Who is Keith Murray? Keith Murray is an American rapper who rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the Def Squad, a hip-hop trio that also included Redman and Erick Sermon. He is known for his complex, multi-syllable rhyming style and his hit songs such as “The most beautiful Thing in This World”, “Get Lifted” and “The Rhyme”.
Who is Keith Murray?
Keith Omar Murray was born on May 29, 1974, in Yonkers, New York, but grew up on Carleton Ave, in Central Islip, Long Island.
For Ticket started rapping under the name MC Do Damage and was part of a local rap collective called Legion of Doom (L.O.D.), including fellow rappers 50 Grand, Ron Jay, and Kel-Vicious1.
Was introduced to Erick Sermon of EPMD by his friend K-Solo in 1993 and made his debut appearance on Sermon’s solo album No Pressure on the single “Hostile”.
He impressed critics and fans with his lyrical ability and signed with Jive Records shortly after1.
In 1994, he released his first single and album, titled The most beautiful Thing in This World, produced by Erick Sermon and featured background vocals by him.
The single peaked at number 50 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart, while the album was certified Gold by the RIAA in August 1995 and received “4 mics” by The Source1.
Murray continued to enjoy a high media profile by appearing in a Coca-Cola advertisement and as a featured guest on songs by Mary J Blige, Total, R Kelly, and LL Cool J1.
What happened to Keith Murray?
Murray’s career faced some challenges in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to legal troubles, label issues, and personal problems.
He was arrested several times for assault, drug possession, and driving violations.
Has had conflicts with his label Jive Records over creative differences and royalties.
Suffered from depression and attempted suicide in 2001.
Despite these difficulties, Murray released three more solo albums: Enigma in 1996, It’s a Beautiful Thing in 1998 and He’s Keith Murray in 2003.
He also reunited with Redman and Erick Sermon for the Def Squad album El Niño in 1998 and collaborated with them on various projects throughout the years.
In 2007, he signed to Koch Records (later E1 Music) and released his fifth solo album Rap-Murr-Phobia (The Fear of Real Hip-Hop), which featured guest appearances by Method Man, Tyrese, Junior Sanchez, and more.
He also participated in a rap battle against Fredro Starr of Onyx in 2014, which was widely criticized for its poor quality and lack of professionalism.
In recent years, Murray has been working on new music independently.
He released two albums titled Lord of the Metaphor in 2018 and Lord of the Metaphor 2 in 2019.
He has also been active on social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, where he posts videos of his freestyles, interviews, and performances.
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Keith Murray Career
Murray’s career spans over three decades and includes six solo albums, one group album with Def Squad, numerous guest appearances on songs by other artists, and several mixtapes.
He has worked with some of the most influential producers in hip hop such as Erick Sermon, RZA, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Rockwilder, and Just Blaze.
He has also collaborated with some of the most respected rappers in the industry such as Redman, Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, and Rakim.
Murray is regarded as one of the most creative lyricists in hip-hop history for his use of metaphors, wordplay, imagery, and humor.
He is also known for his distinctive voice and delivery that combine aggression and charisma.
Some of his most popular songs include:
The Most Beautiful Thing in This World (1994)
Get Lifted (1994)
The Rhyme (1996)
Yeah Yeah U Know It (1998) (with Def Squad)
Fatty Girl (2001) (with LL Cool J
FAQS ON KEITH MURRAY
Here are frequently asked questions on Keith Murray with some answers to them.
