Rooster Art Fest presented by Meow Wolf Denver is back for another year to celebrate the contemporary street artists of Colorado. This event is for all street art enthusiasts, bringing together some of the biggest names in street and urban art from the local and national spotlight.

With a lineup of over 40 incredible artists, including Aaron Brooks, Chris Dyer, Mike Fudge, Chris Haven, and so many more, attendees will be mesmerized by the live art creations happening right before their eyes. Rooster Art Fest takes place on Sunday, September 22 at ReelWorks Denver. For more info, click here.

In addition to being one of the most unique and interactive art experiences of the year, Rooster Art Fest will also feature two musical stages: the Hip-Hop Stage and the EDM Stage. The EDM Stage, presented by The Black Box, includes local standouts like TF Marz & CulyOnE, providing an electrifying soundtrack for art lovers.

Meanwhile, the Groundwaves Hip-Hop Stage, presented by Fresh Baked Boulder Cannabis Dispensary, will be headlined by MURS, a West Coast rap icon, along with Eligh & Scarub from The Living Legends and I.F. (Chuuwee & Imaginary Other). MURS, a celebrated rapper and cultural innovator, is known for his unique storytelling and dedication to uplifting hip-hop talent. He created Groundwaves in 2019, a unique platform for hip-hop artists inspired by historical hip-hop open mics, with a mission to support and develop live music and artists in a community setting.

Groundwaves consists of monthly open mic events where aspiring rappers from various locations gather to showcase and refine their skills. The program emphasizes artist development, community building, and collaboration, providing a supportive yet challenging environment where creativity flourishes.

The inclusion of Groundwaves at Rooster Art Fest is a perfect fit. Groundwaves brings a raw and dynamic hip-hop presence to the event, aligning with the festival’s ethos of fostering creative expression and community engagement. The Groundwaves Hip-Hop Stage will feature several up-and-coming artists from the program, offering them a platform to showcase their talents to a broader audience. Performers include Mitchell James, Smiley Gatmouth, Gentry Fox, Earl Hazard, She Who Won’t Be Named, Tylo May, Phonosapien, Da’Juan Dupri, and many more.

MURS explains, “We’ve built Groundwaves to be more than just a performance platform. It’s a community where artists can learn from each other, get direct mentorship, and grow together. Bringing this to Rooster Art Fest feels like the next step in expanding that community.”

In our conversation with MURS and the Groundwaves team, we dive into the program’s initiatives, their plans for the future, and how they are using platforms like Rooster Art Fest to connect with new audiences and create lasting impact. Check out our full interview below!

[Rooster]: What inspired you to create Groundwaves, and how did the concept come about?

[MURS]: Groundwaves was inspired by a call to action from the music district in Fort Collins. I believe they were looking to have more young folks and hip hop minded folks invited into their space or using their facilities. When they asked me how they could do that I instantly said an open mic and they asked me to design a program and they suggested that I add mentorship to it which was a brilliant idea and I am eternally grateful to the Bohemian Foundation and the people at the Music District for believing and inspiring this project. This community. I guess it’s believing in and inspiring this community, inspiring this community. And getting it off to a start or in its early days or in its inception, I’m eternally grateful for, you know, something like that.

What makes Groundwaves different from other hip-hop platforms or open mic events out there?

[MURS]: As humbly as I can put it, I believe I would be the difference. I am someone who’s been almost anywhere any aspiring rapper would want to go or would go in this industry or in the hip hop or on their hip hop journey.

Aside from that, the mentorship that comes along with the experience I have, it’s something I don’t believe a lot of other open mics are offering.

Along with using my, what is the word, reputation or relationships to broker other opportunities such as THOP Fest (The Happiness of Pursuit Festival in Ontario, CA)  or Rooster Art Fest, I think those are the things that make Groundwaves unique to other open mics and I really put an effort into building community. Initially I thought I was just doing open mics and mentorship but really it is this building community.

I guess back to the top question, maybe I should say also the inspiration for Groundwaves was that so many of us are making music online and not touching grass or in real life collaborating with artists because it’s more convenient to do so and a lot of people that are Gen Xers or boomers, accuse Gen Z or millennials of not wanting to do IRL activities, when in actuality, we’re not providing space for the younger generations to congregate and collaborate. And I learned that when Groundwaves in Fort Collins was supported by so many young people. There are no more record stores, there are no more skateboard shops. There are not as many skateboard shops or comic book stores where like-minded people with similar interests and passions can meet and build.”

[Mitchell James]: I have taken part in a number of hip-hop platforms and open mics and can definitively say that there is nothing like Groundwaves anywhere else in the country. This is the only program I have seen or been a part of that is fully immersive for artists and provides the most all around value to rappers who participate. It is the only place where you get to showcase your art while being able to receive feedback and mentorship from someone, like Murs, who has been doing what we all aspire to at the highest level. Groundwaves is a program that you can build with, and by continuing to show up, this program can do incredible things for your career and your craft.

Can you share a memorable moment or success story from a Groundwaves event that stands out to you?

[MURS]: Man, a success story for me, I guess, would involve any time I see people who didn’t know each other before Groundwave started and they built a genuine friendship and have created and put out music. Every time that happens, it’s a success to me. A more specific story is a young lady from our community in Arkansas. I had convinced her to travel to our open mic in Tulsa where within minutes she met and connected with her future husband and they will be married September 14th of this year and they met because of Groundwaves. They’re also artists, check out their music, Rebellious Essence and Aaron Sawyer, they’re amazing MCs. Another success or highlight is THOP Fest (The Happiness of Pursuit Festival in Ontario, CA where Groundwaves has a dedicated annual stage) and Rooster Art Fest. Every time we were able to put artists on a festival and have folks travel to Colorado for the first time or California for the first time, we’ve had folks get on a plane for the first time, see the ocean for the first time because of Groundwaves. And the smaller, but to me, the most important success is when someone who’s never rapped in front of people comes multiple times and then finally gets up the courage or feels the love and feels inspired or is encouraged by the community to get up and they feel the love and they conquer their stage fright for the first time. That is always, every time I see that in any human I celebrate.

[Mitchell James]: I can say without a doubt that Groundwaves and Murs’s mentorship has been more impactful to my career as an artist than anything else. Groundwaves has become woven into the lives of the artists who have taken the opportunity and made the most out of it. To me, my most memorable moment has been the Groundwaves sessions that we did in 2021 (which was a compilation album where artists from CO had an opportunity to get hands-on in the studio mentorship from Murs). It resulted in one of my best songs to date and truly pushed my artistry and songwriting to a new level. I went into it fully knowing how unique of an opportunity it was and approached it with the intention of making my best art to date. I believe we achieved that through those sessions. I took a lot away from that experience.”

Why was it important for Groundwaves to be a part of Rooster Art Fest this year?

[MURS]: Rooster is a staple and a pillar of the music community in Colorado so it’s important for Groundwaves to be there because it makes us a little more official and cements us as part of the community and I am so grateful for this opportunity. Another reason is it’s another step forward on the goal to create a scene that builds a Platinum Rapper or a Colorado based Platinum Rapper or a Colorado based rapper or group that can sell out Red Rocks. That is my ultimate goal. Colorado has given so much to me and every hip-hop artist in America. Denver is in the top five markets for any hip-hop artist and it’s still the only city with the five major sports teams – basketball, baseball, football, soccer and hockey – that doesn’t have a Platinum Rapper representing them and I am I would like to say I vow but I am extremely committed to changing that.

[Mitchell James]: For me, it was important for Groundwaves to be a part of Rooster Art Fest this year because Colorado is where Groundwaves and this entire journey started. Since coming to Colorado, I have known Rooster Magazine to be the pinnacle of arts and culture in Colorado and Groundwaves has made a massive impact on the trajectory of my time in Colorado. For us to be able to take part in and curate the hip hop stage of this first year of the festival, it is truly a full circle moment that further solidifies Groundwaves’s alignment and foundation in Colorado. Being able to perform on this stage for such an iconic platform in Colorado is a once in a lifetime opportunity for all the artists involved and we are grateful to be able to represent the program and Colorado simultaneously by being a part of it.

What can attendees expect from the Groundwaves Hip-Hop Stage at Rooster Art Fest, and how do you hope to engage with the audience?

[MURS]: Anyone that chooses to give us a little bit of their time will not regret it. The Groundwave stage will have some amazing, unique hip-hop. I’ve only picked some of the best talent from Groundwave’s. And there are singer-songwriters, there are indie pop acts, but predominantly rappers that represent the indie spirit and ethos that myself, Atmosphere Tech 9, and many others have been upholding for years.

I will be hosting from start to finish. I will be performing with my group 3MG, my brothers and collaborators of over 30 years and we solidified our bond and cut our teeth at the Good Life which is an infamous open mic that was held in the mid 90s in Los Angeles. I will be shaking hands kissing babies eating tacos introducing every act, networking, stage production. I’ll be doing it all with a smile on my face taking pictures whatever I’ll be doing whatever necessary to make Rooster Art Fest a pleasurable experience for all who attend. And I am stage managing.

Groundwaves has expanded to multiple cities—what’s next for the program? Are there plans to expand to more locations?

[MURS]: The plan is to expand Groundwaves. I am putting out my last album, early 2025, and hope to focus on securing funding that will allow us to turn Groundwaves into a nationwide program. Servicing markets where I feel Groundwaves is needed. We’d love to go to St. Louis and Tucson. All around the world we would eventually would like to make it to Africa, but building community, building community and connecting and helping people travel, creating underground railroad for lack of a better chance, for lack of a better term. Connecting the world as it is already connected through hip hop, just laying the lay lines for the communication to flow easier and freer. Because hip hop transcends all borders and a lot of politics and a lot of other barriers. And I think it could very well be what is needed for the betterment of our society and our world as a whole.

MURS, with your extensive experience in the hip-hop industry, what key advice do you give to artists who join Groundwaves?

[MURS]: My advice would be to only do the work. If it is work you will want to do for free. Only create from a place of passion.

And don’t look at the numbers. Success is completion. Refine yourself and your craft and you will eventually find fans. As my mother always told me, there is a stump for every rump. And I live by that. And especially when dealing with Colorado, there’s a lot that’s unique about Colorado culture that I feel the world needs to be told about. Just like they were told about Compton and the Bronx and Atlanta. I believe Colorado has its own story and its place. Be authentic and you’ll find your way. And read. You cannot write if you don’t read. I tell every emcee that.

How do you balance your role as both a mentor and a performer within the Groundwaves community?

[MURS]: It’s very challenging to balance my career with Groundwaves and that’s why I’m choosing to end my career and double down on Groundwaves. Groundwaves is much more fulfilling at this point for me as a father and a husband and an emcee than it is putting out my own music. I’ve always wanted to help the hip hop community grow. I love being a fan, I love being around hungry, determined, talented artists and I love being able to help. I love Jesus and I love the idea of just going forth and spreading love and helping people without all the religious BS. Just that walk, a monk type walk if you will. I love being able to serve my community, whether it be my community in South Central Los Angeles or the hip hop community around the world. I love being of service and Groundwaves has provided that opportunity. In the pandemic, the Colorado chapter was forced to go online and the Music District and the Bohemian Foundation still saw fit to fund it and I was so grateful. We moved the show or the program to Twitch and the mentorship to Zoom and seeing the artists submit videos and seeing the improvement and the willingness to still participate from the first year and literally brought tears to my eyes and that’s when I knew that this is what I had to do. I was opening emails and crying at my desk because I missed my community that we have just built in just one year, one six month session of Groundwaves. I missed them so much and I love seeing their growth and it touched me and from that point on I was inspired, determined to spread this and make it go as long as we can.

What do you look for in emerging artists, and how do you help them develop their unique voices?

[MURS]: To put it simply, what I look for in an emerging artist is I look for those that are seeking me. I look for those who show up and embrace every opportunity. I encourage their unique voice by just encouraging it to be. I encourage all of everyone to be authentic. And from there we just work on whatever I see needs refining or whatever they would like to work on. Or I love to tell stories. Hip-hop is an oral tradition. It’s rooted in African tradition. I share stories I think may be influential. I never try to tell them what to do. I tell them what I have done or what I have seen done. And I always tell them to take it with a grain of salt or keep what resonates and throw away the rest. Or throw it all away. And just thank you for showing up.

What keeps you motivated to continue investing in the next generation of hip-hop artists?

[MURS]: My motivation is hip-hop, the youth and the love for hip-hop. My motivation is the love for hip-hop. I want it to continue and the only way to continue it is to inspire the youth. A mentor of mine once told me that punk is not black or white or brown or American or British. It’s youth culture and I feel the same way about hip-hop and skate. It’s youth culture. The youth have to inform it, the youth have to inspire it and it is not up to us to judge, but rather to guide and inform the journey of the youth as Chuck D. and K.R.S. One and Ice T informed and guided my journey. Groundwaves is a bit more hands-on, but I think that’s what’s needed in this era of screens and digital everything. Secondly, selfishly, I’m a father of four young boys who break dance, who listen to hip-hop, write graffiti and own records. They are as cool as I think I am. I am not cool to them, so being able to influence the generation that they will look up to is a privilege and an honor and my duty and responsibility. Because I want them to have kids that are cool and grounded with a positive outlook to look up to. And if I don’t help create that generation or influence that generation, then I failed them.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about Groundwaves, your involvement in Rooster Art Fest, or future plans?

[MURS]: My group 3MG will be performing. I offered them up with a list of other artists, and I didn’t expect us old guys to be chosen by Rooster Art Fest. We are honored. We don’t perform often, but it was serendipitous because we have our final project, our final EP, being released the Friday before Rooster Art Fest. We have released the whole project in almost 20 years, exactly 20 years. So it will be fun to perform new and old songs with the people I started my career with way back in 1994. So 30 years later, we will be all performing together. So 3 decades of friendship will be on display. 3 decades of friendship and to have a little ego. 3 decades of rap mastery will be on display. So please come out and check us out and listen to the new music. Shake my hand, give me a high five and let me know what you think of the show or the music or some of the artists. Connect. Come out and be a part of this worldwide hip hop community, the worldwide art community that Rooster and Groundwaves continue to build.