken glass, burning buildings coughing up black smoke. My pain will be a molotov cocktail of hope for all those who sit silent, listening, contemplating violence, awaiting their turn to play their part in the uprising we call Rodney King Riots."
The Riot starts here.
"BLOOD ON THE CANVAS" is on the way
In Summer of 2011 Thurz, released his debut solo album, L.A Riot inspired by the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict which took place during six days in 1992 from April 29th to May 4th and saw the second most populous city in the U.S. serve as the home to rampant and widespread unrest, including looting, arson, assault and murder. The death toll from the riots officially tallied at 48 men and 5 women cross racial and ethnic lines—35 fell from gunfire (eight at the hands of law enforcement and the National Guard); Thousands more were injured. Property damages totaled over $1 billion.
Thurz—whose rap name nods to the weekday of his birth as a counterpart to his last name ("Koffi" which actually means "born on a Friday" in Ghana's native language, Akan- found the L.A. Riots were the perfect metaphor for the direction his music was moving into: mature and confident yet reactionary and emotional; the response to decades of things unspoken and undone. As someone who had identified with Los Angeles his whole life, it was natural that his artistic manifesto chronicle the most defining moment in the city's modern history.
Produced by hometown heroes Ro Blvd (U-N-I), DJ Khalil (Eminem, Jay-Z, 50 Cent), Aaron Harris (Dr. Dre, Dead Prez), and THX (Murs, The Clipse, Mobb Deep), L.A. Riot relies heavily on live instrumentation that eschews samples without sacrificing the boom bap. "What do you Riot for?" is a central question to the music. It's a matter of importance and meaning— statement masquerading as a query; a movement smuggled through an album and carried out by a multimedia campaign, both online and off, which pays homage to the recent North African political uprisings.
Produced by longtime collaborator Ro Blvd, the first single "Los Angeles" was built around a jazzy horn riff, the beat—wide-open and sparse, anthemic and definitive, groundbreaking yet accessible–was a rapper's dream: the type of music that demands a statement. "This could be your 'Exhibit C'," said Ro, alluding to ascendant rap superstar Jay Electronica's Just Blaze-produced lyrical magnum opus. In paying respect to his hometown of Los Angeles Thurz had to go beyond the good times, palm tress and gangsta tropes, he had his fellow Los Angelenos call into his voicemail and leave one sentence definitions of the city. He wound up receiving over 100 messages of civic pride and observation—poetic, straight-forward, sentimental, braggadocios, complex, simple—that would anchor the song in place of hooks. He laid his rhymes as a skilled latticework of street bravado, ghetto art, sports franchises, and social commentary with the individual vocal drops of nearly twenty proud Los Angelenos articulating its borders. A movement had begun.
Musically, L.A Riot is an album that strives to stand for something and succeeds. "Niggas" uses an electric guitar and widely-sourced vocal snippets to create a discussion around the divisive n-word, race, self-hate and self-love, ending with the declaration: "F%#$ being a nigga, I'd rather be a king." "Home," featuring soul singer Aloe Blacc tackles the homelessness of Africans in America, debt slavery and cycles of families in the penitentiary system, showing the personal and political as one in the same. "Two Clips," featuring street-based singer-songwriter Kobe deals with patterns of recurring gang violence by dissecting the ideas of honor, loyalty, revenge and karma. Other guests include Black Thought of The Roots and Jive Recording R&B sensation Miguel.
Last month to commemorate the night of the Rodney King beating (March 3rd, 2011) Thurz released a grippingly haunting video clip transforming himself into the image of the beaten motorist (via makeup and computer effects). The song "Rodney King" off the upcoming album is a first-person perspective detailing King's night with acuteness—from the statistics of the basketball game he was watching, the drinks he threw back, the marijuana he smoked, the make and model of car he was driving; the chase through highways and residential areas through Lake View Terrace interspersed with King's parole worries; the relentless brutality captured on video by a plumber named George Holliday. And it's the events of that night which make "Rodney King" one of L.A. Riot’s most compelling songs, full of sentiment and anger, music and motion, ominously rising from the mundane and deepening into dark anger and ending as a beginning, Thurz raps: "Beware: This stormy black Monday will morph its way into a black plague of agony: broken glass, burning buildings coughing up black smoke. My pain will be a molotov cocktail of hope for all those who sit silent, listening, contemplating violence, awaiting their turn to play their part in the uprising we call Rodney King Riots."
The Riot starts here.
"BLOOD ON THE CANVAS" is on the way
Los Angeles
Thurz Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Los Angeles' by these artists:
1.8.7 La gorra puesta, lentes oscuros A paso firme y caminando a…
Accents I might be a stranger to the things you call…
Adema Los Angeles Shameful city I've been taken by the world below…
Aitana Mientras no sabían Yo te besaba a escondidas Eso nadie te lo…
Ameer Vann I signed a deal, said goodbye to my innocence I fell…
Andrew St James Los Angeles (rev) If I don’t say it will you…
Atmosphere [Flight Announcement] "Flight 101, Super Jet service for Pit…
B-Real A los ángeles del cielo te pareces en lo lindo y…
b3n Ti ho vista tra le nuvole Nel cielo di Los Angeles La…
Beta Wolf Baby, youre a mystery, A teenage dream that forever has seem…
Bethany Sharayah You were born with wings So why dont you use them…
Biolay Benjamin Douter de rien Même du rêve américain Ca me détend L'air est…
Black I met a man He was a good man Sailing and shoring Dancing…
blink-182 Day in day out Up at 3 AM with the searchlights…
Blink-182 - California (Deluxe Edition) Day in, day out Up at 3 AM with the searchlights…
Bobby T. Lewis A cocked peacemaker My white neat pistol wailing Well I know…
Bood Ik kom binnen met een pak Ik kom binnen en ik…
Brandon and Savannah Every night, I die alone I close my eyes, and drift…
Bronx the [Originally by X] She had to leave, Los Angeles! All her to…
Bryce Vine I'm part of the last generation that remembers Tamagatchi's …
California Wives Los Angeles, arrived The people talk, people talk now The …
Chicos Aventura dejen que les cuente que les diga que les platique que les…
Chino Grande Midget Loco Dave Salas & Blanca Nieves We keep it crackin′ like my OG's used to do We…
Chris Merritt Wait in line to wait in traffic Not a single inch…
Circus Of Power I was feelin' down I was lookin' dead When she looked at…
Conner Youngblood She said, "Spread forth like the Aspen line" Knowing I can't…
Counting Crows Dancing like the nights are down in nashville But I seem…
Danny Darko Have you seen a day without the dark Did you wonder…
Denison Witmer i remember thinking that you'd never leave praying in your b…
Diljit Tenu gaddi ch baitha ke le jawa ni main LA…
Dirtyphonics Feat. Modestep Sun goes down up come the lights Reason the sound city…
Driver - You Are The Wheelman And it's now Say goodbye For this trip that will never ends …
El Último Vecino Mis padres, mis zapatos Los ángeles No me acostumbro a vivir…
Emily Wells Her mouth, it was moving But no sound was coming out And…
Endo and Xzibit At this time, please extinguish all smoking materials Return…
F.L.U.I.D I am hiding in the shadows again Trying to forget about…
Fact Yellow sands Into Los Angeles Stones are falling, Yellow…
Fanatic Stoisz całkiem sam i rozglądasz się W obcym mieście to Los…
Frank Black I met a man He was a good man Sailing and shoring Dancing…
Frank Black w/ They Might Be Giants There's a band that's living in LA But they never get…
G-Lew Escucho a los Ángeles cantar Muy lejos de aquí muy lejos…
Gene Clark Los Angeles, city of the doomed Los Angeles, city of the…
Grand Blanc Si c'est temps - ci Je ne suis plus trop ici C'est…
Grand Incredible Los Angeles Lakers Lakers Los Angeles Lakers Lakers We'r…
HAIM Los Angeles Give me a miracle, I just want out from…
Head Murray Leave my passport and deposit With the man behind a desk I…
Headstones Got everything you ever wanted Ah, please, don't tell m…
J. Wells [feat. Samuel Christian] I come To you In My AC on my ceiling cracked Smoking Killa L…
Jet Trash Calm down I won't try to argue Hold fast don't be like…
JR I ask her the question, "How long do you have?" And…
Julien Doré Je claque la porte de ma maison close Et tu t’héliportes…
Julien Doré & Brigitte Je claque la porte de ma maison close Et tu t'héliportes…
Julien Dorй Je claque la porte de ma maison close Et tu t'héliportes…
Kauai Shawty Fumando Gelato me sinto em L.A Pods Vanilla, Strap's, maldad…
Kevin Roentgen A hella California day Left my home in old L.A. Been beatin'…
Kill Hannah I must get away Yeah, I just can't stay right now I…
KITCHEN 1 - HAIM Los Angeles Give me a miracle, I just want out from…
Kurupt & J. Wells Ok啦 okay ok啦 okay Ride or die shawtie wanna stay Sober high…
Kurupt/J. Wells I come To you In My AC on my ceiling cracked Smoking Killa L…
L.A. Riot I am hiding in the shadows again Trying to forget about…
Las Aves Come back from another ride In the city it never…
Le Orme Ho sentito un vuoto dentro di me Ed un senso di…
Leon Coeur Quiero irme a los ángeles, y no aprender inglés Quiero ir…
Leone Yah, lé lé lé lé On est les méchants de la…
Lescop C'était bien, souviens toi ; Moi je n'ai pas oublié Le bou…
Lil Menace In los angeles, the city of dreams My homies running up…
Limp Bizkit It's live from Los Angeles, babe! Every corner that I tur…
Limp Bizkit (Gold Cobra 2011) It's live from Los Angeles, babe! Every corner that I turn,…
Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra It's live from Los Angeles baby! Every corner that I turn I…
Limp Bizkit feat. Paul Wall It's live from Los Angeles, babe! Every corner that I tur…
Los Chicos Aventura Dejen que les cuente, Que les diga, que les platique Y les…
Los Claxons Mira como todo se ve desde acá mira como la carretera se…
Luke Sital-Singh I wake on Tuesday morning And it's raining again But it…
Luna Sono piccola e tenera come un mamba Il peggio di papà…
Macc and DSP Dear Los cngeles, You know I love how you shine But…
Making Movies Mijo Yo, what's up? Leave a message…
Malibu Stacy Los AnGeles's so far And the urge to kill is near They…
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's I wanna live in LA Hang at the beach Meet a couple…
Mat Kearney Well, I pulled outta Nashville With the sun on my windshield…
Memoir Out where the citrus in the palm tree sway All of…
Moran La noce n’aura pas lieu sous la pluie Détrempée jusqu'à Los…
morgane imbeaud Je claque la porte de ma maison close Et tu t'héliportes…
Morten Harket You waited for me When I was strong You never called You wai…
Ms Nina No me hagas perder el tiempo Así que decídete ya Sabes que…
Murray Head Leave my passport, and deposit, With the man behind a desk, …
Myke Towers Yeah Estoy pa' hacer lo que tú diga', así que mándele Quier…
Noir Disco Los Angeles, the city of shiny plastic faces, in shiny…
O. Brown A man was bothering me today and I Wanted to tell…
OCTAVE NOIRE On est carré dans nos faiblesses Nos coeurs ont laissé des…
Ofln - Bryce Vine I'm part of the last Generation that remembers Tomagotchis R…
Ozma each friday night i've gotta moan cause it's not right to be…
Patent Pending She said Los Angeles has never been so cold She said…
Peter Bradley Oh Los Angeles we leave you now At the setting of…
Phosphorescent The road is alive And everybody's all here I'm closing my …
Psyclo I’m on the ground already I can’t fall any further The groun…
Pønce Lo que escribí de ti ya no se lo lleva…
RAM & Apes Songs Los Angeles спит. Los Angeles спит, И не знает, где…
Rantés No quiero mirar El cielo obscuro de la noche Allí se…
Russ Tolman I come home got her note Adios, amigo is all she…
Sasso Los Angeles (Los Angeles) Ça fait des années (ça fait des…
SCARLET ROSE 1 2 3 What can I do With the wrong side of you We can…
Seulgi 파란 새벽 끝에 서 있어 잠든 거릴 눈에 담았지 날 살짝 감싼…
Sharareh اومدم LAX اومدی به دنبالم تا شدیم face to face ـvery very go…
Siaka (Une superstar) (À Los Angeles) (Une sale histoire) Un jour…
Sugarcult I want a girl, girl that won't talk back And a…
The 69 Eyes Some say money Some say a dream Some get laid on the…
The Audition She said, "I'm jealous of Los Angeles, she gets to keep…
The Bee It’s that cosmic feeling It’s that cosmic feeling It’s that …
The Bronx [Originally by X] She had to leave, Los Angeles! All her to…
The Decemberists There is a city by the sea A gentle company I don't…
The Firebird Band The city is cold half of the year it makes…
The Hippos You've been here forever I've I've been here too They sa…
The Kolors Sembra che parlo con il muro Facciamo a gara a chi…
The lonely Together After passing out in Tennessee I wake up in Los Angeles "Loo…
The Midnight Fire on the beach Face to the sky The stars dance around…
The Pack A.D. She had to leave... Los Angeles All her toys wore out in…
The Romancers (a.k.a. The Smoke Rings) Los Angeles (Los Angeles) Ça fait des années (ça fait des…
The Rosewood Thieves It's been so long since I've seen her around here I…
They Might Be Giants There's a band that's living in LA But they never get…
Trill Pem Fresh N Dope Rozpływam się jak fale nad Los Angeles Dla cie…
Trille Los Angeles Irgendwo gibt’s immer noch was schöneres Irgend…
Wes Lewis A cocked peacemaker My white neat pistol wailing Well I know…
Wiley Beckett Hey you, who looked at me the other day Suddenly, Los…
X She had to leave... Los Angeles All her toys wore out in…
X (CA) She had to leave... Los Angeles All her toys wore out …
Xzibit & Endo At this time, please extinguish all smoking materials Return…
슬기 파란 새벽 끝에 서 있어 잠든 거릴 눈에 담았지 날 살짝 감싼…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Thurz:
Acura Legend [Hook] Well legend, legend, legend, legend Legend and the ac…
Don't Be Scared Secret of life is to have no fear know most of…
Trickle Down Economics Ain’t much to it Had to make it happen I ain’t…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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