Murda Beatz Sets His Sights on Summertime with “No Más”

Murda Beatz doesn't have to speak a single word for you to understand that he's the center of attention. His outfit will tell you before he has a chance to. On a midday in May, he's wearing a fluorescent-yellow Stone Island button-up with a similarly bright T-shirt and ornate diamond chains. His shorts of the same color sit above tan Bottega boots that blend into dimples of sand.

Alongside the legendary Pharrell Williams, the Canadian producer-artist set the backdrop for "No Más," a collab between Migos standout Quavo, Colombian icon J Balvin, and Brazilian megastar Anitta. For the music video, Murda and the trio of vocalists pop out for a beach day at Crandon Park: bikini tops and swim trunks aplenty along the shore, snow cone trucks and coolers full of ice water at a nearby walkway.

"I chose Miami because it just felt like the perfect location for the video," Murda tells New Times. "Summertime, palm trees, the ocean — that kind of vibe. Everyone really came together and did a great job — the directors, the production team, of course, the talent."

"No Más" ventures into uncharted territory for Murda. For the past decade, he's been foundational to the mainstream trends in hip-hop and R&B, starting as one of the architects of the Migos' jangling sound palette. He's since blossomed into a trusted confidant for elites like Drake ("Nice for What") and Travis Scott ("Butterfly Effect").
This new single mingles Murda's trap framework with urbano trends through reggaeton luminaries J. Balvin and Anitta. Both verses from the South American artists provide a hypnotic Latin spin that annexes Quavo's charismatic hook and verse of his own. At the very least, "No Más" is bound to get somebody up and moving.

The music video portrays Murda and company showing out for the cameras and exuding typical rap-star braggadocio on the beach and in a pretty pink low rider. In a scene near the water, there's a dance party with dozens of bathing suit-clad models strutting and swaying to the reggaeton-infused banger.

Between takes, Quavo never strays too far from Murda, cracking jokes and cracking smiles like everyone's favorite uncle at a cookout. When he hears New Times is on the set, he exclaims, "Oh, this for the paper? We need front page!"

At dusk, Murda and the rest of the stars and models retreat from the beach, heading back to cars and trailers as the remaining crew clean up shop. A triumphant feeling flooded the camp over the video's potential to make some noise around the world. Celebratory daps and embraces are passed around gleefully.

On his Twitter profile, Murda Beatz has "Grammy Award Winning Multi-Platinum Producer" in his bio. The 28-year-old beatsmith knows his worth, even if you haven't fully realized it yet. To reach the heights he's at now, Murda has made a habit of stretching far from his proximity to connect with artists he's grown to appreciate.
His hometown of Fort Erie, Ontario, pales in comparison to Quavo and the Migos' North Atlanta origin, but Murda's move across the Canadian border, along with some social-media connections, brought them together before they reached superstar status. "My relationship with the Migos is very important," Murda states. "We've been working together for about a decade now, and they were the first rap group to embrace me."

From 2014's "Antidote" to 2015's "Pipe It Up" to 2017's "Get Right Witcha," Murda and the Migos have captured lightning in a bottle over and over again. The platform they've collectively built has led to numerous RIAA certifications, Billboard placements, and opportunities to branch out.

That said, the next chapter of Murda's career is a hearty step toward something fresh. Urbano has exploded into one of the defining genres of contemporary music, and looking out for diverse talent has led him toward some of the most transcendent solo acts Latin America has to offer. Point blank.

"I feel like Latin culture is so big, and coming from Canada, there's a huge diversity in cultures, but we don't really listen to a lot of Latin music," Murda says. "When you come to America and go to places like Miami, where there is a rich Latin culture, it's inspiring. And of course, there's so, so much talent within the world of Latin music."