Gnawledge Records

Murs Interview
By Canyon Cody
Published in The Heights

Canyon Cody: On your new album you say, "I wanna blow up/ but I don't wanna go pop." Why do you think some artists refuse to sell out, and why do others seem to have no problem with it?

Murs: It's just the respect you have for yourself and for hip-hop. I'm too proud of my music to do some stupid sh-.

CC: Do you think those other people, someone like Da Band or Loon, are proud of their music or do they just not care?

M: Loon is different situation. He's from my 'hood, he grew up near where I'm from. He's got some problems, decision-making stuff, and that's always been the case. I dunno, his brain wiring is all f-ed up.

CC: How has your life changed since you signed to Def Jux? Because even though it's an "underground" label, Def Jux still has the resources to really promote your album.

M: It's been good. Good and bad. I mean, I still haven't seen any money from Def Jux. In fact, I'll probably end up owing them money after this whole thing, but that's just the way the music industry is. I still haven't enjoyed the sort of success that I feel like I deserve, especially for how hard I work. I'm not blaming anyone; it's just not my time yet.

CC: On your last album you said, "If I don't go gold, then my people say I flopped/ But if I go triple platinum, I'm not hip-hop." What would be a success, in terms of sales, with your new album?

M: I'd be happy to move 100,000 units. I'd love to sell 13 million records of course; it's not like I'm trying to keep my album sales down because I'm in the underground or whatever. But I'm not 50 Cent, and that doesn't bother me. I'm not mad that I'm not friends with Ludacris. I like my group of friends. I'm proud to be friends with talented people like [Def Jux founder] El-P.

CC: How do you feel about people downloading your album from the Internet?

M: I totally understand why kids download. As long as they get my stuff and they like it, I can't really get too mad. I'm still a huge hip-hop fan like them. I go out and buy like three or four albums every Tuesday, but that's because now I'm in a financial position where I can do that.

CC: Has making hip-hop a profession affected your love for the music?

M: Yeah. I mean, that hasn't really happened to me yet, but I can see how the business could do that to you.

CC: Is that one of the reasons why you've been considering retiring?

M: Oh for sure. Really though, it's just that I don't really get along with others.

CC: Anything else on your mind?

M: Yeah, I wanna give a shoutout to John Cena and Trademark. And I'd like to say that Gordon from Sesame Street is an adulterer and a punkass b-. And you better come to the show.