Hodge, The Godfather of Interviews

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MURS

HODGE- I’m glad to finally do this interview with you man! Due to all of your success lately, it’s been hard to get a hold of you these days. During your recent National tours, did any particular city stand out as your favorite to perform in?

MURS- Since its you, of course I gotta say b-more. Shout out to the kids that stand out in front of the ottobar, the ottobar, my man Claw diggie, all the fans and of course M HODGE. But honestly there isn't a city I don't like to hit on tour because I purposely exclude them from the routing.

HODGE- The last time I was able to witness you rock the mic on stage, you had rap Legend SHOCK-G aka HUMPTY(of DIGITAL UNDERGROUND) backing you up on the turntables. He even performed the MURS/SHOCK-G hit single Risky Business along side you. That was a great collab by the way! Is their any talk of making another song with SHOCK-G? I mean cmon, the man does have a MURS tattoo now, lol.

MURS- Well, in recent sad news as I know you've heard due to the closeness of your relationship, SHOCK has retired from studio work. And I both feel and respect his decision. But it was an honor beyond measure to have him on tour. He is a musical mastermind and a pleasure and inspiration to work with. Oh yeah, professional and punctual never missed a show. But above all I am blessed to have him as a friend for life.

HODGE- I feel ya man. Even though SHOCK is officially done making music now, the legendary contributions of SHOCK-G and the DIGITAL UNDERGROUND will forever be appreciated and celebrated by fans everywhere.

HODGE- I can remember when I first met you in Baltimore. I was psyched cause I was gonna be able to suggest the idea of an interview with you. I went with yourself and SCARUB to an all night restaurant downtown called the Papermoon. The vibe in there sucked ass, due to an extremely rude(possibly racist) cook. However, the place had an action figure theme to it. I mentioned about a few of the old wrestling figures I noticed on the walls and BAM! The night was salvaged! You read it right folks, MURS also has connections in the wrestling industry BIG CONNECTIONS!

In fact, if you wanna see just how big MURS’s connections in the wrestling world is, just check out his new HUSTLE video starring WWE’s JOHN CENA. In case you readers aren’t up on who’s who in pro wrestling lately, JOHN CENA is a top dog in the business. In fact, he’s a current world champion! It doesn’t get much bigger than that.

HODGE- How did JOHN CENA and Yourself first link up?

MURS- Wow! Through our mutual friend Ian Davis. Now HE- Mr. Cena, is an amazing dude! I hate that I'm jocking people two questions in a row cuz it looks like I'm one of those Hollywood dudes who loves everybody. But you just happened to ask about two of my most favorite people in the world. I think we were initially linked up for me to do a song on his album. But it didn't work out due to timing. Anyway we kept in contact checking in with each other here and there. Barely missing each other when our tour schedules would cross. Sidebar= ok when I say keep in touch I mean once after the royal rumble The Big Show threw John out of the ring and you could see Johns leg get tangled in the ropes, he got up and limped off. Something was obviously wrong with his knee he might’ve even left with the medics. I was furious and worried. I called his phone immediately asking if he was alright and half ass threatening to exact revenge on the 7ft. Paul white. I didn't really know this guy from Adam, yet he took the time out to call back this insane rapper he had never met from the ER mind you. Just to tell me he was gonna be ok. Finally, after a PPV in L.A. he stopped through at my homies crib. I of course rudely bombarded him with industry questions. But he politely answered them all. Then said he had to go. Before he left I gave him a copy of the HUSTLE instrumental and asked if he would be on the remix. He said cool. Now being a man with only 10 days off a year I can't tell you how stoked I was when he delivered his verse via U.S. Mail to my house in under a week. A-MAZING! And for all the non believers, yes my man wrote that tight ass verse himself. He is the real deal. And true fan of the art and culture. Now for the video, he rented a car fresh off an international flight and drove to L.A. to meet about his upcoming film debut. Then he drove to south central to the video set, choreographed and shot his part in about an hour, then signed autographs for the whole hood for 2 and a half hours, and never once did his smile leave his face. Did I mention he was in south central L.A. with no security. There's not a platinum rapper I know who can say that! After signing autographs he got in his car for the 3 hour Drive to Fresno where he would get a hotel, wake up at 8am, find a gym, eat be to the venue @ noon, do the show, then immediately get on a bus and head back to LAX airport for another international flight where he has to wrestle as soon as he lands. The real deal people. I don't think I've met a more genuine human being.

HODGE- By the way, did you catch the ECW One Night Stand PPV? Your thoughts on it? Hell yeah it was! Just to be able to see all those devoted ECW guys working together again on one show was a hellava sight. You’ll dig the DVD man.

MURS- No damn you. But my boy has it for me on dvd when I get home. I heard it was awesome though!

HODGE- Hell yeah it was! Just to be able to see all those devoted ECW guys working together again on one show was a hellava sight. You’ll dig the DVD man.

HODGE- Alright, switching topics a lil bit. Your latest group project- LIVING LEGENDS Classic, is without a doubt one of the best albums I’ve purchased all year! I was a big fan of the prior LIVING LEGENDS album Creative Differences, but I think this new one far more impressive. Never Fallin, The Deepest Breath , and Down For Nothin are just a few of the Classic tracks on the album. All 8 members of the LIVING LEGENDS(including yourself) are obviously seasoned MC’s. Now you’ve been in the game for many years now. Out of your extensive catalog, which albums are still available in stores?

MURS- MURS 3:16 the 9th edition, the End of the Beginning, my 2 group projects- Three Melancholy Gypsies(me, Eligh and Scarub), and Felt 2 (me and Atmosphere). On July 26th my new dvd+cd Walk Like A Man hits the shelves. And finally 9th Wonder and I have a new project coming late fall called Murray's Revenge.

HODGE- You occasionally slip in an old Melancholy Gypsies track in your albums. Since your success has grown rapidly these last few years and the demand for more and more MURS material is increasing, is it possible that the fans might see a re-issue of your older 3 MELANCHOLY GYPSIES album?

MURS- No, the new one is coming out, but the old is staying underground for now.

HODGE- I’ve occasionally read rumors on the net that fans have seen you wilin’ out at ICP concerts on the West Coast. Any truth to this rumor that you’re a closet Juggalo?

MURS- Nothing closet about it. And I always show clown love to any and every Juggalo that comes to one of my shows. And I’m definitely interested in doing a song with those dudes should the opportunity ever arise.

HODGE- Hey, thinking back on all the big tours you have under your belt, do you have any wild from the road stories you can share with me?

MURS- Man so many. I’ll give a simple and short one. I once got head on the dance floor at a club in Japan.

HODGE- Is their any artist out there now that you haven’t collaborated with yet, but would like to?

MURS- Yeah tons, but the ones I felt I HAD to work with are already in the bag. So I'm just interested in working with anyone with whom there's a mutual respect.

HODGE- Alright, before we finish up with this interview, how about a lil game of word association. I’ll just throw out a random artists name and you tell me the first statement that comes to mind.

MURS- Dope.

SHOCK-G - Wise.

E-40 - G.O.A.T.

KURRUPT- Vocabularic havoc.

SAAFIR- Innovative.

TECH N9NE- Grind.

SWOLLEN MEMBERS- Everywhere.

HIEROGLYPHICS crew- Pioneers.

YUKMOUTH- Real.

SONDOOBIE- Porn.

CYPRESS HILL- OG.

HODGE- Alright, since I hardly ever get to interview big wrestling fans, I’ll throw out some wrestlers names as well.

MURS-

SHELTON BENJAMIN- Wish he’d get a bigger push. One of the few black wrestlers not made to play up some street image. And a very good wrestler who shocked the world @ Wrestlemania(where I was ringside, and yes, I paid for my own ticket).

RANDY SAVAGE(Well, he’s also a rapper these days)- One of the all time greats, and not of rap.

RANDY ORTON- The future. Along with CENA. They have the potential to have one helluva rivalry.

BATISTA- Fantastic.

VAMPIRO (Former WCW Tag Champ, International Wrestling Legend, Former JCW Champ, and of course my Homie)- Hodge, please make him go work for Vince. I miss him. He is Awesome!

MIC FOLEY- Great author and wrestler. Foley Is Good.

ORLANDO JORDAN- I hope he beats JBL’s ass. Because I like em both. It would be a great match.

KURT ANGLE- Future Hall Of Famer. Never disappoints.

BOOKER-T- A staple.

HODGE- Alright folks, there ya have it. Be sure to pick up the new MURS cd/DVD titled Walk Like a Man in stores everywhere on July 26th. A big thank you goes out to MURS himself for taking time out of his hectic schedule to conduct this interview with me.