If you thought the incumbent in the White House was the manifestation of the most ill-fated occurrences over the years, you certainly missed that the West Coast rap scene has had a severe fall off since its glory days of G-funk, NWA and Death Row.
As the nation anticipates its next savior, so does the Coast and Murs has announced his candidacy for the presidential election with his latest album, ‘Murs For President.’
The former Living Legends member takes on the mainstream realm after grinding it out with seven solo albums on the underground level. His Warner Bros. released record is his first under a major label after 10 years of building rapport with his fans worldwide, which even led to his own music festival at one point.
Although his funky-worn dreads might tell you otherwise, Murs’ (an acronym for ‘Making Underground Raw Shit’) newest album is entailed in the gang-infested streets of Los Angeles. Throughout the 15 tracks, his wisdom is on full display and complimented by an eccentric flow not many of today’s radio-flooding MCs possess. Simply put, his lyrical appeal will garner respect from a broad range of today’s ever-evolving rap fans.
In the song ‘You Think You Might Know Me,’ the Mid-Wilshire native spits from the perspective of a Crip, a Blood and a Cholo, showing that gangbangers are not guilty by affiliation. He starts the song with ‘Blue Chuck Taylors, blue Dodgers hat, 85 Regal, my daughter in the back. I’m just a gangster to most of ya’ll’ and caps off the bar with ‘weekdays I’m a RN at Kaiser, weekends at church I’m a youth advisor.’ The song goes on to prove that those who sport shaved heads, 501’s and a white T have more going on in their lives than the bandana swangin’ hoodlums they’re believed to be by their critics.
However, hardcore rap crooners might call for an un-west-man-like conduct penalty for the track ‘Break Up,’ a song in which Murs fully details the after-effects of a relationship. Even though he shows his ability to be unlike any of the competition on the voting ballot, it calls for impeachment from his predecessors.
Without mistake, the resources by way of Warner Bros. made the production quality and prowess behind his cuts more pleasurable through the likes of DJ Quik, Terrace Martin, Three 6 Mafia, DJ Premier and RZA, Snoop Dogg, will.i.am and the West’s newest chorist Latoiya Williams cap off his cabinet with feature appearances.
But before crowning Murs with any thrown in hip hop, see for yourself if he can profit on his mainstream meal ticket and lead this genre for a four-year term.
Three stars out of five.
