Just how many songs can you rap about with the same repetitive subject matter? Apparently there’s never enough for Murs & 9th Wonder as they segue onto their next piece of work. Fornever is a sort of clever pun that can be interpreted a few different ways and it serves as the title for the 4th album released by this classic duo. The first of 10 in 2010 for Murs, he says. The question is, How much longer can they really keep it up?

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Murs opens the title track with a rock solid flow and is followed up by Kurupt, who throws it off a bit. As for the actual substance of this song, it’s nothing more than another pretentious bragging spree about how much better they are than you.

[wpaudio url=”https://www.thewordisbond.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/01-Fornever-Featuring-Kurupt-1.mp3″ text=”Murs & 9th Wonder – Fornever Ft Kurupt” dl=”0″]

‘Asian Girl’ may just be the worst song Murs has ever been on next to ‘Looking Fly,’ in my book. I can’t stand the extraordinarily boring and over repeated chorus much less the beat throughout the entire song. It’s really corny and even 9th Wonder’s production fails on it with a sharp Chinese lute of some kind in a constant loop.

Run out and get your ‘Cigarettes & Liquor!’ Now I get the sarcasm, but the list of offensive racial slurs as a hook are just unnecessary. It was although very catchy and i understand how someone might find themselves enjoying it at a surface level. A feel good beat to a song a lot people hold as the ideal of feeling good, as terrible as it is for them. Perfect match for this song right?

After listening to all the songs Murs has named after different women, the last thing you’d think you want to hear about is ‘Vikki Veil.’ This one’s about falling in love with a porn star. It was only a matter of time i suppose. 9th provides a tragic beat with the usual vocal sampling by repeating vikki veil and switching off to a better groove. The moral of the story: “Never let your dick pick who you fall in love with.”

[wpaudio url=”http://files.me.com/joselopes/9tsh51.mp3″ text=”Murs and 9th Wonder – Vikki Veil” dl=”0″]

‘I Used to Love Her (Again).’ Need i really say more? The lyrics are exactly the same as common’s original version except for a couple of facts Murs throws in about auto tune and money. While the overall message of this song is even more vital to understand in today’s world, i don’t think a nearly exact repetition was necessary. This track does it no justice.

The lead single ‘What the Problem is’ has the most progressive message in it. It does, however, bore me. It sounds a lot like previous would be revolutionary songs that become hit singles only to be completely forgotten in the next year or so. Sick Jacken from Pshycho Realm does make a appearance, but he doesn’t really shine as much as you’d like him to.

‘West Coast Cinderella’ is the most interesting song, to me, off the album. 9th actually takes his production in a new direction by putting together a sort of magical/mystical sound and mixing it with a West Coast vibe. The product isn’t half terrible. The story of it is a bit cheesy sounding with the fairytale twist, but it’s a real struggle nonetheless.

[wpaudio url=”http://files.me.com/joselopes/8qwrcw.mp3″ text=”Murs and 9th Wonder – West Coast Cinderella” dl=”0″]

Murs & 9th Wonder are two highly influential artists in today’s Hip-Hop world and seeing them go down like this scares me. Although they do encompass the west coast vibe to a certain degree, they didn’t quite capture that  something that makes us love it. Murs has gone to the mainstream and back and the effect that has had is apparent in these songs. I think everyone reading this is familiar with 9th Wonder as he has achieved legend status in such a short period of time with his masterful production. These guys are the face of underground Hip-Hip to more mainstream audiences, therefore, they serve as that link that would motivate people into looking into more of it. If they aren’t about progress, then that would reflect on their audience. At this rate, I don’t think I’d be casting my vote for Murs for President anytime soon.

Murs & 9th Wonder- The Problem Is

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[easyreview title=”Word Is Bond Rating” cat1title=”Lyrics” cat1detail=”It’s evident that Murs has skill, but thematically this is a fail” cat1rating=”2″ cat2title=”Production” cat2detail=”9th tries his hand at some different styles here, some aren’t so great” cat2rating=”3″ cat3title=”Originality” cat3detail=”Lacking” cat3rating=”1.5″ cat4title=”Replayability” cat4detail=”Some tracks are decent enough to replay” cat4rating=”3″ summary=”This is just another Murs & 9th Wonder album played safe, so hardcore Murs fans, this one’s for you”]

-Gerald