Common - Electric Circus

Following his pivotal fourth album Like Water For Chocolate, which rounded out what is unquestionably one of the best and most influential three album runs the hip-hop genre had ever seen, the man formally known as Common Sense decided to spend a late night out drinking to celebrate, and to find an excuse to openly flirt with any woman he liked - after all, partnering with Erykah Badu meant his game was never being put to use anymore. Dang! Anyhow, the bar Lonnie (that's his real name for motherfuckers who ain't know) was sitting at that particular night happened to have on shuffle an odd mix of strange, experimental psychedelic rock music, synth-pop, and modern afrobeat, and it was after a couple of hours taking this in that Com had a brainwave. What if he took the formula for Like Water For Chocolate, and combined it with those three genres, and made his next official studio album out of that? Com immediately called up Erykah, who was all for it, and then he called up J Dilla, who was probably quite enthusiastic for making another album with Com, if it could potentially end up being as good as the last. And so, Electric Circus was born.

Or at least, we can presume that's how it happened.

Electric Circus, Common's fifth studio album, was released in December of 2002, and just from a small glance at the cover fans could tell that once again Common was about to come with something completely inventive and original, as he always seemed to with new records. Unfortunately, that doesn't make this album cover good - not only is Common's stare unsettling, but the incredibly varied colour scheme of this thing really is a brutal attack on the fragile eyeball, and as a result the idea (which is actually interesting) ends up being hidden behind this awful choice of design. Anyway, the actual tracklist looked rather odd and jumbled too. We saw features on pretty much every song, and all from seemingly different areas of music. Sure we had a rapper (Dart Chillz), but we also had male and female soul singers (Bilal and Erykah Badu), a hard rock artist (Sonny of P.O.D.), a pop artist (Pharrell Williams), an R&B artist (Mary J. Blige), a pop rock artist (Laetitia Sadier) - man, I could go on. This feature list was as ridiculous as Com's golf pants, and if it wasn't for the producers, who consisted of The Soulquarians and The Neptunes for the most part, then it's likely a lot of hip-hop heads would have even bothered to pick this one up. It appeared that Common had done what a lot of artists reaching true fame succumb to, and gone off his rocker. 

Or had he? You see, while at the time this highly experimental record received about as much praise as Jaws 3D, over the years more and more hip-hop artists started to switch up the formula and create more experimental and frankly weird albums, and so inevitably this thing aged better than anyone predicted it would. But coming off of Common's incredible three albums before it, does it stand up? Let's take a look

1. Ferris Wheel (feat. Vinia Mojica & Marie Daulne of Zap Mama) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson & James Poyser)

Well, it's an interesting opening line-up, that's got to be said. The opening track on Electric Circus is almost three minutes of instrumental only with some female vocals singing in the background, and while that may seem like a recipe for boredom and possibly disaster, this track is actually pretty great. The repetitive melody played with some electronic sounding instrument (no, I don't know what it is, sue me) is pretty goddamn creepy, and the background sound effects and vocals all come together to create a mesmerising and incredibly intriguing album intro that surely gets any listeners nowadays incredibly hyped for the rest of the record. The transition into the next song is perfect too, and that is to be a theme throughout.

2. Soul Power (prod. Dilla, co-prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson & James Poyser)

The only song on this whole album to have no guests credited, and it's also one of the more conventional hip-hop songs, even if that isn't saying much. J Dilla provides Lonnie with a percussion and bass heavy instrumental that doesn't have a whole lot more to it, but perhaps that's for the best, as it leaves more room for Com to rip this one to shreds just like his vegan chicken drumsticks. This track is crazy, with Common dropping some of the wittiest and dopest bars of his career yet, including "I'd rather listen to silence than you holla" (sometimes speculated as a Ja Rule diss judging by the following line) and "I travel the globe with a black girl named Becky, Grand like Auto Theft 3. Style so developed, the law can't arrest me. You walk with blood on your shirt like Jesse Jackson". Not only that, but the sampling in the chorus is excellent too. He really didn't ever lose the rhyme, did he?

3. Aquarius (feat. Bilal) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, Dilla & Pino Palladino)

Quite possibly one of the top ten Common songs ever released. Yeah, I went there. This song is quite simply phenomenal, and I mean crab linguini levels of phenomenal here. Firstly, we have the production, where for once it actually sounds like it would need the four credited producers we have here. This beat is incredibly rich and astonishingly soul-touching - hell, this track should have been given the title of the previous song. The multiple musical elements all come together to create one of the strongest instrumentals of the 2000s decade, and when Bilal comes in with his weirdly high-pitched vocals on the hook it only makes everything even better. As for Common, he comes with one of the most passionate and well-written performances on the whole record, with both fantastic rhyme schemes and lyrics being showcased here. The way this song just builds up is just so wonderful to me. This is easily one of my favourite Common songs of all time. 

4. Electric Wire Hustler Flower (feat. Sonny of P.O.D.) (prod. James Poyser & Dilla)

Coming into this record, I, as I'm sure most hip-hop heads were, was sceptical about this one, not only because of the feature, who is the lead vocalist in hard rock band P.O.D., but also because of the incredibly awkward and decidedly weird as a motherfucker title that invokes images of four completely separate and random things all together as one. However, this one is actually still quite good, even if not as much as the previous two songs. The guest star shouts the titular phrase (minus the "r" in "hustler") alongside Common, but doesn't do much else, and while this chorus (which is literally just that repetition of the title over and over and over again) is a little bit incredibly grating, the rest of the song is actually very intriguing. Over an instrumental that incorporates heavy electric guitars and is pretty solid, Common drops some nice verses with some conscious messages that go along with the content on his previous album (the line "live like a bitch then bitch you gon' die" notwithstanding). Common's performance here is great, as is the musicality. If only the chorus was better...

5. The Hustle (feat. Omar & Dart Chillz) (prod. Karriem Riggins)

Even though no-one had ever heard of him before, Dart Chillz stands as the only hip-hop artist to snag a feature on this whole record. Interestingly, every other Common album after this besides Nobody's Smiling would also only have one guest rapping performance, or otherwise none at all. Well, that's interesting to me anyway. This is another one of the more conventional and, shall we say, normal songs on the album, and so far it's probably the least interesting, even though it's still pretty good. The beat from Karriem Riggins (who would go on to become one of Common's most frequent collaborators in the 2010s and 2020s) sounds like a slightly richer version of something we would hear later on on Universal Mind Control, and the singing on here from Omar is just a wonder to behold. Common's verses are dope too, and Dart Chillz proves to be a more than competent rapper who seems to have been completely forgotten about after popping up on here, which is a shame. Anyway, this track is really dope, and with slightly better instrumentation it could have been one of the best here. 

6. Come Close (feat. Mary J. Blige) (prod. The Neptunes)

The lead single to the album, and the most popular song here by a monumentous margin. It's not difficult to see why, either, as this song is catchy as all hell, and I'm not just talking about the infectious Mary J. vocals or the wonderful production here either. I somehow managed to learn all of Common's verses on this one from seemingly about five listens to it, and I don't think I've ever managed to do that with another rap song before. Sure, those verses aren't technically astonishing, but they are some of the most passionate and love-fuelled in the hip-hop genre, and remain family friendly for the most part, at least until he randomly states: "I kinda laugh when you cuss at me, the aftermath is you touchin' me". I mean, the fuck was that? Otherwise, the verses are great - that final line is truly goosebump-inducing - and the chorus and production on this one remain some of the best work either Mary or The Neptunes have done for a hip-hop artist. This song also inspired a remix with Erykah Badu, Pharrell Williams and Q-Tip, and I'll have to make sure to track that one down soon. As for now, Common's streak of brilliant love songs continues.

7. New Wave (feat. Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser & Dilla)

Upon initial listening of the album (which took place about a year ago I believe), this was actually my favourite song on the whole record, and I can still see why today. This is just so different, and especially for Common. The synthy and pounding instrumental during the verses is incredibly hardcore, and Common compliments this by dropping the most aggressive verses up to this point in his career outside of those on "Heidi Hoe" and "The Bitch In Yoo". "Loud like shots that come from the glock" - I mean, never in a million years would I have predicted that Common would say that on this album, and it's all the better for it. The music completely switches up for the chorus, but it's equally dope there too, as Laetitia Sadier sings some angelic melodies whilst Com hypes her up in the background. Man, this is still one of the best tracks on the whole LP. Nice stuff.

8. Star *69 (PS With Love) (feat. Bilal) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser & Dilla)

This track is most famous for including instrumentation from Prince of all people, but unless you're a superfan of his then I would advise that you skip this one. Why, you ask? Because it's whack. Yeah, the change in quality from the previous few songs to this one is heavily noticeable, and I must say it's a shame the album couldn't keep up it's good run forever. Not every experiment works though, and whether it's the miserably dull instrumental, painfully awkward chorus or Common's uninspired verses, there's something for everyone to fucking despise about this one. Yeah, I really don't like this song.

9. I Got a Right Ta (feat. Pharrell Williams) (prod. The Neptunes)

Isn't it odd that every song besides "The Hustle" is produced by The Soulquarians (with a bit of help), except for the singles, which were both produced by The Neptunes? This single received far less promotion than "Come Close", however, and as a result it's almost forgotten about today. It's a shame, as this is actually a pretty good banger. After the sounds of screeching tires, an electronic and club bangin' instrumental starts up that also utilises a random harmonica, and Common gets to ripping it apart with some boasts-n-bullshit that he delivers with a weirdly manic voice that constantly goes high-pitched, almost like a return to his squeaky Can I Borrow a Dollar? days. The lyrics are dope though, and while Pharrell's chorus is repetitive, it's not bad at all, and you could definitely sing along to it in the whip. Perhaps my favourite element of this, however, is the little musical interlude at the end, which is all kinds of beautiful. I like this one quite a bit.

10. Between Me, You & Liberation (feat. Cee-Lo) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, Dilla & Pino Palladino)

On this one, Common completely abandons the funny chap we saw on the last song, and instead approaches this track with three depressing yet in the end heartwarming tales that are all equally gripping. The first tells the story of a woman whom he was seeing and had just finished making love with, only for her to break down in front of him over trauma from her childhood. The second verse talks about an aunt who contracted cancer and eventually died after she decided to end the suffering and stop taking the pills, and then the third tells of one of Com's close friends coming out of the closet - a revolutionary verse for the man who stated "I heard rumours of gay MCs, just don't come around me with it" on his last album. The three verses tell tales of sadness, but in the end each of them show how the experiences further connected Common and the subject, and served to make everything better in the end. It's unfortunate, then, that the instrumental on here is rather dull in all honesty, and I really can't stand the Cee-Lo Green hook. The best part about this musically has to be the flute solo at the end, which is quite beautiful. I try to like this one, I really do, but unfortunately Common's tales aren't enough to carry the dull musical elements.

11. I Am Music (feat. Jill Scott) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, Dilla, Pino Palladino & Jeff Lee Johnson)

Does exactly what it says on the tin, really, as on this one Common personifies himself as music, and lists some of the influences it has had on people, culture and just the world in general. The verses on this one are easily some of the most impressive on this whole project, and this instrumental stands up to the task by being unquestionably weird, and at the same time impressive as a one armed handstand, with incredible brass instrumentation and a great drum groove to keep things flowing. It's one of the better tracks on the album musically and lyrically, and to top things off Jill Scott provides a heavenly hook that's also wonderfully catchy. This was an interesting experiment, but one that works in every possible way. A classic song.

12. Jimi Was a Rock Star (feat. Erykah Badu) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser, Pino Palladino & Jeff Lee Johnson)

It was seemingly inevitable that there would be a song here with no rapping on it - what's odd is that it's taken us this long to get to it (well, we're not counting the intro here). On this one, Common and his then-girlfriend (who is said to have had massive influence on the musical direction of this project) Erykah Badu perform a slightly creepy but mostly bloody boring duet over some increasingly loud and heavy music that lasts for eight goddamn minutes. I suppose this is a tribute to the late Jimi Hendrix, and that is sweet, but unfortunately this song is way too long, boring and directionless to ever be considered good in my book. Maybe rock fans like this one, but as a hip-hop head I really can't get through it.

13. Heaven Somewhere (feat. Omar, Cee-Lo, Bilal, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu & Lonnie "Pops" Lynn) (prod. Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, James Poyser & Pino Palladino)

The finale of this album appears to be a bringing together of about half of the previous collaborators on this record, as well as Common's dad because he shows up on every Com album (up until 2014's Nobody's Smiling - R.I.P. to Lonnie "Pops" Lynn). I can't ever really force myself to give a shit about this one - like the last song, there isn't any rapping, and Common only delivers a bit of spoken word at the beginning about a French rapper who called him up to say he needed to rap with Com right then because he had accidentally killed two people by setting fire to a doormat, and would likely be going to prison for a long time. This is a true story. While that is quite interesting and rather sad, the rest of this song features a lot of meaningless singing over boring instrumentation about Heaven, which I'm not sure if I really believe in anyway. The bit with Lonnie was nice and short, though, and I like the return of those creepy keys from the intro, which come in at the very end, so at least it ends on a high note. Still, there's absolutely no way I can justify this being ten minutes long. I mean, that's just ridiculous!

Overall, Electric Circus was very nearly a masterpiece of an album, but unfortunately Common's experimentation got the better of him at the end, meaning I very rarely play those last two songs at all, as they are ridiculously long and frankly rather boring. If this album was only 11 tracks (and that's not too short - take a look at the tracklist of Be), then it would probably have more of a case to be a 2000s classic, and would be heralded as one of the best experimental hip-hop records of all time. Yeah, I mean it. The rest of this record is absolutely incredible. Sure, there are some songs that I don't like personally (especially "Star *69 (PS With Love)"), but even so I understand how they would appeal to others, and as for the better songs here, they are some of the best I have ever heard from both Common, and from the first half of the 2000s in general. Starting with the production, it's incredible. Drums are always banging on this thing, as are the basslines, but the main thing about it is how many instruments they included on this record, and how varied the sound therefore is. From the guitar on "Aquarius" to the brass on "I Am Music" to the keys on "Ferris Wheel", the varied instruments turn this into such a fantastic and atmospheric listen. Then, we have the features, which are frequently utilised to perfection. Bilal, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott and Laetitia Sadier all deliver some fantastic singing performances that compliment the music perfectly, and even the lone guest MC Dart Chillz does his thing. The features on here (this is discounting the last two songs) are largely great, and even the weaker ones (Cee-Lo, Sonny, Bilal on "Star *69") don't necessarily detract from the music or Common's verses. And that's where we come to Com. On his next album, he would famously state: "they say a nigga lost his mind, but in the scheme of things I never lost the rhyme", and he was right. Common's rapping on here is often as potent as it was on his last couple of records, and even with some of the best and richest musical backing I've heard, he still shines through on every song, especially on tracks such as "I Am Music", "New Wave" and "Soul Power", where his verses are just impeccable. Yes, this album has some clear issues when you're getting towards the end, but nonetheless the majority of this album is fantastic and incredibly interesting, and fans of Common or The Soulquarians, or just experimental hip-hop in general, should definitely check this out. Don't be fooled by the cheap looking album cover - this music is as expensive as it gets.

Best Tracks: Ferris Wheel, Soul Power, Aquarius, Electric Wire Hustler Flower, The Hustle, Come Close, New Wave, I Got a Right Ta, I Am Music

Worst Tracks: Star *69 (PS With Love), Jimi Was a Rock Star, Heaven Somewhere

Catch up on other equally incredible Common albums (or rather their reviews) here!

Murs-athon pt. 9 - Sweet Lord

Having released two incredibly successful collaborative albums with producer 9th Wonder, and some other collaborative projects in the underground too (including one with Slug and one with 3 Melancholy Gypsys), Nicholas Carter, whom is referred to by his extravagant hair stylist as Murs, seemed to finally be getting the attention he so rightly deserved by the time the year 2008 was in play. Two years prior, he had come through with yet another 10 track LP with 9th, Murray's Revenge, and it was an excellent piece of work. 9th Wonder's beats were astonishingly produced and arguably the best soundscape Murs had ever rapped over, and Nicholas himself did the beats justice with some of his best MCing yet, exhibiting excellent storytelling skills, powerful messages and a sharp sense of humour to make for one of the best records of the year 2006. And this had gotten him noticed by a certain Warner Bros. Music, a major (!!) label that was to sign Murs for his upcoming solo album Murs For President, which was set for release at some point in the second half of 2008.

But before we get to that, we have to discuss this...

Prior to being picked up by Warner and catapulted into the spotlight like an even hairier version of Sideshow Bob, Murs had teamed up once more with 9th Wonder to release the third project in their series of collaborations, and second to be put out by independent L.A. label Record Collection. And by now, we knew the drill. Sweet Lord, the new record which was released in July of 2008, was a 10 track LP entirely produced by 9th, and this time with absolutely no features whatsoever, making even the sparse guest list of two on Murray's Revenge look overcrowded. The major difference this time was that, to make the artists look savvy to the younger generation (probably), this project was released as an internet only mixtape of sorts for free, with only a very small number of limited edition CDs being pressed for the public. These CDs are now quite rare, so until I can find one for a decent price, it looks like we're back to streaming for this one. 

Sweet Lord is far more obscure than the popular Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition and Murray's Revenge albums, and therefore I'm not entirely sure what to expect of this one. It doesn't have any hits at all, and judging by the Genius views there aren't any songs that have taken off in the way "Bad Man!", "The Pain" or "L.A." had. The album cover gives me a little bit of hope, though, as I actually quite like it - the photos of Murs and 9th in their element at the shows teamed with the old school aesthetic makes me think this might retain the feel of the last two, and maybe even be a little more hardcore. Of course, the title gives an opposing feeling to that, but oh well. Still, their last two albums were absolutely phenomenal, so I'm hoping this will be a worthy finale to the days before Murs officially left the underground. 

All songs are produced by 9th Wonder.

1. The Intro

After a bit of dialogue between the collaborators that appears to mimic the intro of N.W.A.'s "Express Yourself" (which was pretty hilarious, by the way), this nice-ass 9th Wonder beat comes in, which is a perfect mix of both hardcore and soulful that makes it easily stand up to some of the stuff I've heard from the duo before. Meanwhile, Murs gets to spitting his philosophical, humorous, and occasionally brag-filled bars in a one verse wonder that dispels any doubt about the "third time's a charm" theory that Murs happens to mention. This intro was DOPE!

2. Are You Ready?

9th once again delivers on the production side of things here, offering a soulful and meditative instrumental that would seem to be a perfect backdrop for Murs to spit his philosophical and down-to-earth raps over. Unfortunately, Nicholas does the exact opposite of this and flat-out ruins the song by spitting with a slow and dull flow which still doesn't offer any standout bars whatsoever, broken up on every 7th and 8th line by the sample repeating the title of the song. The female sung hook also practically caused me to jump out of my seat from how shocked it made me - that shit somehow sounds completely out of place. Yeah, I really didn't care too much for this one, and I think that might have been the worst Murs performance since the first verse of "Like What". That's pretty bad.

3. Nina Ross

You know, for most of this song I was pretty much bored out of my brains - Murs' lame storytelling about a woman he met at a bar seemed pretty cliche and uninteresting, the hook was all kinds of terrible, and the beat was easily the weakest so far. However, when we got to that twist at the end, the song completely made sense to me. Man, that was crazy, and suddenly my faith is restored in this project. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that that ending shocked me a hell of a lot, and it's pretty much inevitable that the rest of the song will sound a lot better now that I know what happens. Yeah, I gotta give it to Murs there - shame 9th couldn't bring himself to provide a richer beat for this one.

4. Free

This one seems to be in reference to Obama's being elected as President of the U.S., as Murs reflects on this one about how he is finally free to do what he wants after years of oppression. Unfortunately, this song didn't grip me much - Murs' first verse had some pretty powerful statements (specifically the one about how healthcare should be free for everyone), but after that his rhymes seemed to blend into each other, and the hook didn't help, being kinda repetitive in all honesty. Also, this might be the worst instrumental yet on any of these Murs/9th Wonder albums - the annoying melody teamed with the bright but ultimately flat instrumentation makes for a pretty aggravating soundtrack that Murs fails to save. Yeah, I wasn't all into this one.

5. And I Love It

Murs lists out a bunch of things that he loves - a creative concept, but not one that really ever transitions into verses that I might consider actually dope, especially since the song is almost four minutes and that concept is never actually left. My theory about Obama on the last song is further vitalised by the mention of the man on this one, so that is good. However, "fruit with no pesticides"? C'mon, Murs. That ain't gangsta. If there's one thing I did like here, it was 9th Wonder's beat, which was pretty intense and had some really great samples. If only Murs had some proper content for us...

6. Pusshhhhhh

This was the song I was most excited for on the album, as this title is really cool to me. And, while it's probably the best song since the intro, it still isn't very good. Murs' lyrics on this one are actually potent, with some nice motivational bars about pushing yourself on and not caring about what others say, the hook is pretty catchy, and 9th Wonder's aggressive instrumental is actually really engaging. But why oh why is Murs' flow on this song, and album in general, so formulaic? He can't seem to switch it up ever, and this is quickly becoming a problem for me. And when your lyrical content isn't incredible, you need better flow, and Murs just isn't exhibiting that at all here. This song is, as I said, not bad, but this album really has to pick itself up from here, man.

7. It's For Real

Another merely OK song. 9th Wonder provides us with a sappy and uplifting beat that simply goes in one ear and out the other, and Murs doesn't even sound like he's really trying on here - what happened to the guy that sounded so passionate merely two years before this? This song wouldn't sound bad on its own, but after six other songs (remember, that intro was dope) of dull, uninspired content, this song is really tired. Like me.

8. Marry Me

Well this sucked, and I bet you can guess what the reasons for that are as well. Murs, this is a rap album, isn't it? Who the fuck do you think would listen to this album wanting this soppy content? Are you serious, man??

9. Love The Way

Probably the worst song yet, and if you read the rest of the review, you can tell that that's quite a feat. Honestly, Murs' performance here is a bit heartfelt and not too soppy, but man I cannot get past the awful hook (sung by an uncredited Tyler Woods) and the completely flat and uninteresting work from 9th Wonder behind the boards. This song isn't even horrible overall, though. It's just fucking dull.

10. Murs Inatra

Ugh. Last song. Corny-ass title. What the fuck's up with that? Murs-inatra? Really? That's almost as bad as "Murs-athon". Possibly worse. Nonetheless, I thought this song was alright. 9th's sentimental production was smooth and fairly enjoyable, and Murs' lone verse was actually proficient, with some nice bars covering various topics such as depression and his father's death. Even the set up of him hosting the song was fairly well done. If only the album had been better, this would have been a solid closer. Oh well. 

Sigh... Yeah, Sweet Lord is easily the worst album from Murs I've covered so far. This album was pretty fucking boring if I'm honest with you, for several reasons. Firstly, we have the production. 9th Wonder really did put all his effort into Murray's Revenge, as it seems it's been sapped here. Aside from the intro, and perhaps some other beats like "Are You Ready?", "And I Love It" "Pusshhhhhh" and "Murs Inatra", half of these instrumentals are generic, sappy, and dull as a motherfucker. It's crazy how the beat on the intro was so good, and then that energy wasn't bought back once throughout this whole project, with only "Pusshhhhhh" even coming close to it. 9th let us down, then, but not as much as Murs, who really just did not deliver on this thing. Even though I already touched on the main issue of his flows being formulaic and really uninteresting, most of the lyrical content wasn't all that either. "Nina Ross" told an interesting tale, the fake out at the start of "And I Love It" was creative, and, as I said, his performances on "Intro" and "Murs Inatra" were stellar too. Other than that, everything was pretty bad. "Free" was corny and preachy", "Are You Ready?" did the opposite of what the title aimed to do - it turned the listener away - and "Marry Me" was one of the most horrible songs from Murs yet. Even the hooks were weak, except for that on "Pusshhhhhh", and most of the time they didn't bother with choruses, instead just speaking in-between each verse. Man, this was a bloody letdown. Let's just hope Murs left his best verses for Murs For President, because if that album is anything like this, then my Murs-athon might start to go downhill, fast. 

Expectations: Subceeded

Best Track: "The Intro"

Worst Track: "Marry Me"

Catch up on the other, far, far more positive Murs-athon episodes here.

Eminem - Infinite

What with Eminem releasing his new album yesterday, and the fact that this is the guy that actually got me into hip-hop in the first place, I figured that it was finally time to get on with the task of reviewing his discography. Yes, it's spotty, but that will surely make for more entertaining write-ups anyway.

In the early '90s, a young white rapper from Detroit named Marshall Mathers, going under the pseudonym M&M, got together with some other white rappers to form the group Soul Intent, and while their catalogue of tapes had some interesting cuts, it was clear that this group of white boys were never going to get taken seriously, and if any sort of career was to be made, they would have to split apart. M&M, now going by the better name Eminem instead, got straight to the task of recording a full-length LP and, with the help of some of his underground friends on the mic and behind the boards, he was able to release his debut album Infinite completely independently in late 1996, pressing the album up on cassette tapes and selling them from the trunk of his car in the streets of Detroit. Yes, it's a far cry from what Em would be up to in three years time, but back then he was ecstatic to be able to actually sell his own work, and manage to form some kind of following - remember, he grew up in an unfortunately rough household, dealing with a deadbeat dad and a mother who suffered from something called munchhausen, which meant she thought Marshall was ill constantly, and would feed him pills he didn't need. Managing to make hip-hop music and actually get people to buy it (albeit in small quantities) was a big thing for Em, albeit not quite big enough to get him the deal he so sorely aspired to. 

It would take a couple more years for an Eminem tape to fall into the hands of Dr. Dre, but back in 1996 Marshall was yet to invent the Slim Shady persona that would define most of his important music, at least up until he started collaborating with Rihanna and P!nk, with occasionally painful results. So was his pre- Slim music any good? Well, it's been a long, long while since I listened to this album (and Eminem in general to be honest), so I'ma go back through it, and see if my opinion has changed at all.

All songs are produced by Denaun Porter.

1. Infinite

Possibly the most surprising Eminem song in that it's his first, and also possibly the most technically impressive song of his whole career. Denaun Porter of D12 provides a masterful bassy beat which introduces wavy synths during the chorus, and it doesn't take a Stan to admit that Eminem absolutely rips this shit to shreds with some unbelievably good rhyme schemes, and astounding technical ability. The chorus on here is also absolutely phenomenal, being both catchy and equally as impressively written as the verses. "In fact, I can't see, or can't imagine a man who ain't a lover of beats or a fan of scratchin'" is probably my favourite line in the song, but there are plenty others that are great. A lot of people claim that Eminem was biting Nas for this song and album, but then again wasn't everyone to some extent? This shit is dope as hell, and something Eminem's many haters should probably listen to.

2. W.E.G.O. (Interlude)

Proof and DJ Head introduce the next song over a nice little jazzy beat. The presence of this interlude helps give the album that underground hip-hop feel, which I love. A rare instance of a skit that actually works.

3. It's O.K. (feat. Eye-Kyu)

Eminem once again proves to be an incredible MC on this song, giving rhyme schemes to rival the best of the times, but unfortunately he is let down heavily by his collaborators on this one. Denaun's beat is as dull as a loaf of wholemeal bread, and I don't know what in the late '80s motivational rap music Eye-Kyu thought he was doing with that hook, but it sucks nonetheless. I guess Em thought this would have a chance at radio play, but in 1996 this really wasn't what the hip-hop heads were looking for. Despite Eminem's stellar work with the rhymes, which touch on his having a daughter, and his daily struggle to earn money, this song doesn't really go down very well as a whole.

4. Tonite

Eminem takes another poppy and mainstream sounding beat from Denaun with some thankfully solid drums that distract us from the really boring melody. The rapping on here is pretty good, but not great, with Eminem throwing out random punchlines and disses to whack MCs in a way that doesn't make you go "ugh", but doesn't make you go "oooh" either. Also, the chorus sucks. I remember this used to be my favourite song on the album, and why that ever was I don't know. 

5. 313 (feat. Eye-Kyu)

Man, I thought this album was about to be trash after those previous two songs, but thankfully this song really picked the pace up a lot. On this one, we get quite a gritty instrumental from Denaun, and a pretty great chorus that kinda reminds me of that "what you know about MCin'" bridge from GZA's "Living In the World Today" track released the year prior. Eye-Kyu rips the first verse apart with some great rhyming, and Eminem drops some of his best quotables yet, with "your ass forgot, so just in case you don't remember me I'll run your brain around the block to jog your fuckin' memory" being an absolute favourite. I also loved the jazzy elements that Denaun bought into this beat towards the end. This shit is dope!

6. Maxine (feat. Three & Denaun)

After four songs of plain ol' rhyming, on this one we get more of a storytelling type track which serves to bash this prostitute they all like to fuck who has managed to contract AIDS. Or at least that's what I can make out. Eminem and Denaun both come across as bland and uninteresting, while the creatively-named "Three" manages to actually be the worst, what with his miserably grating voice. This song is mean-spirited and awkward, and the beat isn't any good either. Straight skip.

7. Open Mic (feat. Thyme)

Over a pretty hardcore instrumental, Eminem drops his most aggressive rhymes on the LP so far - "I used to give a fuck, now I give a fuck less", "If I wanna battle then I chase 'em in the Jason mask". Eminem's rapping on this track is pretty entertaining, as is the intense instrumental, but I must say my favourite element of this one is that hook from Thyme, who channels his inner M.O.P. for an absolutely manic performance. "MAAN who the FUCK passed YOU the mic??" I enjoy this one a lot. 

8. Never 2 Far

Aside from Eminem's hilarious delivery of the word "baby" during the chorus, and the dialogue throughout between Em and Denaun, nothing really stands out about this one. Eminem's motivational rapping is a bit cringeworthy, and this production is again just really mainstream and bland. I really could not give less of a shit about this track.

9. Searchin' (feat. Eye-Kyu & Angela Workman)

This one stands out on the album as being the only track to feature a female singer, which is something Eminem would become more and more familiar with as his career progressed. Production is again bland as anything, and the love raps from Em and Eye-Kyu are pretty dismal in all honesty, with the lyrical content being as sappy as a large tree. Also, Eye-Kyu's attempt at singing is probably the worst moment on this whole record.

10. Backstabber

Even though the hook that samples both Craig Mack and LL Cool J repeats itself way too many times, this is still easily one of my favourite tracks on this LP. Eminem spits a story about attempting to apprehend a green-haired psycho who's on the loose, and while his rhyme schemes are the most basic on here, the actual content is pretty interesting and fun. The instrumental is iffy, but the story on this one is what makes it into one of the best tracks here.

11. Jealousy Woes II

Anyone else think the melody in this beat (which actually comes from the LL Cool J song "Jealous") sounds almost exactly the same as that on Nas' "Dr. Knockboot"? This track is about a woman that Eminem is tired of being in a relationship with, and while it's kinda dull, this is musical heaven in comparison to the relationship songs he would do in the 2010s. In contrast to a lot of the other songs here, I actually enjoyed this one more than I remember. It still isn't very good, though. However, the Nas "The World Is Yours" sample was appreciated!!

Overall, Infinite is a mixed bag, an album that has a few very dope underground hip-hop tracks, and quite a few badly produced duds as well. Production on this album has two moods - gritty and grimy (examples being "313" and "Open Mic") or poppy and dull (see "It's O.K." and "Searchin", among others), and unfortunately it tends to lean towards the latter. I wouldn't say the production on this album is bad, but it is certainly bland for the most part, and that teamed with the abundance of weak hooks makes most of this album sonically uninteresting. If it wasn't for Eminem's intricate lyricism, this could have come out in the late '80s, and it's actually thanks to Eminem himself that this album is good at all. Where the only features who do a good job are Eye-Kyu on "313" and Thyme on the hook of "Open Mic", Eminem manages to kill a lot of these verses, with him clearly specialising in rhyme schemes and lyricism throughout this effort. Yes, some of the actual content on here leaves a lot to be desired, but at least Eminem is enough of a technically skilled rapper to keep me at least somewhat engaged most of the time. Unfortunately, his vocal delivery is nowhere near interesting or charismatic enough for these already boring beats, and a song like "Never 2 Far" or "Tonite" ends up being practically impossible to focus on. I will say that there are some fantastic cuts on here, with the title track being one of my favourite Eminem songs of all time, but outside of that there's really nothing that's essential listening here unless you're a '90s hip-hop fan looking for a way to get into Em. Then you can check out all of the best tracks. Steer clear of the rest of this album, though, as it really isn't that great. Thankfully, it was only a short amount of time before Eminem would redeem himself with the rise of a persona that would change hip-hop as a genre forever, and Infinite would be lost in the shuffle like so many slap bracelets. Thanks for reading!

Best Tracks: Infinite, 313, Open Mic, Backstabber

Worst Tracks: It's O.K., Tonite, Maxine, Searchin

More Eminem reviews to come!

Pharoahe Monch - Internal Affairs

Hey, look! A new post that isn't a reaction to a Murs album! Finally!

Having released three albums as one of the most celebrated yet underrated hip-hop duos of the 1990s Organised Konfusion, Queensbridge rapper Troy Jameson, who goes by the rather unusual stage name Pharoahe Monch, finally decided it was time to do what a lot of hip-hop heads wanted, and go solo. Working with Prince Po had given him time to out himself as one of the most complex and talented lyricists in the game, and albums like Stress: The Extinction Agenda and Organised Konfusion are testament to this. Or so I'm told - I've never listened to an Organised Konfusion album before. Yes, I know you want to reach through your computer screen and shout at me for daring to speak on hip-hop when I haven't heard the work of those two, but the truth is I am young, and there is a lot of hip-hop I haven't heard yet. However, that's not the main reason I have yet to discover OK's work. The real reason is that their CDs are ridiculously expensive on Discogs for some reason - hell, even the represses seem to go for a hell of a lot if in good condition, and since I hate to stream stuff if there's a CD out there, I've had to give those albums the miss for now.

How the hell did I get into Pharoahe Monch, then? Well, it's a funny story - I was on a free period in college one day, before this blog was even started (I can't imagine a time like that now), and I decided to trawl the charity shops for any cheap CDs. And guess what I found? Internal Affairs? No, but I did find Pharoahe Monch's second album Desire in an Oxfam, and since it was a lot cheaper than the ones on the internet, I bought it there and then. I won't spoil my thoughts on the album, as that's to be saved for the review, but considering I swiftly got into the man's music after, it's probably obvious what the outcome of that was. And that's what leads us to Pharoahe Monch's debut album, the highly celebrated Internal Affairs.

Now, Organised Konfusion tend to be heralded as a legendary duo nowadays, but back in the 1990s they were quite obscure, and so when Pharoahe went solo he couldn't just jump aboard Def Jam or Colombia with a quick look at the doorman - he would have to work for a deal. Around this time, underground label Rawkus Records was starting to pop off, and they'd signed such acts as Mos Def, Company Flow, Talib Kweli and more, and Pharoahe was the perfect fit for the label, being a conscious, experimental and highly talented MC. Rawkus therefore snapped him up, had him appear on some of their compilation albums, managed to get him on the legendary posse cut for up-and-comers - "The Anthem" (which introduced the hip-hop world to Eminem, Tech N9ne, Chino XL and to a lesser degree (as a lot of people already knew about him) Xzibit) - and then managed to get out a debut album for him, with a smash hit lead single, all in the span of one year. Rawkus really were a great label at that time - well, unless your name is El-P, that is. 

And, man, what an event for hip-hop Internal Affairs was. Firstly, we have the guest list on here, which is absolutely mind blowing. I mean M.O.P., Canibus, Busta Rhymes, Common, Talib Kweli, Redman, Method Man and Shabaam Sahdeeq mind blowing. Seriously, what a lineup. The producer list was nice as well, as we got contributions from DJ Scratch, Diamond D, The Alchemist and Pharoahe himself, as well as his in-house producer Lee Stone. But most importantly, we finally had a solo album from Pharoahe Monch, and the hype around this LP was immense when it came out. A shame, then, that the man in charge of sample clearance didn't anticipate how big of a single "Simon Says" would be, and didn't bother to licence the "Godzilla" theme music for it, therefore meaning the album was taken out of print shortly after it was released. Still, I managed to get a pristine copy of it, so it must have sold pretty quickly. But were the many that bought it satisfied with their purchase? Well, I can't speak for them, but I'll speak for myself, and the answer is... well, you'll just have to read the review!

1. Intro (prod. DJ Scratch)

Don't you just love it when a rapper tricks you into thinking that you're about to receive an inane pretentious spoken intro, only to instead give you a proper song? I mean, some of the best hip-hop songs ever have come through that, like DMX's "Intro" (from It's Dark and Hell is Hot), Common's "Be (Intro)", and Murs' "Intro" from Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. And this is up there for sure. DJ Scratch provides one of his more ridiculous instrumentals, and while Pharoahe does talk over it for quite a while, he does at least prove to be a funny and witty character, and not just a dark entity coming at you from the murky waters whilst carrying flames. When we get to the verse, though, is when things really heat up. Yes, it's short, but the manic wordplay and delivery truly show you what a wild ride you're going to be in for. "Smack a nigga in the mouth, stabbed his mother in the eyeball, I brawl like Mike Tys' in his prime. My advice, you think twice before you grime 'cause I'll wink once, your bitch is mine". I mean, what opening lines. I love this one.

2. Behind Closed Doors (prod. Pharoahe Monch)

As much as I love the opener on this LP, I think that this song here is even better. Monch flexes his wordplay over a haunting beat that seems to just get stuck in my head whenever and wherever, and I never get sick of it. Those drums, the piano keys, the weird synths - this is one of the best beats of all time, and the fact that Monch produced it himself is just incredible to me. This one actually does have a hook, but don't fret, as it seems Monch's hook game stands head and shoulders above most lyrical MC's choruses (think Tech N9ne and Eminem). The chorus on here is catchy as all hell, and Monch's two verses are some of the best I have ever heard from the man (bearing in mind I'm yet to listen to Stress: The Extinction Agenda - I'm sorry, OK??). This is one of my favourite songs of this LP, and might be one of my favourites of all time, full stop. "Pharoahe's the host, the audience and the motherfuckin' panellist!!". Classic.

3. Queens (prod. Pharoahe Monch, co-prod. Lee Stone)

One thing you'll notice on this album is that while Pharoahe is generally a conscious MC, a lot of this album leans away from that, and instead focuses on lyrical skills and wordplay. This is one of the exceptions to that rule, as Troy flexes his storytelling abilities over a masterfully poignant instrumental that comes straight from the mind of... Pharoahe again? Man, he should produce more often! Anyway, this one is a little darker, as Pharoahe tells the story of a young dealer named Donovan, who ends up getting shot and killed in a dark and sudden ending that seems to come out of nowhere. The chorus is repeated once at the start, then again at the end, but it's changed to reflect that he himself has changed following the witness of Donovan's death, a change that is perhaps for the worst. A powerful message, and contained in one of my favourite storytelling songs of the '90s. Man, this is dope.

4. Rape (prod. Pharoahe Monch)

Nope, that really is the title. I know, I know. On this one, Pharoahe spins a more aggressive and disturbing approach on Common's "I Used To Love H.E.R.", and spends most of this song talking about how he's effectively going to "rape" the instrumental, and then verbally "rape" the listener. Jesus. This song is actually pretty good too, if uncomfortable to listen to - I mean, Pharoahe's metaphors throughout are well done, and the scratching is also quite cool. The overuse of profanity in the chorus is a bit annoying, but otherwise this is good, and the sort of song that I feel only Pharoahe himself could have pulled off.

5. Simon Says (prod. Pharoahe Monch)

"Get the fuck up".

This song is one of the most iconic of the entire hip-hop genre - I mean, if you haven't heard this one then you must have been incredibly unlucky, managing to consistently avoid it when it's seen all over the place in hip-hop media. The Godzilla-sampling instrumental on this one is raw as it gets, and that first shout of "get the fuck up" manages to be both slightly creepy, and yet also incredibly energising. I mean, can you imagine this one not being a hit? I've seen a lot of people say that this is the weakest lyrical performance on the album, but to tell you the truth I don't see why. Pharoahe's bars seem to be as potent as ever, maybe with a little less depth and slightly less complex rhyme schemes - but that doesn't make them worse. And man are the hook and beat on here fire. If only we got Busta Rhymes on here. Or Redman. Or Method Man. I mean, imagine that!...

6. Official (prod. Lee Stone)

Another classic song? How the fuck is this even possible? For this one, Pharoahe seems to have taken influence from a certain Gary Grice song "Labels", as he spends this track including as many sports phrases and athlete names in his bars as possible. The hook on this one is legendary, as is the intense instrumental, and despite the fact that this isn't an entirely original concept, Pharoahe executes it in a way that makes you forget "Labels" ever existed, or "Publicity", which came out before this too. I also love the sort of fake out at the end, where Pharoahe appears to be ending the song with spoken word, before we get the hook, and then aNOTher verse. That's one of my favourite moments on this whole LP. Brilliant song.

7. Hell (feat. Canibus) (prod. Lee Stone)

For the incredible guest list that I mentioned above, it's interesting that it's taken to almost halfway through the LP to get to a feature of any kind. However, Canibus is a great lyricist, and the match up of him and Pharoahe had potential, and this was pretty much what we should have expected from them. The presence of Canibus in the booth seems to have sapped Pharoahe of his hook writing abilities, but at least he seems to keep the phenomenal lyricism we've heard so far on this LP, and that Lee Stone beat is perfect for a song entitled "Hell", as that's exactly what this track feels like. In the best way possible, that is. Pharoahe spits some weird as fuck and occasionally disturbing lyrics here, and Canibus manages to keep up with a phenomenal guest verse that stands as one of his best ever. This track is excellent.

8. No Mercy (feat. M.O.P.) (prod. The Alchemist)

Okay, now the guests seem to be flooding in. And what an epic this one is. Interestingly, The Alchemist originally made this beat for Prodigy (presumably for his debut H.N.I.C.), but Pharaohe heard it and just had to have it for himself, which Prodigy was cool with. A shame we didn't see the pair ever work together - that for sure would have been dope. Anyway, this instrumental is actually perfect for the absolutely enraged Mash Out Posse, who slaughter this one, but unsurprisingly not quite as effectively as Monch, who claims to be "taking the Earth's virginity" on here - that's quite the claim. The hook is great, but it's the verses and instrumental that really make this one of the best tracks on the album. I love the little musical interlude at the start too.

9. Right Here (prod. DJ Scratch)

DJ Scratch's second and final contribution of the evening (after "Intro"), and an interesting if slightly disjointed one. I don't know if anyone read my last review, but I mentioned how every rapper residing under this atmosphere would inevitably make a song dedicated to bigging up their hometown, and while you'd think "Queens" would be that song, it's actually this one ("Queens" actually portrays his home quite negatively). On here, Pharoahe gives us one of the most hyped up songs on the album, with a hook to make a disabled old man jump up and down in the mosh pit. This shit is nice, and don't think Pharoahe's about to sacrifice lyrical content for a banger - after all, Benny Rat told him to "never act sane on a record or rap plain". Also, I remember this song had a poorly put together remix with Xzibit on it, and I suggest every remixer listen to that song just to work out what not to do when remixing a song (and that includes putting Xzibit over this beat).

10. The Next Shit (feat. Busta Rhymes) (prod. Pharoahe Monch, co-prod. Lee Stone)

This song is often regarded as the worst on this whole LP, but I can't really figure out why. Pharoahe provides a groovy instrumental that reminds me of something I can't put my finger on, and manages to stand alongside Busta Rhymes, who if you remember was still in his prime back in '99, just before the disappointing Anarchy album dropped. Both MCs kill this one, and the repetitive chorus works a hell of a lot better than the one on "Hell". Pharoahe Monch's verse is incredibly skilful and technically astonishing, and Busta provides one of my favourite verses I've ever heard from him on here, with the lines "yo, Busta Rhymes, the imperial lyrical you heard, kill like the one syllable word, the criminal of the lyrical killing you pitiful niggas, leaving you in a critical, destroying your mineral" being possibly the best opening bars of any verse on the whole record. I don't care what anyone else thinks - I love this one.

11. The Ass (Introducing Apani) (prod. Diamond)

Every rapper's gotta have a weed carrier, but for Pharoahe's to be a female MC is quite unique - then again, he is a pretty unique guy all round. At first, this track sounds like it's about to be your average sex rap with a slightly more talented MC speaking on his shagging abilities, but when we get to the second chorus, we realise that it's actually something quite different, as we get the lady's view on sexual activities too. Why Pharoahe thought his fans would enjoy having "The Dick!!" screamed down their ears is beyond me, but otherwise I really like this unique approach to a sex song, even if it does end up being the weakest song here thanks to the content. It's still great, but not Pharoahe Monch great. 

12. The Light (prod. Diamond)

Whoever said only Common could make great love raps? (Alright, that might've been me, but you get the point). This is easily one of the best love songs in the genre, and is only slightly tainted by some of the other, less sensitive lines seen throughout the rest of this album. On this one, Pharoahe expresses his love for a woman that he first meets at a club, and then they get together and get on with... oh, you know. Fucking. (And yes, I know I used that before, but most readers of this won't know that anyway). The instrumental on this is absolutely heavenly, and Pharoahe also comes across as a surprisingly potent singer on the hook here, something surely no-one expected. Also, the build up to this song is just heaven on Earth, man. I know that a lot of hip-hop heads might dismiss this track, but please don't - it's truly fantastic. 

13. God Send (performed by Organised Konfusion) (prod. Lee Stone, co-prod. Pharoahe Monch)

Of course Troy couldn't go through this LP without inviting his buddy Prince Po along to record a verse. That would be just mean. Lee Stone and Pharoahe himself cook up a futuristic beat for this one, and Pharoahe and Po get a bit political and serious, with Pharoahe choosing to undermine his great singing performance on the last track by some horrific melodies at the beginning of his verse, which he thankfully irons out after a short while. After that, we just get two dope MCs spitting at the top of their games, and Prince Po sounds like a really great rapper from his verse here. Man, I'ma have to listen to Organised Konfusion's stuff soon. Also, another great hook - you know, for a late '90s rap album, these hooks really are excellent. 

14. The Truth (feat. Common & Talib Kweli) (prod. Diamond)

The final all-new song on this tracklist, and also the fourth to be titled "The (something)". I don't know, that's just interesting to me. I remember being really hyped about this song on first listen, what with Common being one of my favourite rappers of all time, and this generally being regarded as the best song here, and Common's appearance does make a lot of sense, as this is a conscious track, and Common was doing a bit of music with Rawkus at the time, even if he never officially signed to the label. Diamond D gets behind the boards for this one, and manages to produce the best beat on this whole record, outdoing "Behind Closed Doors", "Simon Says", "No Mercy" and "The Light" - I mean, that's a bloody incredible achievement for starters. And man, do these guys kill it. Pharoahe's verse feels reflective and wise, meanwhile Common's wise man tone never sounded better. I mean, that guy was speaking straight poetry from a young age. Talib Kweli also provides a fantastic verse to finish things off (even if really Pharoahe should have done that). And man are those female vocals nice. This might well be a top 30 hip-hop song of all time. Holy shit this song is good.

15. Simon Says Remix (feat. Lady Luck, Redman, Method Man, Shabaam Sahdeeq & Busta Rhymes) (prod. Pharoahe Monch)

"Simon Says" was such a popular single that Pharoahe managed to get three of the hottest rappers on the planet onto a remix of it, and inevitably this was chosen to be stuck on the end of the project. I would have preferred this on a stand-alone 12", as having the track on the end of the album decreases it's replay value (since we've already heard the original), but this cash grab doesn't stop the song from being great. Pharoahe kicks an all new verse for this one, Redman slaughters it the same way he slaughters everything, and man does Busta murder this one. I almost wish Busta went on earlier, just so I wouldn't have to sit through the whole song just to get to his verse (not that the song is a chore - it's just that Busta's contribution is that good). Again, it's placement here is a bit of a nuisance, but nonetheless this is a great all-star remix that any Busta/Red & Meth fan should check out right away. 

With Internal Affairs, Pharoahe Monch showed the world that not only could he handle an album without his partner in rhyme Prince Po, but he could go one step further and produce an absolute classic by himself, and one of the best albums of the 1990s. This album is utterly astonishing. Firstly, we have the beats on here, which range from pretty dope to some of the best instrumentals I've ever heard. I mean, Diamond D deserves to be in lists of top 50 producers of all time, just for that contribution to "The Truth" - and hey, "The Light" ain't half bad either. DJ Scratch's work on here is admittedly not quite as great as some of the beats he had cooked up for Busta Rhymes in the previous three years, but bearing in mind that Busta's work from '96 to '98 is my favourite ever, I think we can give Scratch the benefit of the doubt, and his work here is still very stellar nonetheless. And then we have the beats from Pharoahe Monch and Lee Stone (who often move as one judging by the liner notes), which are incredible as well, especially "Behind Closed Doors" and "Simon Says". How that man can be that good of a producer, and that phenomenal of a rapper is beyond me. And that leads us swiftly onto the rapping, and... based solely on this one album, you could say that Pharoahe Monch was the best rapper alive at this time. Yes, he isn't the best rapper of all time, as he's nowhere near consistent enough, but in 1999, I don't think there's anyone to match the phenomenal lyricism seen here. And for every song where he's just bragging and playing with words, there's another song with proper meaning, like "Queens" or "The Truth". Every single verse from the guy on here is dope, and the features all do their thing as well, with this album being host to two of my favourite Busta Rhymes performances, and possibly the most Common verse that Common ever spit. And make no mistake that the other guests treat their host well too. And, man, for an album that's got such incredible lyrics and beats, these hooks manage to stay up to par almost every time. Yes, there are about three weak ones ("Rape", "Hell" and "The Ass"), but there are far more that are catchy, and tie the song together perfectly. Put simply, this album is a must-listen for any hip-hop fan. Perfect beats, perfect lyrics and near-perfect hooks to make for a very nearly perfect album. This is an undoubtable classic, and proved Pharoahe as an all time great. 

Best Tracks: I'll probably end up listing them all, so I'll say that the number one song is "The Truth", and leave it at that.

Worst Tracks: uhh, "The Ass", but only because of that goofy chorus

More Pharoahe Monch to come - and I'll get to those Organised Konfusion albums at some point, don't worry!!

Murs-athon pt. 8 - Murray's Revenge

I didn't quite anticipate how much I ended up enjoying the previous two projects in the Murs catalogue (that would be ....The End Of the Beginning and Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition), and therefore the hype around his next effort is high enough that I've decided to listen to it right now. I mean, I've got the CD right here, so why not? Normal reviews are coming up soon too, though, and since it's the summer holidays, I'll have a lot more time to write over the next few weeks, so expect more frequent posts. And with that in mind, let's get on with the 8th solo project in the Murs catalogue.

After a fairly brief but incredibly successful stent working with underground giant label Definitive Jux, in which he released the two excellent projects I mentioned above, Murs decided to move on - this would prove to be a good idea, as the label went defunct just four years later, with El-P moving on to bigger things and most of the other "Jukies" falling off the face of the Earth - with the exception of Aesop Rock, that is. Murs seemed to want to remove himself from the shadow of the other, bigger artists on that label, and instead shine in his own right. He therefore made the decision to move to an independent L.A. record label called Record Collection, which was an interesting move considering there wasn't a single other hip-hop artist on the roster at that time aside from virtually unknown groups Brother Reade and Supreeme (well, unknown to me at least). Not only this, but he decided that instead of recording another solo album, he was going to team up with 9th Wonder once again to replicate the formula that made Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition so successful. 

It was to be another ten track album, but this time there were a few differences. This project actually had two features, one from Joe Scudda (who admittedly had a couple of uncredited cameos on the last effort), and one from Rapper Big Pooh, the other member of Little Brother who hadn't been on one of these albums yet (if you'll remember, Phonte showed up last time around). Also, instead of a measly one-page booklet, the CD I'm looking at now has all of the lyrics printed up on individual pages, which is actually a great idea in my opinion. The most shocking factor of this record, however, was that it was completely profanity free. That's right - a proper rap album without any swearwords. The thought is unprecedented. I don't know if I'm going to be able to cope. The lack of curses has an explanation, though - I've heard some of the earlier episodes of Murs' Best Rapper In L.A. podcast (highly recommended listening, by the way), and he mentions that he finally got completely drug and alcohol free about at the same time he started working on this album. This may have meant that he wanted to bring this new him into the booth, and if that's so then I appreciate it very much. And, hey - this was the first Murs album to chart on the Billboard 200, and it wouldn't be too long before he was signed to a proper major label, so clearly the idea worked in his favour. 

But will it work in mine? I've actually already heard three of these songs ("Murs Day", "Murray's Law" and "Yesterday & Today"), and I bloody love all of 'em, but I've got to remember that that was the case with Murs Rules the World too, and that ended up being his weakest album so far. Still, if this is anything like the last album (which the similarly old-school cover suggests it will be), then I'll be bloody happy, I can tell you. So let's get going! But not before I get this fucking fly out of my room...

Again, all songs are produced by 9th Wonder.

[*commence inevitably disastrous attempts to catch and get rid of the fly*]

1. Murs Day

Anyone else find it interesting how 8 years after this song, Murs formed a group with ¡MAYDAY!, and decided to call it ¡MursDay!, which is basically the same thing as this song title despite having no relationship to it? No? Well, I do. Anyway, this is even better than the intro track on 3:16 in my opinion. Murs absolutely rocks this incredibly poignant 9th instrumental with one of the best verses he has ever spit, and we can already see from this track that he's getting a hell of a lot wiser. "I'm better than your favourite rapper, but it don't take much these days for you to master the mic. Most of these rappers trapped in the hype, they makin' whole albums, only half of it's tight. So it never really have an impact on your life". I mean, these are just some incredible and incredibly truthful lyrics. I also really liked the shouts to some of his previous projects and songs on here, and even though I don't like when the beat cuts out on the word "genius", that doesn't stop this from being a classic Murs tune, and possibly his best opening track yet.

2. Murray's Law

I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but "Murray" seems to refer to the pairing of Murs and 9th, judging by the image behind the disc on their last effort, which labelled the pair of them as "fuckin' Murray". "Murray's Law" is easily one of my favourite Murs songs yet, as Murs takes a spacey and bouncy 9th instrumental, which utilises some incredibly catchy horns, and rips it to shreds with three of his best ever verses. That first verse is just quotable after quotable, and best believe he doesn't slow down during the rest of the track either. I also like the peaceful and positive lyrics on this one - who said you had to be gangster and hard to make great hip-hop? This is also one of the few times I actually appreciate the abrupt cut off. This song might my personal favourite Murs song ever, it's that wonderful. 

3. Silly Girl (feat. Joe Scudda)

It seems we've got to accept that these sex songs are going to become a running theme in the Murs & 9th Wonder collaborative albums. But hey, if they're all as good as this, then I'm not complaining. 9th Wonder provides another soulful and very atmospheric beat for this one, and Murs spits two verses about this girl who keeps attempting to get him back, but it just isn't going to work, no matter what she tries. These two verses along with the chorus were all really nice and fun, and then Joe Scudda comes in with the third verse and kills it with a performance full of personality and charisma. This may not be as good as "Never Eat" or "Freak These Tales", but it's still pretty damned fun nonetheless. Great stuff.

4. Barbershop (feat. Rapper Big Pooh)

9th Wonder provides yet another beautiful and incredibly relaxing instrumental, and up until guest star Rapper Big Pooh started rambling on at the end as rappers tend to do, this was an absolute joy to listen to. Murs and Pooh speak on their etiquette when going to the barbershop (or any social gathering for that matter), and with some general brag raps thrown in there as well, but the execution is just so fun and hilarious that you can't help but love it. Murs sounds quite a bit better than his guest, but nonetheless Pooh does his thing, and that chorus is one of the catchiest of Murs' career thus far. I absolutely loved this song. 

5. Yesterday & Today

Murs has never shied away from the more motivational material, and we saw him kick verses to get any depressive up and about on songs like "What Do You Know?" and "Sucks To Be You", but this is probably his most motivation focussed song yet, as it seems all of the verses are dedicated to getting you up and at 'em again. Now, there are songs like this that fail, but this ain't one of them. "How I look a grown man with my lunch in a box?" is a personal favourite line, as it makes you realise how that actually does look rather silly, but there are plenty more on here that are more well thought out than that - I don't know, that one just sticks out to me. Murs' hook game has also improved to no end since the days of "I Hate Your Boyfriend", as this shit is memorable as hell. 9th's sampling game has been on full form so far on this album too. This track was great.

6. Dreamchaser

Finally, a proper storytelling track, and this was the best cut so far since "Murray's Law" in my opinion. During the first verse, Murs talks about himself growing up, and dreaming of being like the hardcore thug he sees on the corner, who's constantly getting shot, going to prison, and in general not living the sort of life any kid should aspire to. This verse serves to show how the kids living in the hood end up wanting to pursue goals that they shouldn't, and the final line of the break "We all chase money 'cause we scared to chase dreams" is a quotable if ever I've heard one. The second verse is set eleven years later, when Murs himself has become the toughest and most feared guy on the block, and despite this he (spoiler) ends up getting shot and killed at the end, in an abrupt and rather harrowing ending. This is one of my favourite Murs songs, and the fact that he is constantly bringing these innovative messages to the table is truly astounding to me. Also, this beat is nice. 

7. L.A.

Since Murs is a hip-hop artist who comes from somewhere that isn't the depths of outer space, it was inevitable the "I love my city" joint was going to come at some point in his catalogue, and here we are. This is actually the most popular song on this entire album, which does make sense, as this instrumental is pretty unique, and the opening bars are catchy as all hell. These aren't some of Murs' most proficient verses ever, but for a track meant for a bit of club rotation, this is pretty great, and stays with Murs' hip-hop roots, a place I'm concerned might be left when we get to Murs For President. But that's a write-up for another day...

8. Love & Appreciate

Hey, look everyone! A Murs love song where he doesn't act like an insensitive and/or really sad douchebag! On this one, Murs spends the first verse acknowledging that his relationship is on the rocks, and that him and his lover no longer are seeing each other through the best eyes. On the second verse, he and her decide to fix things, and everything ends happily ever after. I wouldn't say I was incredibly mesmerised by this one, as the instrumental was easily the least unique and engaging so far, but nonetheless I did appreciate Murs' lyrical content on this track, and the sampled hook was nice. Solid stuff. Also, I'm surprised he didn't notice that "L.A." could stand for "Love & Appreciate" - maybe I'm looking into it too much.

9. D.S.W.G. (Dark Skinned White Girls)

Hilarious title aside, this song is actually pretty serious. From the title, I was expecting something satirical, but instead I got some empowering verses from Murs spit over what was easily the most tear-jerking beat on this whole thing. I'm actually slightly disappointed that Murs chose this instrumental for this topic, and not a darker storytelling song instead, as that beat just makes me want to start bawling my eyes out. In the best way possible, that is. Man, that beat was good, and even if the lyrics weren't suited to it, I still can't fault Murs for his thought provoking and very mature bars. I enjoyed this one a hell of a lot more than I thought I would, considering the title. 

10. Murray's Revenge

So far, Murs has not missed on a title track, so let's hope this one goes well. And, as I sort of predicted, it did, only to a further extent. This is not only one of the best 9th Wonder beats I have ever heard, but it's also easily one of Murs' better rapping performances. I'd advise anyone who says Murs isn't a great lyricist to chuck this track on, as it truly is a lyrical onslaught, and that 9th Wonder helps it go down as easy as a bowl of custard. This track was great man - but why'd the CD have to cut off so abruptly? Da fuck??

In conclusion, Murray's Revenge is pretty much on the same level as 3:16: The 9th Edition. I wouldn't say that this project has as good of a song as "Walk Like a Man", or as much of a banger as "H-U-S-T-L-E", but on the other hand 9th's production has slightly improved here, and there's nothing even remotely as bad as "The Pain" (and if there was then that would have been quite something). Yeah, I absolutely loved this record. If I was to make one criticism, it would be that Murs was a little too serious on this project and not as witty as he was on his earlier work, but as you get older you'll inevitably get wiser, and I guess we've just got to accept that Murs ain't gonna make another "Risky Business". Or maybe he will, who knows. And there was a notable lack of storytelling tracks, with the only proper one being "Dreamchaser", which is a shame as I always love Murs' attentive and often hilarious tales. However, it's best that we get to the positives now, as there are a lot more. Every single beat on this thing is incredible, bar none, and 9th Wonder really outdid himself here. Sure, I said that "Love & Appreciate" was a bit duller than the others, but even that one would still stand great on its own. And looking at the best instrumentals - "Murs Day", "Murray's Law", "Dreamchaser", "D.S.W.G.", "Murray's Revenge", I could go on. The beats I named there are easily some of the best Murs ever rapped over, and man did he do them justice. Sure, there were three songs dedicated to the ladies, as there were last time, which is a bit overkill for an album that's only ten tracks to begin with, but at least Murs seems to know how to approach that topic with variety and good intentions at this point, instead of making another "I Hate Your Boyfriend" or "The Pain". "Dreamchaser" was one of his best storytelling songs, "Yesterday & Today" has some of his most uplifting verses, and the more braggadocios tracks are some of the most effective I've ever heard from Murs. I'll have to take a little more time to decide whether this is better or worse than Murs 3:16, but either way, it's another brilliant record, and one I highly recommend. It's no surprise Murs managed to get a major label deal after this - I mean, how many classics can you make before being noticed? And a "classic" might just be what this is. 

Expectations: Exceeded, considering I wasn't sure if this would stand up to the last album.

Best Track: "Murray's Law"

Worst Track: "Love & Appreciate"

More write-ups about the man that's swiftly making his way towards my top ten to be found here!

Murs-athon pt. 7 - Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition

....The End Of the Beginning, Murs' 4th (or 5th, depending on where you look) studio album, marked a new era in the man's discography - one where, after years of touring constantly and selling tapes by himself out on the streets, he was finally getting pressed up properly, and getting distribution nationwide. Signing to Definitive Jux was a fantastic move on Murs' part, as the label was easily one of the hottest and best in the early 2000s, and his first release with the label proved that he could still make an underground masterpiece without being actually properly underground. If you haven't read my review on that yet, be sure to check it out, as I'm pretty proud of the review itself, and I also absolutely loved the album, so if you did too you might find it an agreeable read. And, hey, if you didn't like that album, maybe you'll enjoy leaving an unsatisfied comment, or something like that. Point is, just read it!!

Anyway, following this fantastic release (which has been on repeat for me over the past couple of days), Murs decided to do something a bit different. Instead of creating your average early 2000s rap album packed with over an hour of music, and enough producers to fill the Grand Canyon, Murs was going to release a concise 10 track album, entirely produced by one guy. This may seem like a fairly normal idea now, but in 2004, that was a pretty interesting direction, especially for a rapper like Murs appealing to the casual hip-hop heads at the time. It was at that point possibly the third boldest move he had made yet in his career (behind forcing you to write your own track titles in instead of providing them, and having his toy collection on full display on his album cover). Now, being that this was also going to be released through Def Jux, one may think he would enlist El-P for production duties, or if he was unavailable, maybe Blockhead or RJD2. And while the idea of these potential albums are probably enough to make underground rap fans orgasm on the spot, Murs instead headed for a producer he had never worked with before at all - 9th Wonder.

9th Wonder had made a bit of a name for himself in the early 2000s, providing instrumentals for Jay-Z, De La Soul, Masta Ace and his own group Little Brother, but Murs and the Def Jux scene was a whole new world to him, and some probably wondered if he would be able to live up to lofty expectations set by the excellent production work seen on ....The End Of the Beginning and other Def Jux releases of the time. But against all odds, 9th Wonder not only pulled this off, but went on to do it six more times in the future - that's right, Murs & 9th Wonder released 7 albums together as a rapper/producer duo, and are currently one of the most celebrated examples of that set up, next to the likes of Gang Starr and Nas & Hit-Boy. Therefore, Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition (a title which combines Murs' birth date with 9th's stage name) stands as the genesis of this fruitful relationship, but it's not only that. This is also arguably Murs' most popular album full stop, and has some of his most well-known songs ever on it. Him managing to get John Cena on the remix to one of these songs may have helped with that, of course, but still, tracks like "Bad Man!" and "Walk Like a Man" are considered legendary Murs tunes to this day. Going into this thing, I haven't heard a single song, but considering how well-received this is, and how great of a rapper Murs was at the time, I think I'm going to be in for a treat. Expectations are high, therefore, and I think that there's a good chance they'll be matched. Let's not get too hopeful though, now! Because we certainly don't want a repeat of when I listened to that new Ghostface Killah album...

Every song is produced by 9th Wonder.

1. Intro

Rather than go for the pretentious spoken word usually seen when a song is titled "Intro", Murs gets straight into the rapping on this one, and the song is not what I expected at all. After the now signature shout of "What up tho?", which I loved for old time's sake, we get what sounds to be a smooth and soulful instrumental that's what I would expect from a producer named 9th Wonder. Once the verse begun, however, the instrumental switched up into a weird, electronic beat that was mesmerising and energetic, and worked in all the right ways. Not only this, but Murs flowed perfectly over this beat, showing himself to be even wiser and more calculated than he was on his previous effort - the delivery of the line "9th got 'em fielding for the instrumental version of an album that ain't out yet" was dope as hell. This was truly a brilliant way to start proceedings. 

2. Bad Man!

One of Murs' most popular songs ever, and you can see why, as this song is pretty damn catchy. The little "Bad Man!" sample during this chorus is the sort of thing that should be ear-piercingly annoying, but instead it makes this chorus into a fun little ditty to break up the verses. 9th's instrumental for this one is quite slow paced and rich, and even though I thought it was a little monotonous at first, I actually got into the groove of it as we went through the track. This song almost comes across as a better, more sensitive version of "I Hate Your Boyfriend" - I mean, they're both about sex, and they both come across as a little self-important, but at least this one actually has nice music to it , and the storytelling in the verses is a hell of a lot easier to listen to. This isn't fantastic, but for the "popular single", it'll definitely do. 

3. 3:16

Fun Fact: Just as I finished writing the introductory paragraphs here, a package arrived for me, in which was two vinyls. One was the single for "24 Hrs w/a G", and the other was a generic sleeve for this track (which I bought since the seller had it for cheap). I guess I'll find out now if the purchase was worth it. And, hell, it was! This track is all caps GREAT, as Murs takes an intense and aggressive 9th Wonder instrumental, and slaughters it with some of the best wordplay I've heard from the man - I mean, the rapping on here is just fantastic. "I'm a verbal martial artist like I'm signed to Shady Records" - not that being signed to Shady Records ever got anyone anywhere, but the line still sounds great in the track. This was the best song so far, and a Murs classic.

4. The Pain

Somehow, this managed to end up being the most viewed song on this whole album (on Genius lyrics, that is), which is odd, as this song is pretty dull if I'm being honest. 9th Wonder's instrumental is merely alright, plodding along in the background without much to make it stand out, and Murs' flow really did not contain enough energy to keep me engaged. And oh my god, these lyrics... this shit makes Hopsin look like the coolest guy on the block. Murs spends most of this song talking about his lack of success with the ladies, and while I appreciate that that might cause one to feel depressed, it certainly doesn't make for good content, and especially not on a rap album. "It didn't get me girls, or the notes in class. The same girls who used to tell when I pinched they ass" - I mean, what did you expect them to do? Start sucking you off on the spot?? Jesus, man! This isn't terrible, but it most certainly is a blemish on what so far has been a brilliant album. 

5. Trevor An' Them

Redemption is a word that could be used in many contexts, and I think it applies here, as my opinion of Murs was immediately redeemed (from that last track) and put to an even higher place than it was before, and just from this minute-and-a-half track. On this one verse wonder, Murs kicks a tale about how he accidentally ran into one of his old homies robbing a shop, who then took his mask off to say "hi", and got into Murs' ride with him, only to run off and accidentally leave the bag of money in Murs' car, therefore burdening him with the criminal evidence. This hilarious storytelling is easily one of my favourite aspects of Murs, and is just part of what makes his music so fun. Also, 9th's intense beat really helped push this track forward. This song was truly great.

6. Freak These Tales

Murs seems to take inspiration from Jay-Z's "Girls, Girls, Girls" with this cut dedicated to the gals, and while I'm increasingly worried about the number of songs for the ladies on here so far, I concede that this beats "Bad Man!" and "The Pain" in a similar manner to how Arsenal would beat Forest Green FC. 9th Wonder's jazzy instrumental is absolutely beautiful, and Murs provides us with storytelling and heartfelt tales intertwined with a bit of humour, packaged together to form one of my favourite songs so far. Why the hell isn't this one more popular?

7. H-U-S-T-L-E

One of the singles if I'm not mistaken, and clearly intended as the street banger of the album - something Murs hasn't really attempted so far in his career. This is the sort of song to make muh'fuckers wild out at the live shows, and I think it does this very, very well. 9th Wonder's beat is loud and bangin' as hell, and Murs absolutely kills this one with an incredibly catchy hook, and some brilliant bars delivered during the verses. "I can make a dollar out a dime when I hollar out a rhyme, from the school of hard knocks, so a scholar of the grind" was one of my favourites, but there were definitely a few in there that really did impress me. No wonder they managed to get E-40, Chingo Bling and John Cena on the remix!

8. Walk Like A Man

Man, that was a wild ride. First of all, I really like how there were multiple beat switches within this song, as that was pretty out of the ordinary for the time, and quite forward thinking considering how popular that idea of having the beat change multiple times is today. I especially enjoyed the second instrumental - that shit nearly bought me to tears. The main thing to focus on here, however, is the lyrics. This is a storytelling song, and it tells a tale of how Murs and his best friend pulled up alongside another car that appeared to have four girls in it, only the back seats were tinted so they couldn't tell. They were tryna spit game, but then they realise that the people in the back were actually other guys, and rival gang members at that. They started talkin' shit, so Murs' friend jumped out to shut 'em up. Before Murs could intervene, however, his best friend was sadly shot and killed. A year later, shortly after the funeral, Murs sees the murderer, and since he's with a friend who's holding a gun, he decides to shoot and kill the guy. It's pretty tough stuff, and the premise of the song revolves around how you shouldn't walk with a gun, as you might make a decision you'll regret later on, but also having a gun could provide defence when you need it. As for whether "walk like a man" means with or without a gun, the listener is left to decide. No words, man - this is phenomenal, and possibly the best Murs song I have heard so far. It's an astonishing work of storytelling, and I cannot wait to seek out the short film he made based on this song.

9. And This Is For...

Well, that was an interesting cut. On this one, Murs begins by schooling his fellow rappers on how just because they have money and jewellery to flaunt, that doesn't impress him, as he knows very well that really these generic thuggish rappers don't have real talent, and this is a sentiment I very much appreciated. In the second verse, he speaks on how he doesn't like the fact that people were treating hip-hop as just a fad, and also how he hated the idea that just because he was black, he was automatically "cool" - he didn't want his race and culture seen as a trend. Again, I appreciate it. And then, in the third verse, he speaks on how he doesn't want white people becoming the faces of hip-hop, in the way they did for rock & roll, blues and jazz - other genres pioneered by black people. This one is a little harder to appreciate, as some of the best rappers of that time were white (Eminem, El-P, Aesop Rock), and dissing them for that is a bit ignorant (looking at you, Mos Def, specifically the song "Rock N Roll"), but still I definitely agree that if hip-hop had turned white that would have been difficult to see, especially for the young black men who wanted to pursue it, and would have been crushed and ignored had it turned out that way. Murs really makes you think with that verse, and even though the song feels cluttered attempting to tackle three topics at once, 9th's soulful instrumental helps to tie things together well. This was great. 

10. The Animal (feat. Phonte of Little Brother)

The final song of the evening also happens to include the only guest rapper, Phonte of 9th Wonder's own group Little Brother. Over one of the best and most powerful instrumentals across this entire LP, Phonte reflects on his life and his relationship with 9th Wonder, and Murs chills out, choosing to spit some braggadocios rhymes to contrast the heavier content on the previous two songs. We also get a hook on here from Joe Scudda which is catchy as hell - come to think of it, all the hooks on here have been great. Anyway, this was actually one of my favourite cuts on the album, and the reference to Busta Rhymes' "Call the Ambulance" was also a nice easter egg. Great stuff!

Overall, Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition is a fantastic record. Yes, there was one song on here which I wasn't crazy about, but even that one wasn't as bad as some of the stuff we heard on Murs Rules the World. And as for everything else, it's some of the dopest hip-hop I've heard from the mid-2000s. Starting off with 9th Wonder, the production on this album is really great providing fantastic backdrops that always fit the mood of whatever Murs is speaking on. The electronic beat on the intro was a nice surprise, as was the energetic title track, and then some of the more soulful instrumentals were also brilliant - especially those on the last three songs. I honestly can't say there was a single bad beat on here. And then, we get onto Murs, who has stepped his lyrical game even further on here. This is quite possibly his best rapped album yet. Some of the storytelling songs are incredibly engaging, not only the powerful and incredibly well-constructed "Walk Like a Man", but also the hilarious "Trevor An' Them", which got a laugh out of me on the final line. The braggadocios verses he spits on here are also very clever, with some great one-liners, and even the sex songs were well thought out - well, except for "The Pain", which had lyrics that made me want to take an iron to the face. "The Pain" is right - that shit hurts to listen to. Ain't it funny how the worst beat, lyrics and flows were all to be found on the same song? Other than that, however, the lyrics are brilliant, and Murs' flows are also cool and collected on here, with him sacrificing any double-time he had done on the last album for that calm and focussed delivery that allows you to take in everything he says with ease. Oh, and the hooks were also great on here, with not one that ruined a song. Shout-out to Phonte for a nice verse too. Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition may not be as diverse and entertaining as Murs' previous record, but if you're hunting for a concise, funny and at times beautiful listen, then look no further than this. Brilliant stuff, Murs. Just brilliant. 

Expectations: Matched (but only 'cause they were real high in the first place)

Best Track: "Walk Like a Man"

Worst Track: "The Pain"

Catch up on other Murs-athon episodes over here! And don't worry - I'll be sure to review some non-Murs 9th Wonder projects in the future.