Customer Reviews

Murs 3:16

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Murs is one of my favorite rappers. He's not really all that skilled, at least on as far as lyrically assaulting people not the mic, but he has a really personal way of rapping that makes anybody feel like they can relate. I haven't heard any Little Brother so I don't know much about 9th Wonder other than this album, but he's been getting a lot of hype, so I expected nice beats and I got them. It's a good pairing. This album is short, which tends to be a turn-off for me, but on the bright side it doesn't get boring and there's no filler.

I bought this more for Murs than 9th. Most of the time on this album, he's story-telling and/or talking about women. The intro is a good way to kick off the album, with a good verse to get us in the mood and a nice electric beat from 9th Wonder. An intro that adds something to the album, not one of those pointless ones that needs to go. "Bad Man," "Rainy Days," and "Freak These Tales" are about women. The first is about how he just can't seem to be a nice guy and a player at the same time, the second about his troubles finding a woman, and the last about getting laid. With all these tracks, Murs does what he does best...he comes across as an average guy you might meet off the street, kicking rhymes about real life, but with his own quirky style to make it entertaining. "Sitcom rap," as he himself calls it. "Trevor an' Them" and "Walk Like a Man" display his story-telling abilities. The first is a just a funny story about a robbery gone wrong, but the second takes a more serious turn, talking about the death of his best friend and his quest for vengeance. Again, it's nice because he does it as a guy with problems and not a hardcore thug. "H-U-S-T-L-E" talks about his different methods for making money when he was a kid. It seems like it's taking a jab at rappers who brag about selling coke. "3:16" and "The Animal" are more or less battle tracks, which are Murs' weak point because he has neither the lyrics nor the voice to command the mic. Still, his slightly off sense of humor makes these worthwhile. "And This is For" is a total surprise, because it confronts real issues, which Murs didn't really do on his last album. He attacks thug rappers and whites who don't respect the hip-hop culture, which is dangerous but perhpas all the more admirable since most of his fans are white.

9th's production didn't blow my mind, but I can see where his success comes from. He reminds me of DJ Premier because of his skill for putting samples together and knowing how to set the right mood for each track. "The Pain," similar to RZA's "Rainy Dayz," perfectly captures the sorrow Murs is trying to get across. "Bad Man" is fun and energetic. "And This is For" sounds...how do I explain it...conscious. It matches Murs' grief at the problems in the hip-hop world. The "Walk Like a Man" beat changes between grieving for Murs' friend and truimph at his revenge. I liked the tones in the beats. My problem is their lack of intensity. You can barely tell the drums are even there, and the instruments just never seem sharp or aggressive enough. They suit Murs alright, since he's not a very intense rhymer, but they wouldn't be good for battling. You couldn't call them "hard beats." Maybe he makes them harder for other rappers, though.

In the booklet for Murs' Def Jux debut, it says "Murs is your best friend." I don't think that really came across as much here. Partly, there were more sad tracks, but I think it's largely because of the track "And This is For," which has caused a lot of controversy online. Maybe it's because I'm white that I think the thoughts expressed in this track lowered my enjoyment of the album, like I'm not 100% comfortable listening to it. Nevertheless, that song speaks the truth for the most part, and it would be wrong of Murs to make his music too "white-friendly" if that's not what he's feeling, so I still think it's good he put it on here and I commend him for making it. As for the rest of the album, his main strengths...personality, quirky humor, and story-telling...shine through clearly. One of the best in 2004 so far.

Seemingly one of the few rappers willing to take a commercial risk, Rapper 'Murs', heads into deeply personal and introspective territory with this most confessional of rap
albums. Harking back to the back template of just a rapper (Murs) & producer (the 9th wonder), they strip back on the flashy bravado and thug stories and produce a rap album more akin to introspective singer/songwriters.

Murs isn't looking to use this record to make amends for his life or the things he's done in his time, the stories here are of a gangsters daily life. but told from the perspective of an ordinary man/hustler, trying to make
sense of his way of life. Murs himself likens his personality more "Coldplay Than Ice-T".

And what follows is a (albeit Short), album of semi-interlinked
stories, told from the perspective of someone not completely at easy with his lifestyle.

Producer 'the 9th wonder', is something of a minor Revelation, by largely ignoring loud, beat heavy arrangements, and composing a series of tracks loosely based around samples of dusty classic soul and 70's funk.
(think 'Kayne west' style sampled arrangements). and its this production that adds to the subdued nature of the tracks. And gives the lyrics more substance & emotional attachment.

Those expecting the lyrics to have been 'watered down' due to the
introspective nature of the record, will be glad to hear that this is a harsh and unflinching collection of stories being relayed here. Murs doesn't shy away from looking at the material in a Cold, disinchanted and uncompromising
fashion. Whether it's finding no luck with women ("The Pain"), or detailing his sexual encounters ("Freak These Tales"), paying tribute to friends ("Walk Like a man"), or laying down a seething argument for the general publics love for white rappers, but failing to give just recognition to similar black
artists "And this is For....", everything is handled with a no-holds barred enactment, and will prove to be a difficult listen for some.

Admittedly there are few laughs here, as the mood is one of a cerebral, affected, & reflective understanding of his environment and the people around him, but those paying attention will notice the occasional tongue in cheek sense of humour, buried beneath the social commentary and self-examination.

As to whether this is a great album, thats not ever really in question, as Murs elevates himself into intelligent progressive hip-hop territory with the likes of "Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli", but because this is a confessional album of sorts, it'll prove more than a little heavy going for some, and is probably better suited to the occasional listen, as opposed to something that gets heavy rotation. Thats not to take away from this exceptional album, its just an album than covers so many subjects in such a short space of time (the running time of the album is no more than 35 minutes) that it truly needs the listeners full-attention to extract the best from it. But those willing to give the time and patience, this is easily one of 2004's finest rap albums. recommended

First Jay-Z drops the Black Album, then Kanye West hits us with The College Dropout, now Murs gives us another classic album. The beats are amazing thanks to 9th Wonder of course. and Murs gets very personal with his lyrics. Another thing I like about this album is that it's short, no filler, no skits, and every song is tight. The best 10 track album since Illmatic in my opinion. And since it's shorter than your average album I'll go through every track.

1. Intro - This is a short song but it's tight, I like the beat he talks over better than the beat he raps over. (4.5/5)

2. Bad Man - I love this song, the beat is sick and I like the voice in the background. (5/5)

3. 3:16 - Another tight beat and Murs rips it. (5/5)

4. The Pain - One of the slower songs on the album, Murs talks about how he can't get any women. (3.5/5)

5. Trevor An' Them - A funny story about how Murs bumps into his friend while he's robbing a liquor store. (4/5)

6. Freak These Tales - A great song about Murs' various relationships with women over another hot beat, I really like the chorus. (5/5)

7. H-U-S-T-L-E - This is a great song about how Murs used to try to hustle everythig except drugs. (5/5)

8. Walk Like A Man - This song starts out with a country type beat, then goes into a soulful beat, then finishes with a jazzy beat while Murs tells some personal stories. (4.5/5)

9. And This Is For... - This is a really deep song, Murs talks about how rappers nowadays are too flashy, and how he's losing all his black fans, and even though he has mostly white fans he's not selling as many albums as white rappers. (5/5)

10. The Animal (feat. Phonte) - The CD ends with a great appearance from Phonte of Little Brother. Murs tears it down once again, and the beat is tight, what more could you want? (5/5)

Four-and-a-half, rather. Dopeness abounds in this brief but beautiful effort that bombards you with lyrical niceties until the end, only to have you beg for more. 9th Wonder does a spectacular job of beat making here, Fruity Loops references and all.

Beats:
No doubt you have heard of 9th Wonder, the most noteworthy reference point being the critically acclaimed "The Listening" from his NC partners Lil' Brotha. He has also done beats for the likes of folks such as Jay-Z. On this album he creates an eclectic sort of atmosphere that wraps itself around Murs, both enhancing his lyrical potency and cultivating his mad man vibe. Check out "Bad Man!" and "H.U.S.T.L.E" to hear what I'm saying, dig? 9th nearly achieves perfection with this album, and is just what one would expect from the Fruity Loops master.

Lyrics:
Just like Murs is made for these beats, he comes to smash the world with everything he's got. Gems like "...throw my nuts on the finish line, cause I come to win..." never disappoint, and will keep your head nodding. He also tickles your funny bone with the joints "Trevor an' Them" and "Freak These Tales". Dude is on it like he has something to prove, making me admire him both for his simplicity and his fervor. This is more of what you need, and less of what you want, if you catch my drift.

Lasting Appeal:
Dope album, man. I mean, I was shocked that it was so short, but what I felt was that it was all meaningful and powerful as well. I just let the album ride on through for two days straight. Murs puts an assortment of joy, angst, poetry, and sorrow into his work, and I can appreciate the love with which it was handled. 9th has definitely gained a reputation of making some great music, and this is more of what you should already be accustomed to. Get this, kick back, and enjoy.

I recommend picking up The Rapper Big Pooh's new album "Sleepers" as well. Murs makes an appearance which is quite impressive.

Before picking up this CD, I didn't know too much about Murs other than he was one of a countless list of Living Legends. I did know that I like the Legendary crew, though, and 9th wonder so I figured f it, I'll give it a shot.

The album jumps off with a slow sample-infused beat, quickly changing into a driving uptempo hiphop beat to get your head knodding as Murs proclaims "Yes, Ninth really does make these beats on Fruity Loops." From here on out there is a quality and aesthetic value found on few hip-hop CD's released in the last year or two, as Murs (though not lyrically exceptional) drops rhyme after rhyme and 9th Wonder proves he is the truth. Now don't get me wrong: Murs is a great MC with a lot to say, but he does not have the expansive diction of a Talib Kweli. What he lacks in vocabulary and overall wow-factor he more than makes up for in lyrics that can be related to by just about anyone. All of the beats have a soulful feel as they have been the products of sampling not seen since....well, not seen (or heard in this case).

Of all the 2004 hip-hop releases, this stands at the top. It's worth the ten bucks for track #8 alone.

this is by far the best murs album. the production matches murs' incredible flow. a must for ANY hip-hop fan. I know it's only march, but this could be best underground hip-hop album of the year.

This is one of the best CDs that I have ever heard. If you can listen to the entire CD and not even think of skipping a track, then that is rare and special. Every song is equally spectacular, so in that way it reminds me of Illmatic. This is definately a classic, and I slept on it, but when I got it, I couldnt be happier. Pick this one up today and suppost a real hip hop artist.

I know im late, but im just now getting hooked in to Murs after i saw the freestyle he did with Eyedea. This album was good all the way through from beginning to end. All songs were catchy and had some solid hard hitting lyrics which is definately what rap today is walking away from today.
9th comes through as promised with great beats that just adds on to the creativity of Murs lyrics..this album is a definate purchase..why are you still reading this? GET THIS ALBUM!

I came across Murs from listening to Felt, which I came across from listening to Atmosphere. In my opinion this album is better than pretty much anything I've heard from Atmosphere. This album varies greatly in content, you occasionaly get a little Felt-like music, (Bad Man and Freak These Tales), and a track later you can get a very soulful song about pain and anguish like "Walk Like A Man." That song (Walk Like a Man) is my favorite track on the CD, with deeply insightful lyrics, multiple parts, a great story, and a sick backbeat. Other songs that really grabbed my attention the first listen were- Trevor Anthem (a hilarious track about an idiot gangmember robbing a seven eleven). H-U-S-T-L-E, a song about not being the typical hustler but instead doing everyday deeds to fund his dreams in music. Freak These Tales, a song that is deeply remeniscent of any Felt song, about Murs' developing sex life. Another song any hip-hop fan will like on their first listen is- The Animal. This is the only song Murs collaborates with anyone on, and it has Phonte from Little Brother. Phonte's verse is awesome on this track even though it is different from the rest of the album.

This song is really a story about growing up in the hood without being a gangster. Songs like "H-U-S-T-L-E" and "And This Is For..." really go into that quite a bit. In "And This Is For" Murs goes into how he doesn't not like white rap fans, but he thinks a lot of white kids would listen to white rap artists before they would listen to a black artist, because they can relate with their skin color more. Later in the same song he talks about how good music can transcend physical appearance. Like I said earlier this CD goes over a broad range of emotions, Trevor's An' Them is another excellent song, and then right after that you hear Freak These Tales, a story about Murs' love life, then "Hustle" a joke song about not being a hustler, then right when you start to think Murs is soft, you hear "Walk Like A Man," which really does make you sad.

This album is extremely well-produced, it includes a lot of sampling, and the beats are very well suit for their respective songs. You should definetly pick it up if you are a fan of underground hip-hop. It is not abstract like other Def Jux artists, just Old School-like hip-hop. Show Murs some love for an awesome track.

This album is nice. Original topics, simple but intelligent rhymes, and DJ Premier-esque beats make up a nice mixture for this album. Murs (although he looks little like Pastor Troy)came through with some witty and thought-provoking lyricism, and 9th Wonder dug deep in the crates for some vintage samples to go along with the hard hitting Fruity Loops drums and snares.

My Favorites:

Freak These Tales - Hilarious rhymes about getting the chocha; the beat makes you want to rewind it (it sounds like an Anita Baker sample with her vocals chopped up)

H-U-S-T-L-E-R - Creative ways to make a dollar, very interesting and head nodding track.

Walk Like A Man - Sad but thought provoking, life is definitely too short.

And This is For..... - This track maybe controversial for some but very real and to the point. Nice chopped up sample DJ Premier would be proud.

The Animal - I love this track. I would love to rip on this instrumental.

Overal, the album deserves 4 1/2 stars. One of the best underground albums of 2004. Go cop that "The Listening" by Little Brother if you love 9th Wonder's beats.