The hip-hop American dream is typically based on the following formula: release one or two underground albums, spark interest from major label executives, sign a multi-million dollar record deal and proceed to superstardom while forgetting your roots. (Think 50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ mentality.)
So, when it was announced that California underground mainstay Murs signed with Warner Bros. to release his debut major label album, Murs For President, skepticism rightfully followed. His purpose — to spread positive, uplifting hip-hop to the masses, contrary to the gun-toting, crack-slinging messages that dominate the airwaves — seemed valiant, but whether Murs For President could overcome the capitalist push from his newfound bosses remained to be seen.
Murs’ “presidential campaign” begins with “Intro,” a relatively useless skit lacking any informative, entertaining or comedic value — the kind that major labels are so insistent on including in hip-hop albums. “Lookin’ Fly” features poppy production from the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am that does not mesh with Murs’ typically humble lyrics. “Can It Be (Half A Million Dollars And 18 Months Later)” uses the omnipresent Jackson 5 sample, with a young Jacko crooning over a tame beat. Meanwhile, Murs raps apologetically about taking so long to complete Murs For President, demanding to not be judged for ditching his indie origins.
Still, there are elements of Murs For President reminiscent of the countless superior albums and collaborations that his longtime fans are accustomed to. With the opening track “The Innocent,” Murs sounds superb rhyming over a chopped-up soul sample as he has done countless times before. “Road Is My Religion” is a powerful song about the arduous, yet rewarding nature of being constantly on tour, an aspect Murs has built his reputation on. Lastly, on “The Science,” Murs kicks some knowledge over a traditional breakbeat about his opinions on society and the state of hip-hop.
Unfortunately, the better moments of this album are far too few. Many of the songs on Murs For President are cookie-cutter commercialized and not catered to Murs’ modest, everyman style. “Time Is Now” boasts an intriguing Snoop Dogg cameo but, in the end, little substance, while the string of saccharine love songs near the end of the album grows tired.
To its credit, Murs For President does sound very polished, likely thanks to the piles of Warner Brothers’ money California legend DJ Quik undoubtedly received for mixing and mastering duties. But when it’s all boiled down, the album is far more generic than inspiring.
On the closing track, “Breakthrough,” Murs raps, “I’ma be happy, fame won’t trap me/ Catch me doing this for the money, then slap me.” While Murs truly is not money-driven, it does not mean that the money did not impede him from releasing the best album he could. Commercialized interests prevailed on Murs For President; while the album should sell drastically more than anything Murs has done before, but it is surely not his best work.
In fact, sadly, Murs For President is not even his best album of 2008. If you’re looking for that, check no further than the completely free, independent and digital release by Murs and producer 9th Wonder, titled Sweet Lord.
2 1/2 stars out of 5
