American rapper Murs weaves clever and often humorous rhymes inspired by old school hip-hop. Born Nicholas Carter in South Central, Los Angeles, Murs first appeared as a solo artist in 2003, after nearly a decade of working with various groups in the underground. His first single was released in 1993, and came from a self-released album by his first group, 3 Melancholy Gypsies. The track barely made a dent, but it did catch the attention of indie hip-hop fans in the area. Over time, the group members became friends with Mystik Journeymen, who asked 3MG (their shortened name) to join them when they started the Living Legends collective in 1996.