(Don't worry - it wasn't the underwhelming Sweet Lord that caused me to take a break from this series. It was simply how long this next bloody CD took to arrive!!)
It's probably a well-known fact among Murs fans that the man was, after many years of working in the underground on independent labels such as his own Veritech, Definitive Jux and Record Collection, finally signed to a major label (Warner Bros.) around 2007, with the promise of a major label debut for the year 2008. In fact, the album I covered in my last post, the 9th Wonder collab Sweet Lord, was released for free on the internet simply as a gift to the fans that had helped him along the way to eventual success. Behind the scenes of that project, however, Murs had his main focus on his next solo work, which would surprisingly be the first since 2003's ....The End Of the Beginning. A double single was actually released in late 2007 to promote this album (which I'll be covering at the end of this post), but it wasn't until September of 2008 that the album itself finally hit store shelves, after some very high-end and convincing promotion had been filmed. I mean, some of the promotional videos for this thing would probably make a Hollywood film wonder if they were doing enough, and it's safe to say that by the time this one actually touched down on the shelves of Best Buy and HMV, the hype was massive, more so than ever before on a Murs album.
Looking at the tracklist of this one, it's clear that Murs did succumb slightly to the newfound stardom, choosing both Will.i.am and Snoop Dogg to show up on this record, two artists the Murs of the early 2000s would probably have spit in the face of had he happened to see them in the street. This is slightly worrying, and what's more, there are no other guests besides R&B crooner Tyler Woods - no Living Legends, no Slug, no 3 Melancholy Gypsys, and no Little Brother. Strange, but at least the production list looks promising. Behind the boards we are going to have work from 9th Wonder, Scoop DeVille, DJ Quik, Khalil, Terrace Martin and Nottz, a list that hip-hop heads would dream to see alongside as great of a rapper as Murs. Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of fans weren't massive enjoyers of this record, stating it as too radio-friendly for an underground artist like Murs, and also too lacking in political themes. Still, a lot of hip-hop fans who hadn't followed Murs up to this point were ecstatic with this one, and there's a lot of people that consider this one of his best, so as for what I'll think I have no idea.
A divisive record, then, but going into it I've only heard one song ("Lookin' Fly", which I enjoy), and I have no idea really of what to expect from the thing. I know that some of Murs' most well-known songs appear on here, though, so hopefully I'll like those, and if I don't, I'm sure there'll be something here. Yeah, my expectations are high, but as long as it's better than Sweet Lord, I'll be happy. I mean, that album was just weak.
1. Intro (prod. Wild Animals)
Murs succumbs to the fully long and slightly pretentious rap album intro. Let's just hope this theme is followed through, lest this accidentally end up as a complete waste of our time.
2. I'm Innocent (prod. 9th Wonder)
Over an intense yet pretty smooth instrumental from 9th Wonder, Murs gets to introducing himself to his new, much larger audience, and might I say he surprised me. This song is phenomenal, with the instrumental serving as the perfect backdrop for Murs to spit consistent no-nonsense bars that paint the complete picture of himself, the anti-drug, anti-thug vegan, who despite this still knows how to spit his shit. I kind of wish the verse didn't cut out every 8 bars or so, but truthfully it's only because I did not want Murs to stop rapping. What a way to open up your major label debut.
3. Lookin' Fly (feat. will.i.am) (prod. Keith Harris, co-prod. will.i.am)
I've heard this song so many times, and I've only just realised that will.i.am is only a co-producer on it. Huh. Anyway, Murs accomplishes everything he needed to with this song - right after the hip-hop centric intro that appeals heavily to the fans of Murray's Revenge yet also shows the more mainstream hip-hop heads that he ain't playin' around, Murs comes with a mainstream sounding club banger that was surely bumped in whips around L.A. for months after it's release. Keith Harris (with apparent help from guest star will.i.am) provides an instrumental that jumps around from intense and triumphant to laid back and chill at the rate of a bipolar schizophrenic, and it works well enough for Murs to sound absolutely at home spitting his braggadocios "I'll take your girlfriend" bars over it, despite the fact that he'd never worked with anything like this before. Sure, the content is a bit stupid and played out, but the bars are memorable, the hook is catchy, and the beat's dope - what else does a club banger need? Will.i.am having an apparent mental breakdown at the end? No, but everything else is great, so I'll let that slide.
4. The Science (prod. Scoop DeVille, add. prod. DJ Quik)
Over a slightly eerie and chilled out instrumental from the pair of legendary West Coast producers shown above, Murs spits some of his personal revelations about society in the form of two rather lengthy verses, split up by some nice record scratching to give it that underground feel. Sounds basic, but hear me out - this is easily one of the best Murs songs I have heard yet. Not only is this instrumental fantastic, but some of the relations Murs makes on here between prison and slavery, and also his statement that it's not about black vs. white but rich vs. poor are just incredibly interesting, and certainly not something you might've expected the man to spit on his mainstream debut. The song is bold, and it's that boldness that makes it a classic Murs tune. I loved this.
5. Can It Be (Half A Million Dollars And 18 Months Later) (prod. Scoop DeVille)
6. Everything (prod. LT Moe)
Murs seems to spend most of this track reflecting on his past, and his lyricism is actually pretty solid, if not necessarily at the same level it was on "I'm Innocent" and "The Science". The real saving grace of this track has to be the production, which is sentimental, memorable and catchy, and with a great vocal sample in the hook that Murs meshes really well with. The production throughout this makes it one of the more catchy tracks in the Murs catalogue, and it's no wonder that this is one of his most popular songs to this day. And as I said, the verses are good - just nothin' crazy.
7. Road Is My Religion (prod. Khalil)
Over a rather rock influenced beat from producer Khalil (now that's not a name I ever expected to see on a Murs album), Murs speaks about life on the road touring and promoting his music, something he probably got slowed down with following the hefty paycheck this album surely got him. This track was actually great in my opinion, as the heavy production provides the perfect backdrop to Murs' slightly depressing lyrics, and the actual rapping itself was very entertaining, with Murs providing some more of that storytelling flavour. Also, the hook is catchy as hell. This was a nice cut.
8. Sooo Comfortable (prod. Josef Leimberg)
Why the fuck is Kokane here. What. The. Fuck. What?? Not Kokane. NOOOO!
For some reason, Murs doesn't start rapping on this one till the 1:15 mark, instead making way for Kokane's illiterate ass. I mean, who the hell told this man he could sing? He just sort of moans out some drunken sounds for most of his appearance here, and that isn't unusual for the man either. Still, I was surprised by this one in that I actually enjoyed it - sure, Kokane sucks, but the instrumental on this one is wonderfully chilled, and Murs kills the verses with an inspired performance about... oh, you can see the title. This song was actually surprisingly great - Kokane's presence could well have ruined it, and it says a lot about our host that he didn't let that happen.
9. Time Is Now (feat. Snoop Dogg) (prod. Terrace Martin)
Just when you thought the ridiculous guests would end at will.i.am, here's Snoop Dogg of all people to prove you all wrong. Is there an artist he hasn't collaborated with, though? Unfortunately, this collaboration doesn't entirely work. Terrace Martin's production is as bland as a rice-cake sandwich, and the uncredited chorus from LaToiya Williams is also terribly preachy and over-the-top. This song is a kind of motivational cut I guess, and as such Murs and Snoop do their best to adhere to that theme, but unfortunately Snoop's presence makes this seem far too much like an attempt for the pop radio, or perhaps some kind of promotional motivational song, and therefore I was never able to take this one seriously. Props to Murs for getting a West Coast legend on his song though, he must have been happy with that.
10. Think You Know Me (prod. Nottz)
This was definitely a track I was pretty excited for after seeing the production credit - Nottz in my opinion is easily one of the more underrated producers in hip-hop. I was worried that this would be a mean-spirited relationship song when I saw the title, but rest assured that it's not - quite the opposite. Over a nice and hardcore West Coast beat, Murs spits some incredibly unique bars about how just because he's black and is wearing the clothes he's wearing, people think that he's a degenerate and an ex-con, and therefore it was very difficult to get a job - presumably this song is set well before he started to become a full-time musician. I'll admit that the hook from an uncredited vocalist called Khizman took a little bit of getting used to, but otherwise the rapping and production on this one come together to create a great track. I loved this one.
11. Me And This Jawn (prod. Nottz)
Nottz again? I must be dreaming. This time, however, it is a relationship song, but thankfully this one's actually pretty good, despite there being a fairly repetitive hook and bridge snuck in there. This song samples the very recognisable "For the Love Of You" by The Isley Brothers, which I personally previously heard in Common's "Puppy Chow", but I'm sure you'll know from somewhere else. The lyrics in this song are pretty heartfelt and don't have any kind of sad or dark ending, and while that comes across as a little bit pointless to a rap fan like me, I still see the purpose in it, and I can definitely vibe with it. Also, this beat's nice as hell. Not a great track, but not a bad one either.
12. Love And Appreciate II (feat. Tyler Woods) (prod. 9th Wonder)
Okay, now this one I am interested in - not only is it produced by 9th, but it stands as the sequel to one of the songs on Murray's Revenge, an album I loved - let's hope this doesn't fuck it all up. And, hey - it didn't! Sure, the sung chorus from Tyler Woods grated on my eardrum as a nail file would, but then again I've never been a fan of male R&B singers, and as for the rest of this? It's dope! On the first incarnation of this song, Murs talks about a relationship that he and his partner had to rebuild, but on this one he turns his attention to the wider hip-hop scene to focus on how men always objectify women, and the real reason is that they're too insecure to express their true feelings. Murs' "hoes over bros" mentality here was a little bit unlikeable, but otherwise this content was very bold for the time, and 9th provides some nice backing for it too. This was a great cut.
13. A Part Of Me (prod. Terrace Martin)
On what has to be the most surprising song here musically, Murs enlists help from the uncredited female singer Terrence "Scar" Smith for a hook that makes this sound more like some kind of prog rock song than anything else. The chorus is weird, as is the beat, but it's only made more odd by Murs' verses. The song is about a breakup, one which seems to have hurt Murs, as the first verse is spent talking on how he feels bad that he lost his love through his own actions. However, in the second verse, things heat up as the man goes on a rant about how it's actually her fault and she should have ignored all of his actions. After the final hook, he calms down, and just pleads for her to come back. The song is completely separate from what one might expect of a rap album, and yet it's all the better for it, as the structure makes this one of the most interesting songs on the album so far. This was really enjoyable.
14. Break Up (The OJ Song) (prod. Knotch)
Fun fact: this is Murs' most viewed song as a solo artist on Genius. Let's see if it's worth the hype. Ehh, kinda, but I wasn't really blown away by this song like so many others on here, despite the fact that I can see why it's so popular. This instrumental is pretty nice and relaxing, with Murs complimenting it well with his break up bars. But that's just the problem. Break up bars. I like a song for the ladies now and then, but four in a row begins to grate on the nerves a little bit, and by the time we've reached this song that subject matter is wearing a little thin. Still, as I said I did enjoy this song - the rapping on here is pretty great, and the instrumental and sample were both really nice. Good stuff.
15. Breakthrough (prod. 9th Wonder)
On this one, Murs returns to the lyrical themes of the opening track, that being how real he is, and how the so-called thugs need to get out of the game because they're good for nothin' low-lifes, ya know? Murs actually brings his mum into the studio to sing on this one, which is nice, and he compliments the smooth but fairly uninteresting 9th Wonder instrumental well with his rhymes, which are spit with the passion that he has had all over this project. He clearly enjoyed this, didn't he? The spoken vocals on this track aren't mixed in well, and the beat isn't fantastic, but still, I found this to be a pleasant closer. Aaand, we're out.
The following two songs were released on a double single to promote Murs For President, but never ended up actually making the album. Was there a reason for this? Let's find out.
- Better Than The Best (prod. Nottz)
Seems like Nottz was down with Murs even before Murs For President was dropped. Crazy. This is a rather celebratory tune, with a fun beat that kinda reminds me of children's music, but whatever. Murs' actual rapping on this one is pretty good, but for a song called "Better Than the Best", you'd think he would've come a bit harder, or maybe done a bit more of a lyrical type of song. Still, I enjoyed this a decent amount, even if it doesn't really convey what the title is implying at all.
- Dreadlocks (prod. Rick Rock)
Definitely not what I was expecting - Rick Rock provides a synth-fuelled club banger beat that is unmistakably from the late 2000s, and as such aged like a dead rat. Still, I didn't hate this, as Murs just spends most of the song talking about the history behind and the perks of having dreadlocks, which, as can be told from the single cover, he has. This one isn't particularly grabbing, but still, it was fun enough, and a throwback to an older time, before people realised high-pitched synths sounded like dogshit.
In conclusion, Murs For President is an enormous step up from the highly disappointing Sweet Lord album, from whatever direction you look at it. The production on this album is firstly much more interesting, with a variation of collaborators providing a mix of club bangers, West Coast tunes and more soulful cuts, all of which tend to sound great with the exception of one or two underwhelming beats here and there. From that unsettling vibe on "The Science" to the chilled out instrumental on "Sooo Comfortable", there's a lot here to enjoy, and there isn't a single beat here which I would describe as actually bad, which is crazy for an album released on a major label in 2008. Then we come to the guests - there aren't many, but unfortunately the three that receive credit all suck in their vocal contributions. Will.i.am just gargles and that's about it, Snoop clutters up an already cluttered track, and Tyler Woods' performance is just really not the type of thing I enjoy personally. Thankfully, there aren't too many features, and most of this LP is taken up by Murs. We already know Murs is a great MC, and on here he really does prove that. Right off the bat he delivers fantastic performances on both the opener "I'm Innocent" and "The Science", and a lot of his content down the line works really well too, even if I wish he'd split the four relationship tracks apart, instead of having them all crammed into one sorrowful spot. The MCing here is great, and Murs' pen game is as strong as ever - sure, he isn't the most impressive lyricist of all time, but his vocals and his content always impress, and here it's no different. Considering how underwhelming Sweet Lord was, I really wasn't sure how I'd feel about this album, so to come out liking it this much is a very pleasant surprise, and rekindles the passion I have in this Murs-athon that might've been lost otherwise. This album was great, and I definitely recommend it - just maybe check out some of his earlier stuff first.
Expectations: Exceeded
Best Track: "The Science"
Worst Track: "Time Is Now"
Read up on other Murs-athon posts over here!
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