Category | Arts & Living

CD Review: MURS for president

Published on November 4, 2008 by The Sentinel

    L.A. rapper MURS is on a mission: He wants to be the next big thing
in the hip-hop world. With his drive and determination, it won’t be
long before he accomplishes his goal.

    Spin magazine certainly seems to think so. “Call him Barack O’Drama—the rap game’s agent of change…Murs for President has a cumulative bang that’s impossible to deny.”

    In a recent interview, MURS shared with me why he is the real deal. When asked what sets him apart from other rappers, MURS replied, “I’m not cocky or competitive. I want to be the best and I’m going to work at it until I get it.” If that’s not modesty, then I don’t know what is.

    On his major label debut “MURS For President,” MURS brought in heavy hitter Snoop Dogg to record the song “Time Is Now.” MURS described his experience with Snoop by saying, “He’s a great guy. I was inspired by him. He’s really a genuine human being.”

    The album as a whole is a smash. It has many songs that are sure to be hit singles. When asked which song he likes best, MURS admitted that his favorite is “Everything.”

    “It’s one of the newest songs,” he said. “I think it’s the best song I have ever written.”

    Yes, you read that right. MURS writes his own material, every note and word. He explained that he has to. It came as a surprise to me; for some reason, I had always thought that rappers wrote no more than half of the songs on their albums. He also said that he was completely involved in the entire process of creating “MURS For President.”

    The inspiration for this album is also an original idea. MURS told me that “it was time to make songs about love. Songs that would comfort somebody.” The idea was so simple and yet so powerful. URB Magazine agrees, saying, “Murs wants to identify—to reach out and touch his listeners—and, at his best, he does exactly that.  That’s what the best politicians do, and that’s why Murs—founder of Paid Dues Festival—has declared his run for presidency (of rap).”

    MURS fans will enjoy this album. From start to finish, it has something for everyone. It offers an energetic and versatile type of rap music that has not been around for ages. My personal favorite is “Breakin’ Up.” This song offers listeners a chance to see the softer side of MURS; it talks about the feelings people have when they experience a breakup, which is something everyone can relate to.