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Murs Interview by Mike Saunders |
Wide-Eyed: So Murs for President, what kind of statement are you making?
Murs: It’s not so much a political statement, it’s more supposed to be the president of hip-hop, it wasn’t supposed to come out in an election year, it was supposed to come out two years ago. It just so happened that this was how it happened. The record, it deals with some social issues and reintroduces the topics of peace and love and unity into rap. Well, I guess reintroducing them into mainstream rap because they never really left the scene that I’m from. I’m just trying to get a little more positive and thought provoking and uplifting music out to the public.
Wide-Eyed: You’ve been working all through the underground of hip-hop and doing collaborations with artists on the underground all through out the country, do you feel that this record is more of an introduction to the mainstream?
Murs: I guess it’s going to be marketed mainstream and I guess so. The recording process was more how the mainstream artists do it and if I’m able to sell enough records it’s going to be my introduction to a mainstream audience, you know? I was able to mix the album better; thanks to the budget I had I was able to hire DJ Quick to mix the record so sonically it surpasses anything I’ve ever recorded as far as the quality.
Wide-Eyed: Speaking of sonically what can we expect from this album? The singles have had a Motown feel.
Murs: There’s a wide variety of things; the album is really all over. There’s not a lot of sample-based stuff, there is some sample-based stuff from 9th Wonder. It’s defiantly not too sample heavy, we used the one Motown record on “Can It Be?” The album is defiantly eclectic, it’s defiantly representative of the person I am. I’m into all different kinds of music and different kinds of things, so there’s live instrumentation, a rock record, there’s a gospel choir and then there’s the sample stuff and live flutes and then there’s scratching and there’s an element of everything that makes me who I am and all types of hip-hop.
Wide-Eyed: You seem to be conscious of a lack of diversity in hip-hop, when I was young I could turn on MTV and BET and see a De La Soul video and Ice Cube video and a Tribe Called Quest video. Are you trying to bring that type of diversity back?
Murs: The whole statement with Murs for President is the people that are in this country, we do have our rednecks, we do have our thugs, we have our alcoholics, our derelicts, our ultimate fighters but none of these people do we put as the leader of our county or at the forefront representing our country. I think in hip-hop the derelicts and the alcoholics and drug abusers and the womanizers have come to the forefront and that has become what represents our beautiful culture and I think that is a problem. I would rather it be someone like me. I’m by no means perfect but I’m far more articulate and far more intelligent and far more balanced spiritually, musically, health wise than most of these rappers, so I definitely feel like I should be at the forefront. I think there is room for Ice Cube and there’s room for gangster rap and there’s room for TI and there’s room for Soulja Boy but just not at the forefront. They shouldn’t be as dominant as they are. The lack of people willing to speak the truth and take a stand against some of the negativity, it doesn’t provide us with very many leaders. There’s Common and there’s Kanye but they’ll never say a bad word about any of the gangster rap because they want to sell records and they want to appeal to these people but I have no desire to appeal to ignorant people, I have no desire to be accepted by ignorant people and I have no desire to be grouped with other ignorant individuals.
Wide-Eyed: How has your experience been with Paid Dues and Rock the Bells?
Murs: It’s been a great experience Paid Dues and Rock the Bell’s is great. Paid Dues will be held annually in March in San Bernardino or somewhere in the Southern California area. People continue to come out and continue to support and I’d like to thank everyone who’s come out and supported us for three successful sold out years. On Rock the Bells everyone’s been really nice, Q-tip, Mos Def, De La Soul, they’ve really embraced me, it’s been great people and a pleasure to see everything.
Wide-Eyed: Cool, anything that you are listening to right now on the underground or otherwise that you are feeling?
Murs: As far as right now some west coast stuff I’ve been listening to is my friend Terrace Martin, he’s a kid who produced on my record and he’s got a mixtape out called Lock High that he’s been driving around the city just giving out to people, literally when he sees a group of kids just giving it out. He’s my friend, he’s really talented, he’s really arrogant and I didn’t want to listen at first but it’s been great. I’ve been traveling with Rock the Bells and it really reminds me of home and it’s just good Los Angels music. If any one can figure out how to go download it they should because that’s what I’ve been playing nonstop. It makes me feel at home.
Wide-Eyed: Anything to say to the people of Los Angeles?
Murs: I would love your support and I don’t know what I’d have to say besides go Dodgers and be ready hopefully to embrace someone who finally finally represents what LA is really like and not just drive by shootings and bandanas. Someone who embraces the whole Los Angeles experience and someone you can be thoroughly proud of, whether you are white, black, whether you live in Semi Valley or South Central. Someone who represents for all of us. September 30th, you won’t be disappointed, I hope you won’t be disappointed, music is all a matter of opinion. I’ve worked really hard for the last two years of my life to hopefully make a contribution to the legacy of hip hop. Also definitely to the legacy of Southern California music. From the Central Avenue jazz scene to current day, from Guns and Roses to every great Los Angeles group. Free Style Fellowship, Pharcyde and I hope to contribute to that legacy. And something that means something to everyone but hopefully means a lot to the people at home. I truly love my city and cherish the opportunity to represent it on a worldwide platform.
