Keith Murray: Rap-Murr-Phobia

When I had the opportunity to interview Redman back in March (see "The Return Of Redman: Got To Stay Gilla"), he waxed nostalgic for an era before the Yung Jocs and Lil Mamas of the world became hip-hop staples -- a time, as he said, when rappers were superheroes: "Everybody was dope. Everybody made a change when they came out. [And] they had superhero names: Busta Rhymes, O.D.B, Keith Murray..."

At the time, I didn't quite see the name Keith Murray fitting into the superhero mold, but after listening to Rap-Murr-phobia, Murray's fifth solo release, I remembered the type of larger-than-life, comic-book quality that Redman was talking about. It may not have been his name, but there was always something about Keith Murray's animated delivery: cartoonish boasts, and a husky voice that gave his personality an edge.

Unfortunately for Keith, personality can only take you so far -- after nearly 15 years in the game, uninspired content (including a few truly awful skits) is still his kryptonite. Too many filler tracks prevent Rap-Murr-phobia from living up to the character behind it. Like his old Def Squad running mate Red, Murray brings enough witty metaphors and punchlines to make any verse listenable, but weak hooks and clichéd targets like gold-diggers ("Never Did Sh--"), freeloaders ("Don't F--- Wit Em"), and dudes who act out of line ("WhatMakeAN----ThinkDat"), become skippable half-way through the first listen.

Still, some standout tracks live up to the epic boast on Murray's booze and drug-fueled "Weeble Wobble," where he declares, "There's a billion and one MCs tryin' to blow up in a hurry, but none of them n----s is Keith Murray." And interestingly, it's often Murray's attempts at cross-over success that play into his strengths and feel the most unique. Tyrese lends a simple but catchy hook to "Nobody Do It Better," which sees Murray cementing his status in hip-hop with a little personal history. If Keith is too believed, it's because his achievements are nothing to scoff at. Along with introducing the world to the term "bandunkadunk," he rocked with everyone from R. Kelly to LL Cool J and personally introduced Puffy to Mary J. Blige and Total. Conceptually, the track has the feel of KRS-One's "I Was There," but without the grating simplicity and smugness. Murray rides Erick Sermon's smooth production flawlessly, achieving a single that should have got way more radio play than it has so far. Driven by a sped-up sample, "Hustle On" also showcases Murray's storytelling abilities as he reflects on his earlier days of drug-running and scrambling to get by.

Another standout is "Something like a Model," essentially the 2007 version of He's Keith Murray's "Candi Bar." Murray caught some flack for the commercial sound of "Candi Bar" in 2003, but the fact is that nothing suits his animated style better than girl-chasing. With lines like, "You're like a touchdown pass, something I couldn't miss," his non-sequitur and haphazard pick-up lines display a sense of humor and tenderness that most rappers lack. Indeed, as he begins, "You're not a professional, but to me you're something like a model," Murray sounds almost as tongue-in-cheek as Flight of the Conchords on the hilarious "Most Beautiful Girl in the Room."

At the end of the day, Rap-Murr-phobia probably won't have any rappers shaking in their boots. But while super-villains like 50 Cent rule the charts, Keith Murray packs enough personality to avoid fading into obscurity just yet.

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