A Shout Out: Huxtable and Hip-Hop

Minneapolis native Slug and Los Angeles native Murs collaborate to bring a second installment of another bet, Felt 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet. With the release of A Tribute to Lisa Bonet, Murs and Slug prove that this album isn’t just about having sex with B-list actresses. A soulful opener, “Reintroduction,” raises the curtains to an album that starts an eclectic show. “Employees of the Year” continues the record’s soulful sound with lyrics like “Ain’t nobody as smart as we / Employee of the Year / Ain’t nobody raw as me.” The creative beats on each track serve as backdrops for a wide range of themes, such as the obvious sex in “Lisa (perverted)” while peppered with crime in tracks like “Early Mornin’ Today.” The listener stumbles upon a love plea in “Woman Tonight” where Felt expresses possibly their most intimate sentiment: “We could stay proper / keep the clothes on, now pressure / Just hold me and pretend like you’ve known me forever / Won’t you? Be my woman tonight?”

The “feel good” beats in this album emulate the sounds and tendencies of LA’s hip hop cult favorites like Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. While the sound of Felt 2 is comparable to such modern day groups, “Morris Day” is reminiscent of the classic manipulated beats first found in Slick Rick and talk-box masters Zapp & Roger. Throughout the album, Murs and Slug sample popular track refrains like Easy E’s “in the morning, police at my door” and Slick Rick’s “This type of shit happens every day” from “La Di Da Di.”

While Felt’s second installment displays their reverence and appreciation to the “leaders of the old school,” Felt 2 is a representation of continuing to lead an underground hip hop movement. Revolution!