Customer Reviews

He's Keith Murray

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is not a typical Keith Murray Album. He is obviously trying to make a commercial friendly album with as many radio cuts as possible. It's not what I want out of Keith Murray album but it's easy for me to talk cuz I'm not Keith. Keith has three successful Albums out and he is still broke. He's got attorney fees, and a bad reputation in the industry. I don't blame him for trying this kind of Album. People have to eat. Pray for Keith that he can find that happy medium between artistic integrity and financial success.

I first heard Mr. Murray on LL's "I Shot Ya (Remix)" in '95. To this day, that still remains one of the cleverest and thrilling verses ever spat out on a posse cut. Murray's style of machine gun rapping juxtaposed with intelligent, provocative, and cleverly masterminded lyrics have always grabbed my attention. He remains to be in a league of his own, though often compared to his Def Squad brethren Redman. I have always thought of Murray with a unique, underrated skill of rhyming - extremely different to the rappers of his time. Unfortunately "Hes Keith Murray" doesn't show the potential this emcee has. For one thing, this album sounds like a weak attempt of Keith "selling out" and becoming more commercialised. It lacks the raw production beats that appeared in his previous three albums, which collaborated almost synchronously with his unrefined style. Instead, what we hear is polished and clean-cut overproduced beats which seem to overwhelm and stamp all over Murray's voice and lyrics. Even the production by Def Jam's Erick Sermon seems to add on to the disappointment of this album, and the only thing that saves Murray is a guest appearance by Busta Rhymes who steals the entire show("On Smash"). The lyrics are obtuse and the punchlines and weak - Murray always had a way with words, and his way of getting the point across was second to none on previous albums. Even his lyrical content seems too ordinary- nothing here hasn't been done before. The overall ablum seems to be oversaturated by the style of most commercialised rappers and it makes me sad to think that an MC of Murray's talent would be wasted this way. But as a big fan of Murray, it will not stop me listening to him and hoping for a better improvement on his next release. People who really want to hear Murray at his best, please listen to "The Most Beautifullest Hits", a collection of his greatest works from `93-'99.

Keith Murray has long been one of my favorite rappers. Ever since The Most Beautifullest Thing, I have always eagerly anticipated a Keith Murray release. This one was no different. Unlike most, I had the little Free Keith Murray stuff, people down heya was like `He's Wack'. Till they came out with Fatty Girl that is and they recognized the skill. And we had to wait two years to get this album...and when it finally arrives, the album gets pushed back, Murray gets booted from the label, and Def Jam barely promotes the album if at all.

So what do we get? An artist whose songs get played on the radio ( Candi Bar, Yeah Yeah U Know IT, Da Bunk Song) and on video; but people have no clue when the album comes out or if it dropped already. Sad...because this has pretty much been the routine throughout Keith Murray's career. But you know Keith Murray never fails to deliver. His style, as expected after a 5 year hiatus in the rap industry, has changed a little. He's not the hostile mic strangler anymore, instead he talks more about current events and his life. This gives him more dimensions than he had when he started out trying to be the illest. This makes this album more `listenable', meaning you don't have to be in a certain mood to listen to it like his other album `Enigma'. Every song is solid and you can let the album play the whole way through without skippage. The thing that holds down this album is the skits...on "It's A Beautiful Thing", the skits were hilarious...here, they are just wack...and of course they slow down the pace of the album (It clocks in at a smooth 51 minutes).

With this album, Keith Murray is just shaking off his rust. You better believe come next album K. Murray will deliver his classic to the public...and I'll be right there waiting.

it's a great album anyways, its better than for instance REACT with Erick Sermon where the similaritys is obvious...

I'm telling you it's good: what more can I say?

I'm not getting anymore Keith Murray albums I like this for Yeah Yeah u know It and Chocolate Candy Bar but that is 2 out of like 17 tracks C'mon Keith did it sound good to you when you was recording it?

If you want some classic Keith (one of the tightest lyricists ever) check his early works from the mid 90's period. This album is pretty good, but nothing compard to his old ones (thanks Def Jam). He does still spit them great off the wall lyrics that made him famous and he still is in my list of one of the top MC"s ever. The booklet in the CD has all th elyrics on it as well. Only 12 songs, and 17 tracks (5 skits by Jamie Foxx) 2 are almost classic Keith, 4-6 are ok and the others are good, but not great. Production isn't the greatest for him on this one. Erick Sermon does 4 (1 with Pete Rock), Ruggedness, Quran Goodman, Just Blaze, Khalil, Clark Kent, Jazze Pha, Tone & Poke, Omen all do 1. Guests rap on 3 songs, and are on a good amount of the hooks. A good album for his fans but his early work is better.

#2 - 9.5 (f/ Joe Hooker - tied for best one on here)
#3 - 8 (f/ Jessica Rivera)
#4 - 7.5 (f/ Redman & Erick Sermon, Jessica Rivera)
#6 - 8 (f/ Patti Austin -- funny song)
#7 - 8 (deep song about his sister --- f/ the Group)
#9 - 7.5
#10 - 7 (f/ Redman)
#11 - 8
#13 - 7
#14 - 9.5 (great song & beat -- f/ Busta Rhymes & Kell Vicious)
#16 - 8.5
#17 - 7.5 (f/ Sonji Mae)

check all my reviews

I didn't like this album at all and Keith Murray tried to go mainstream and pop on this album. This album is trash. LOL@Candy Bar song hahahaha.

Anyone who gave this album more than 2 stars is a strait up stan. Keith Murray is dope emcee but Def Jam has their dirty finger prints all over this project. That label is a shell of it's former self and judging from this project so is Keith.

Murr been away for a minute, but any real hip-hop fan should cop this album and welcome his return. It's got a lil' somethin for everybody...and Jamie Foxx's interludes are insane! I'm not one too-quick to talk about what other artists should listen to in their off-season, but this album is definitely somethin these young catz and self-aclaimed legends should study before droppin' the garbage that's crowdin' the airwaves right now.

This album is nothing special,
But not bad to listen to,
Got some good songs but [...]!

Keith Murray is a nice emcee,
his style quitye remind me Redman~
So, just get it when it's cheap or you got so many dough to spend!

The Carange - Not too bad but not my favorite! 3.5/5

Oh My Goodness - The single outta this album! quite good but not best! 4.5/5

Yeah Yeah U Know It - Feat. Def Squad and produced by Just Blaze, the hottest in this album! 5/5

Candi Bar - The most commercial song in this album! Sounds good!
But for some reason, I feel this song will get old easily! 4.5/5

Christina - I think it's one of the best in this album!
Keith spit some really good lyrics, talk about his hustle, his father and sister death, a very serious sad song,
I like few lines that he spit, nice! 5/5

Sucka Free - Feat. Jamie Foxx, I like the beat! Good Job Erick!
One of The Best in this album! 5/5

Say Whaatt - Feat. Redman and produced by Jazzie Pha,
Jazzie's production is always great,
but this one is... well, too FUNNY, quite suck for me! 3.5/5

Da Ba Dunk Song - So-So! 3/5

Swagger Back - The beat remind me some stuff by Eminem,
Not really good! 3.5/5

On Smash - Favorite Busta Bus and Kell Vicious, Quite good! 4/5

Say Goodnite - Awesome beat by Erick Sermon, sounds really like some stuff from DJ Premier, Anyway, This one is Tight! 5/5

Child of the Streets - An okay song to finish! 3.5/5

A decent album to listen to,
and luckly, this album don't got any wack stuff,
it's so pleasure to listen to the whole album,
4 Star album!