Search - Keith Murray :: Rap-Murr-Phobia

Def Squad revival

ctrx | 'bout to show you how the EAST COAST rocks... | 08/01/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Keith Murray's newest album is one of my most highly anticipated releases in a while. One of my favorite rappers from the 90s, Keith comes off a four-year hiatus and incarceration with his first independent release, "Rap-Murr-Phobia: Fear of Real Hip Hop." I've been so pleased with this album because Keith really does what he does best throughout on it. While the sound and formula is quite similar to his 90s classic LPs, the production and punchlines are fresh and updated. Keith's signature aggressive flow and hilarious one-liners are fully intact, as well as his darker, more personal tracks. Murray's great performance, combined with Erick Sermon's excellent production, makes the album a winner as a whole. Sermon's cosmic funk brings back the Def Squad sound, and it's incredibly refreshing. The first half of this album is practically flawless, and some of the best hip hop I've heard this year. The second half is predominantly collaborations with Keith's Legion of Doom crew. While L.O.D. are some good rappers, I find them similar to Redman's Gilla House crew in that they aren't as fun to listen to as Murray. This album is pretty similar in structure to Redman's recent release Red Gone Wild: Thee Album, because it brings back a nostalgic approach with a great performance, production, and collaborations. The end results are also quite comparable in quality. "Rap-Murr-Phobia: Fear of Real Hip Hop" is a very fulfilling release and a must-have for the old Def Squad fans.



Following a short intro, the tracklist begins with "Da F...ery," which makes a chorus from a classic Murray line ("I comes down breakin' ground / so back up off of me and sit yo a.. down..."). With a great beat and slick rhymes, this song's a great start to the album. I really like "Weeble Wobble" because despite its obvious club appeal, it displays Keith's incredible talent and mic presence. An early highlight is "Don't F... Wit 'Em," where Keith vents frustration and offers advice concerning freeloaders and fairweather friends. The beat starts off slow and vibesy, and once the horn kicks in it becomes really good. His rhymes are also really personal, dealing with his time in jail. "U Ain't Nobody" is a full Def Squad reunion, with upbeat vibes and a throwback Sermon beat that definitely brings back memories ("I don't play games, y'all dudes is Tetris / I kill MCs over Instant Message"). He shows his storytelling ability on "Do," where he recalls his crack-selling childhood over a classy beat. The first single, the Tyrese collabo "Nobody Do It Better," is excellent. Sermon's beat reminds me of the title track from The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World, and Murray and Tyrese both shine. Keith raps about his career and credentials, from coming up to working with Puff Daddy and LL Cool J. He raps again about his former drug dealings on the catchy, reggae-tinged "Hustle On," and former Def Squad affiliate and Illegal member Jamal collaborates on "Whatmakean...athinkdat." Method Man brings energy to "What It Is," which is followed by the decent L.O.D. posse track "We Ridin'." "Never Did S..." is okay but not one of the better songs here, a Unique collaboration where the two rappers rap back and forth about a relationship. The infectious love song "Somethin' Like a Model" has some excellent production and a soulful appearance from Junior ("Ma, you remind me of a parkin' ticket / you got fine written all over ya"). The album closes on a great note, with the chilling "Late Night," a running narrative with multiple characters of a murder.



"Rap-Murr-Phobia: Fear of Real Hip Hop" is so enjoyable because it's pure unadulterated Keith Murray. Everything that made him so appealing in the 90s is right here, and this album stacks up with his early LPs like The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World and Enigma. The return of the old Def Squad sound is refreshing. Now all we need is an Erick Sermon solo, and hopefully we'll have another Def Squad group album in the future. Keith Murray fans should buy this album for sure. For new listeners, I recommmend The Most Beautifullest Hits, a well-selected compilation of his early career, that might help them understand some of the references here. I highly recommend "Rap-Murr-Phobia: The Fear of Real Hip Hop," a highlight of 2007 thus far.



Please note that Amazon's tracklist is incorrect. The actual tracklist is as follows:



1. Walk Up (Skit) feat. Tone Capone

2. Da F...ery

3. Weeble Wobble

4. Don't F... Wit 'Em feat. Kell Vicious

5. I Love It When It Rains (Skit)

6. U Ain't Nobody feat. Redman & Erick Sermon

7. Do

8. Nobody Do It Better feat. Tyrese

9. Hustle On

10. Whatmakean...athinkdat feat. Lil' Jamal

11. What It Is feat. Method Man & 50 Grand

12. We Ridin' feat. L.O.D.

13. Da Beef Murray Show (Skit) feat. Taya & Baggy Bones

14. Never Did S... feat. Unique

15. Something Like a Model feat. Junior

16. Late Night feat. L.O.D., Ming Bolla, Bosie & Ryze"

The 90s revisited yet again.

Pablo | 08/01/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Last year seemed to be the year were the Wu-Tang Clan were reborn; new studio albums came from Ghostface(2, to be exact), Method Man, Masta Killa, and U-God, of the core eight members left, and we got a mixtape from Inspectah Deck and a remix album from GZA. With the exception of the rumored 8 Diagrams and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2, the Wu has been silent in 2007; in their absense, the Def Squad has filled their spot as the nostalgic group spot. Redman came back earlier this year with the good, yet tried Red Gone Wild; an album that didn't really show any growth out of the decade long artist. Rap-Murr-Phobia is virtually Red Gone Wild with Keith Murray in the driver's seat instead of Redman.



The Most Beautifullest Thing in the World is one of the best albums ever released upon the hip-hop culture. Keith spit some of the sickest rhymes heard at the time with an energy only matched by his Def Squad brothers. Enigma was his second classic album, and the problem is, his last. It's a Beautiful Thing and He's Keith Murray were both painfully average releases from what was once one of hip-hop's illest emcees, and it was presumed that Keith had fallen off. Four years later, and Keith returns, having lost his spot on the Def Jam roster, and now residing on Koch. Rap-Murr-Phobia maybe his first release on the Koch label, but it's no different than his last two albums in terms of quality, and four years later, with no really relevant producers featured on the album, Rap-Murr-Phobia seems even more out of place than his last album did.



The term 'real hip-hop' has gotten increasingly annoying, but luckily for us, Keith doesn't try to force the message that he IS real hip-hop down our throats like some other veterans in the game. While that's a positive, the sub-title still tells you to prepare for some 'wack emcee' industry rants within. Funnily enough, despite that, he still enlists Tyrese and Junior to croon all over his first single off the album, Nobody Does It Better. Keith's history lesson boasts on this track are a little tired; but the crisp beat from Erick Sermon, and sweet chorus put this track over as a winner. I'm not sure if it's something to be proud of though for popularizing the term badonkadonk.



Speaking of guests, there's a lot of 'em on here; no more than the average hip-hop fare, but a comeback would've been better suited with less unknown artists. While the Def Squad, Method Man, Tyrese and Junior collaborations are welcome, the rest of the guests(mostly members of Murray's L.O.D.) bring little to the table other than stealing some of Keith's spotlight. And while Keith Murray in 2007 can't touch the Keith Murray of old, he's still far superior to his small crew of emcees under his wing.



Rap-Murr-Phobia is, in the end, an average album from an emcee that was once exceptional. This album is Keith's Red Gone Wild, but the difference is, in 2007, Keith lacks the personality Red still has. It's definitely not bad, and can be quite good on occasion, but the disappointment still lingers in the air whenever this album is played."

Keith-Murr-Phobia

Nuisance | Miami | 08/20/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Definition: an extreme fear of Keith Murray becoming suspect. Before I start this review let me preface that I think Keith Murray is a lyrical titan. I think his first three album(The Most Beautifullest Thing, Its A Beautiful Thing and Enigma) were great but after he came out of jail he dropped a supergarbage album by the name of He's Keith Murray. He dropped some okay songs, threw a funny jab at Prodigy(allegedly he thumped Prodigy into the ground but I dont know that for certain) and now we here. If you saw that fire freestyle he recently had in The Basement and thought that this album is just like that freestyle guess again! This album suffers from weak hooks and surprisingly weak rhymes from Keith Murray. I like his introspective track with Tyrese called Nobody Do It Better. Erick Sermon(who hasnt busted a dope verse since E-Dub and Ja) rips U Aint Nobody along with Redman and Keith Murray and tracks like Do and Hustle On go in the honorable mention category. What It Is with Method Man and 50 Grand is cool lyrically but that hook is fishy. Same could be said about We Ridin which features his crew LOD. Jamal had the only verse worth talking about in Whatmakean***athinkthat. Weeble Wobble is a good first single and as a matter of fact its one of the best songs on the album. Da F***ery is easily the worst song on the album and that cheesy a** battle of the sexes record Never Did S*** with Unique follows suit. Something Like A Model is CORNY! Plus lines like you remind of a parking ticket girl/ you got fine written all over you and I dont know what toilet you crawled out of girl/ but your the s***, will get you slapped by the most easiest of broads. On Dont F*** Wit Em Keith Murray addresses a fake friends but his rhymes on that track were criminally suspect. Bottom Line: Rap-Murr-Phobia is not a terrible album but its not the best that a talented MC like Keith Murray can do. Simply put his freestyle in The Basement is better than this whole album. Keith Murray doesnt sound as hungry as he did 4 albums ago and that has to be the corniest album title ever! Its safe to say that Its A Beautiful Thing was the last great album Keith Murray made. Is it over for Keith Murray? I cant call it but if he continues to put out mediocre efforts like this we'll all be able to call it.

Standout Tracks: WEEBLE WOBBLE, U AINT NOBODY, NOBODY DO IT BETTER, WHAT IT IS , WE RIDIN, LATE NIGHT, HEY LADIES and REAL IN THE FIELD. Note: The last two joints are bonus tracks on my copy of the album."