Murs Interview

[D-Nice]

http://www.illuminati2g.com/mursinterview.htm

I2G kicked it with Murs for a exclusive interview. We discuss his latest album, Fornever with 9th Wonder, the status on his 10 albums in 10 months project and his very candid thoughts on the west coast. Check it out, for audio of the interview click on the link below:

http://www.limelinx.com/files/a42fe8c7dbb4808275a9f972808ca85c

Illuminati 2G is here with Murs how's it going?

I'm alright, and yourself?

Good. You recently released your new album, Fornever with 9th Wonder. Tell me a little bit about the album and how it came together for you guys.

The record is our 4th collaboration together and always around this time of year we make a record together. It is like clockwork and it is tradition and this time we got to record the album in Los Angeles, which was a big change for us. We normally would do the album in North Carolina so it was good to be home to record it.

What is the recording process with the two of you when you record albums? Does he already have beats on deck for you or do you create everything in the studio?

We pick out 12 to 15 beats and then he will play them for me and I usually come up with titles to the tracks within 30 seconds after I hear it, titles and concepts. I take 3 at a time home with me to go write to them and that is about it.

One of my favorite joints from the album is the track I Used To Love Her Again. What sparked you to do that song and how has the feedback been from it?

It has been great. There were some sample clearing issues but other than that the reaction has been great. A couple people said that it can't be done better, but I don't think that is the purpose to cover a song. Especially in hip hop, but for that song, that is how it came out and it was something that I wanted to do for a while.

Also artists cover enough rap songs to keep them current and alive. As far as creating a hip hop standard, and now there are not alot of songs like that in hip hop and everyone wants to do something original and new. Very few are doing things to pay homage and with the west coast, that song has always been a little sketchy (I Used To Love Her).

I never took offense to it, but it created a big rift between Ice Cube and Common, 2 of my favorite rappers. I felt like this track was a healing so to speak and also seeing the Dark Knight aspect to it. Common had become, for all lack of better terms, the new Ice Cube. Because he was the most successful rapper from that generation.

People go at Common to make another Resurrection like people go at Cube to make another Death Certificate. I always wondered if Common would ever think he would be in that position.

One of the surprises that I liked from the album was seeing Kurupt on 2 tracks. How did that collaboration come together?

Kurupt and I had been meeting each other at studio sessions and we have alot of friends in common. Terrace Martin, DJ Quik, Snoop Dogg, and I did a record intended for his album and when I called him for my project, I called him and he was happy to oblige and he came through and killed it.

It was not about money or managers, it was about reaching out to the big homie and him saying I got you. No problem.

Do you have any other singles or videos set to drop from the album?

I think the next one will be I Used To Love Her Again. Hopefully with Common's blessing, and to me him and Ice Cube are my 2 biggest influences, so to be able to do a video for that, and just for the visual piece to be cemented in people's minds. That song means alot to me and I don't know if I would push it as a single, meaning something that goes to radio or anything like that. But the next song that gets documented visually will hopefully be that.

You had mentioned earlier last year that you had the 10 albums in 10 months project that you were going to do this year. This that still in motion?

I was but I got stiffled with it. Someone stole my computer with all the songs, word documents and beats on it.

Oh wow.

That threw a wrench in things, along with some label politics but that is not going to stop me from having the songs that I have written. I know alot of people were thinking I was rushing projects with the whole 10 albums in 10 months but I had so much material built up from being on Warner Brothers for the past 4 or 5 years that it was to the point that it was there to be used.

So for me to rush it now with the incident and try to recreate it, it would not be a good idea. That is not the path my life is going in right now anyway. But there were some albums that were done, like the album I did with Terrace Martin entitled Melrose, a album called The Invincibles with a band called Holy Bread, and a comic book/album that I have online right now called Merch Girl.

You mentioned the laptop with your material being stolen, are you still going to try and release another album this year or are you going to fall back and regroup at this point?

Well those albums that I mentioned they were already done so they will all come out probably this fall. Then I will get back on the road to promote those projects. But yeah you will definitely hear 2, maybe 3 new projects from me at the end of the year.

Is there any plans for you to drop some new material with Living Legends in 2010?

It is a idea, I don't know if it is going to happen because there are so many people involved to coordinate something. But it has and is being talked about, it is just about schedules and people have families and they all have solo careers to manage.

What are your thoughts right now on the state of hip hop on the west coast? I mean we have this supposed Old West, New West "beef" and things are being stirred up.

I just had a conversation about this not too long ago. I think that it is hard for me to speak out because people want to take offense. I am not involved in all that street nonsense. I mean more rap nonsense because the streets is the streets, but I am not for any division of any kind. Of human beings really, whether it be religion and definitely not in rap and definitely not in the black community.

I think the New West is a movement that was needed, but at the same time we are a bunch of kids that grew up in the shadows of Detox. I knew there would be some backlash, but the way some of the elders are taking it is completely wrong. But also you have artists like Kurupt that is down with New West, DJ Quik is down with the New West.

It is not "new" in the sense of artists but new spirit and what I am going to claim it as, a new spirit of unity, which will hopefully extend to the streets and help get rid of this gang problem that has tormented the Los Angeles streets for so long. There is bloods, crips, old, new, latinos, everybody, backpackers, gangsta rap.

That is why I put together a Paid Dues concert with Ice Cube, Jay Electronica, Raekwon, Dogg Pound, Don Kennedy. People even forget about the Bay Area, San Diego, Portland, this is all also part of the west coast so if the new west means we are going to get unified and make good music, then I am all for it. Backpack, gangsta, pimp rap, all of it. To me my new record could be considered new west because it has Kurupt, Suga Free, Sick Jacken from Psycho Realm, and Uncle Chucc from 1500, with a east coast producer.

Absolutely, I agree with that. What are some new albums that you have picked up recently that you are feeling at the moment?

Aww man, I have not really had a chance to really get into anything. The last thing I got was E-40's double album and I love him to death so it is kind of unfair for me to even speak on it. I just bought the new Deftones album, I am a huge Deftones fan, Vampire Weekend is another album that I love to death. Other than that I have been listening to mixes and masters of my albums, but just now I am opening up my ears to what has come out recently.

Do you have any upcoming shows or tour dates?

I am on tour right now. I am in Fort Collins, Colorado and we are heading to the east coast and the south. We have been out for about 3 weeks already and have about 4 more weeks to go. Fornever In A Day tour, you can get the dates on my myspace.

What is your website information?

You get a free download if you sign up at www.mursworld.com. You can buy the album there for 6.99 digitally, 9.99 gets you a hard copy and digital copy. www.twitter.com/murs. www.merch-girl.com there are songs there as well.

Alright well that is all the questions I have for you, appreciate you getting down for the interview. This there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

Peace and love to everybody and thank you for checking me out. Thank you to Illuminati 2G for taking the time to interview me.

No problem. Appreciate your time man.

Alright peace.

[Laconic]

Thanks for bringing the interview to our attention, D.  I have a lot of respect for Murs...looking forward to any new material he releases.

[D-Nice]

No prob

[Blesswitskill]

Man I was lookin 4ward 2 dat !0 albums n !0 months shyt!! dat woulda been dope!!

[bullet_wrongkind]

murs is a wise dude. he had me lmao with this track on forever where he felt in love with a pornstar. what was her name? btw dope album with 9th wonder!!!

[LONDON!!]

Thanks for bringing the interview to our attention, D.  I have a lot of respect for Murs...looking forward to any new material he releases.