Jimmie Murphy: The Comeback Interview

“I’m going to let God take the wheel and let my music carry itself”

A few months ago, I reached out to Jimmie Murphy following his comeback from ‘retirement.’ As a part of the super talented Squizzy Gang (SG), I was surprised by the decision to retire at a point in which he seemed destined for greatness along with his SG comrades. The Colorado native can spit a sixteen better than most rappers but is even more talented at serenading a microphone with his smooth singing. I was absolutely delighted at B.More’s decision to come back, and although all has gone quiet from both of us since this interview took place, I’m extremely excited for anything Jimmie has in store for us in the future.

Lee Hawthorn: You recently returned from a short-lived retirement, however it was never made entirely clear why you went on a hiatus. What made you give up music?

Jimmie Murphy: I gave up music because I felt as if I was at a stand still in my career. I felt that I had reached my peak and couldn’t go any higher from where I was at the time. I lost hope but I prayed about it and had some good people around me that wouldn’t let me let it go.

It’s safe to say many are happy to see you return, what did you do during your time away from creating music and what made you consider a comeback?

Jimmie: I really just continued to write and just connected with my inner self. Family and friends pushed me through it though and I couldn’t be more thankful

Prior to your retirement, you released “Sincerely Jimmy” which has since been deleted from your own and SCB promotions Soundcloud stream, why did you decide to have the track deleted?

Jimmie: I deleted it because that sad bitter chapter in my life was over so I felt that it was necessary.

When you announced retirement, one of the first things I looked out for was the reaction from your fellow Squizzy artists. How long have you known Trev, AP, LKeys etc? Were they a key reason in your return?

Jimmie: They were definitely a big part of me making music again. Those are my brothers so they know me very well. I think they knew I was gonna come back so they just supported me and let it blow over. But I’ve known guys for years! Blood couldn’t bring us closer.

Do you think we will ever hear a collaborative Squizzy mixtape?

Jimmie: Honestly I think there will be a squizzy mixtape once all these Hollywood niggas stop with the shenanigans [Laughs].

Being from Colorado, a state in which no urban artist has made it very big. Do you think its harder to break out to big success than the likes of New York or LA or do you think its easier because there isn’t as much competition in CO?

Jimmie: It’s definitely harder but it isn’t impossible. Once Colorado gets over the hating mentality it’s possible. I think Denver he the best music around so I think the competition is the same Its just a lot more people in those states.

Aside from Squizzy, who do you think is currently the best artist in Colorado from any genre?

Jimmie: Aside from Squizzy I would have to say Adam Duncan would probably be my favorite out of Denver.

I recently discovered an old cypher on YouTube comprised of Colorado artists, would you be willing to contribute to a cypher? If so, who would you like to join you?

Jimmie: I would love to do a cypher! And my cypher would consist of all my Squizzy brothers Afox. Ray reed, PC, FL of Food Chain and Lpeez

Your have more pseudonym’s than any other artist I’ve come across. I’ve seen you called Jimmie Murphy, B.More and Jimmy Mack and then variated spellings of each…What do you consider your stage name to be now? Why do you have so many?

Jimmie: My stage name is Jimmie Murphy. My previous stage name was B.more and that was because I’m from Baltimore, MD. Jimmy Mack was just a name I put up on my twitter. My dad and uncle use to call me Jimmy Mack when I was a kid but that’s very irrelevant to my music.

What are your aspirations for the near future. Life as an artist is a hard struggle particularly at the start of a career. Now that you’re back, what do you hope to achieve within the next year?

Jimmie: Within the next year I’m going to let God take the wheel and let my music carry itself.

You’ve named Prince as an influence in the past, would he be your number one dream collaborator? If you could pick five collaborations for a future album, who would it be?

Jimmie: Prince is one of my biggest influences most definitely! If I had to pick 5 people though it would have to be: Frank Ocean, Prince, Jay-z, James fauntleroy and Maxwell.

In “Sincerely Jimmy” or at least on Twitter at the time of it’s release, you announced “Descendre 2” would never be released. Has that changed now that you’re back? Can we expect Descendre 2 or at least another mixtape? If so, when?

Jimmie: There will be a project to drop soon. That’s all I can say. [Laughs]

[download id=”7065″]

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013

Kid Vegas: Fuego (Single Review)

“Taking Her Clothes Off While She Dancing On The Table; She Fuego!”

I have no idea what the hell “Fuego” is or what it means, but one thing for sure is it makes for a superb song which hypnotised my ear drums and left me desperate to replay due to its addictive instrumental and captivating chorus. Despite the fact I’ve been covering the MileHi states Hip Hop scene for over six month now, I have not heard a rapper as commercial from Colorado as the radio-ready Kid Vegas. Despite mainstream music currently connoting that the artists on the radio aren’t as talented as those underground, it is arguable that Kid Vegas is as talented as the top-tier emcees from Colorado. The only thing is he is talented at something, many Hip Hop heads ridiculously refuse to respect.

Vegas has a knack for creating club-hop tracks, and they’re enjoyable and entertaining from remixing “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt” to “Addicted 2 Tha Lif3” which samples “Walking On A Dream” – A track which is a spark of genius for a Hip Hop remix hook. Despite club-hop being synonymous with being monotonous, Vegas manages to keep me paying thorough attention by remaining versatile. One song the Denver rapper is sounding similar to Squizzy Gang’s L Keys, the next I’m noticing shades of Lil Wayne. “Fuego” itself is pretty similar to Gabriel Alexander’s “Electric City” mixtape verses with an equally brilliant beat to Bbeck’s production.

Whatever “Fuego” is, I’m disappointed I haven’t been introduced to the song before. Denver’s clubs should be playing this Kid Vegas track. He may not be the best rapper, or the most intelligent lyricist, but Vegas is a very entertaining artist and one I will be eager to hear from again. You can listen to Kid Vegas via his SoundCloud (Click Here) and I highly recommend “Elope” if you’re not a big fan of Club-Hop. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

August 14, 2013August 14, 2013

Trev Rich: LA Interlude (Single Review)

“They Say We’re Hollywood Now, Because We’re Hollywood Bound, Only City Where The Stars Ain’t In The Sky, They’re On The Ground”

Trev Rich took the time out of his weekly commitment to Thursdays to bless another day with a release of a record. “LA Interlude” came out of nowhere on Sunday 11th of August, before it was even announced it was being released it felt like my timeline had links to the Soundcloud stream, and before it was even completely loaded it was gaining views according to Trev’s promoters tweet. I highly anticipated “LA Interlude” because in the past, Trev’s greatest songs have been interludes. “Dreams” from Joe Budden’s “A Loose Quarter” mixtape is undoubtedly the key component in why Trev Rich is as successful as he is right now, where as “The Way You Love” from “Heights” was a personal favourite for me. Seeing as the Denver rapper is known for his consistency – I write about it every time I review one of his singles or features – it was almost impossible that this song wasn’t going to impress my ears and engross a whole new generation of fans.

The beat, produced by Brinky Beats, is typically, majestically melancholic to add a disorientating juxtaposition to the love-song (And according to Jimmie Murphy Drake-esque) lyricism. “How could I break a heart that simply just made mine beat” Trev spits, walking the thin line between aggression and romance with his emotive delivery before insisting that the anonymous addressee “will always be [His] LA”. The song is something new from Trev as far as I’m concerned. Neither “Heights” nor “Heights 2” featured an outright, unquestionable love song, and as much as I like it, it definitely feels as though this song was created to please the ladies of Trev’s constantly growing fanbase.

The track isn’t as career-changing as “Dreams” or as poetically quotable as “The Way You Love” but after only a handful of listens I prefer it over the latter. Maybe the Houdini metaphor is accurate, because magic could be behind Trev’s ability to be so consistently brilliant and he might just be the first to escape the box of Colorado Hip Hop if “New Forever” is as good as we’re all expecting. Listen to “LA Interlude” (Click Here) and let us know what you think in the comments below!

July 15, 2013July 15, 2013

Trev Rich: Breathe (Single Review)

“Moon Walking On The Sun, Getting Harassed By Billie Jean”

The latest installment of “#TrevThursdays” see’s the Colorado emcee deliver something his fans have eagerly been waiting for, for the past seven months. A video. The song which is given a visual accompaniment is a throw back to Trev before he became Trev Rich and before the “Dreams”, Joe Budden co-sign. Ten months ago, Trev released “Breathe” featuring FL of The Foodchain to his official SoundCloud, but the track could originally by found on the Rockie G5 “Gold Dreams” street album. The track evidences that even before he was signed to Mood Muzik Entertainment, Trev was tantalisingly talented behind the microphone.

My favourite lines of the track are the Michael Jackson reference, quoted above, and “Lebron gon’ get a ring before she does” and the bar which follows on “Never been the type to make that ass sign a prenup, but after seeing all the Kobe jokes she gotta ink up”. Trev has a particular skill when focusing metaphors and wordplay around Basketball, I wonder if a remix of Budden’s “NBA” track could be a future TrevThursday track? The featured FL manages to keep up with Trev,bar for bar but I’m not sure if any particular bar could be highlighted as a stand out because they’re all consistently great, at a push I would choose the “sow/seed/grow” wordplay, but everything which follows is equally as enjoyable.

The video, brought to us courtesy of Emergency Room Films, contains a mixture of both high and low key lighting, the quality appears to decrease in the darker scenes but the brighter the lighting, the better. The framing from directors, Nache Green and Vince Lance, is fantastic although I could question the use of social realism conventions in the video being acted rather unrealistically in the basketball scene. Is anyone that bad at sport they just let the other player past with barely moving? Aside from a few issues, I am very happy to see Trev delivering the visuals he promised in our last interview and hope to see more for tracks from “Heights 2”, particularly “Red Cup Blues”. You can watch the video for “Breathe” via Emergency Room Films official YouTube account (Click Here).

What do you think of “Breathe”? Are you happy to see Trev making videos? What track would you like to see Trev make a video for next? Comment below!

July 8, 2013

Jimmie Murphy: Clearing My Thoughts (Single Review)

“Imma Scream This Squizzy Shit Till I Finally Leave”

In the same week that his fellow Squizzy Gang member Trev Rich released “The Break” – Trev’s self-professed “Black Cloud” – Jimmie Murphy dropped “Clearing My Thoughts” and delivered a track which wouldn’t be out of place on ‘Mood God’ Joe Budden’s “Mood Muzik 4.5”. The track provokes emotion in every syllable that Jimmie spits as he portrays a love for his family that is hard to compare to any other artist than Trev and his “I Would Have Told Her” record. Usually I prefer B.More when he caresses the microphone with his vocal chords rather than emceeing, but this rap record is one of the greatest tracks I have ever heard from him and three of his tracks are already in my Top 25 most played on iTunes.

Jimmie begins clearing his thoughts by professing his love for his Squizzy Gang cohorts (“Imma scream this Squizzy shit ’til I finally leave”) before taunting an unknown adressee about his girlfriend (“When your girl come around she can’t breathe”) but as the track progresses after an awkwardly delivered (“You don’t know what can come out of it”) Kevin Ware line, Jimmie captivated me with lyricism such as “When my family gotta eat, I’m ready to die” and a touching series of bars addressed to his Brother. The emotionally resonating lyricism is assisted with near-perfect delivery as B.More showcases how personal the track is to him with unparalleled passion. In a state in which Trev Rich is consistently applauded for his take on the Mood Muzik style of Hip Hop, Jimmie is under-appreciated and undervalued in his own efforts of emotional music. “Clearing My thoughts” is an absolute gem, and I’m sure all listeners of the song will wholeheartedly agree with me.

Follow Jimmie Murphy (Click Here), Myself (Click Here) or the MileHiMusic account (Click Here) on Twitter and let us know what you think of the track in the comments below. You can listen to and download “Clearing My Thoughts” via HulkShare (Click Here). Thank you for reading.