At this point in his career, Murs has nothing left to prove. And yet, he still approaches each new project with a relentless sense of gusto.
On his latest album, The Iliad is Dead & The Odyssey Is Over, he teams up with longtime collaborator 9th Wonder and his collective The Soul Council. The title suggests contentment: there are no more battles to fight or journeys to embark on. But rather than throwing in the towel, he once again serves up music that’s both timeless and contemporary.
The Iliad is Dead & The Odyssey Is Over showcases Murs’ versatility. Over the course of 12 tracks, he hopscotches between irreverence to sincerity. The album opens with “The Hulk,” a laid back record that has Murs rapping about his veteran status over a smooth funky beat. Though he gets serious on the verses, he centers the song with a catchy, nonsensical hook: “I don’t mix my Henny with Coke/I call it the Incredible Hulk.”
Murs has brought on a handful of guests that similarly reject mainstream norms and match his nonchalance. He’s a great collaborator, allowing everyone to excel. “Cancun ‘08” has enticing performances from $ilk Money and Pookie Blow, while “High Noon” gives Rapsody and Reuben Vincent space to flex their talents. And “Super Cojo Bros,” featuring GQ and Cojo, is a notable change of pace, standing out on an album of Hip Hop soul with its swirling synths and bass.
Ultimately, Murs is at his best when he’s honing in on his storytelling skills. “My Hero” is a socially conscious track about a sex worker who after being exploited and traumatized, murders her pimp. He approaches the topic with zero judgement or condescension and goes out of his way to overtly address society’s blatant double-standards: “Sell sex in the US and no one protects you/So pimps and the pushas is who you connect to/Women, they judge you, they hate you, reject you/The oldest profession, yet no one respects you.”
Even if his bars occasionally verge on righteousness, Murs is also transparent about his demons, and at times, just wants to have fun. “Give Me A Reason” has him apologizing to his partner and begging to the point of self-deprecation and “Unicorn Glitter” contains some of the most sexually explicit bars in recent memory. Whether he’s being thoughtful or lewd, he maintains a high level of lyricism.
The Iliad is Dead & The Odyssey Is Over is a masterclass in collaboration and restraint. Instead of choosing the easy route of merely reiterating a legacy, Murs and 9th Wonder are pushing their sound forward. And thankfully, they sound as fresh as ever.
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Murs has a lot to prove.
Prove what? Fuck outta here.
Honestly, I liked the new LB album a lot better. This felt rushed compared to ‘Murs 3:16 the 9th Edition’ or their older collabo projects. Still had a few bangers though
This album was incredible from front to back. Murs and 9th Wonder did an impeccable job on this project. the replay value for this is very high.
HIS BEST ALBUM IN YEARS.
Dope album dope lyrics dope beats from Murs & 9th Wonder ?? another classic
sup with this lazy phoned in review! didnt even mention SIN…i guess the money just wasn’t there for the reviewer.
Pretty solid album. I hope he drops Love and Rockets vol 2 really soon too.
huge murs and 9th fan and this is without a doubt one of their best ever! murs sounds reinvigorated in his raps and the soul council couldn’t be more perfectly named with the fire beats they provided. ski beatz, seven, 9th wonder…murs has perfected the one producer/one MC formula.
What an album! So many great talents on one album. With the likes of 9th wonder, Rapsody, Pookie Blow, The Soul Council and more MURS delivers the songs that make people on the streets turn their heads. MURS for president!
Dope album it is..Murs and 9th wonder are the best
How can you deny his content.
This is complex emotions unraveling and giving solutions not just leaving you in the mess. This is what nature hip hop should sound like. Mira creates another masterpiece.
Beats are just as story telling as the lyrics.
MURS does it again!
This album is by far the best joint venture with 9th wonder & Murs imo. It reminds me of his “Have A Nice Life” album. Maybe I’m a little bias bc I’m a mega Murs fan, but this has to be my favorite Murs project to date! I keep changing my favorite song & in my opinion that means it’s a great record! When the album first dropped I listened to it 23 maybe 24 times in a row. I’ve lost track how many listens I’m into now since I listen to the record at least twice a day. The beats, the stories, the realism from this album makes Murs one of the greatest ever! Murs is in the convo for ? if you ask me. I don’t want to go into too much detail on favorites from the record cause I don’t want to ruin it for someone else. If you haven’t listened to this record, you’re missing out!
Murs has definitely outdone himself on this album. Every track and every bar in each verse hits. I’m looking forward to his next tour.
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A really solid listen.