Keith Murray: The Man Behind The Mic

Keith Omar Murray is a legendary Hip Hop artist born in Yonkers, New York. Murray’s career began in his late teens and has spanned three decades so far. He is often regarded as one of the most talented MCs in the game. Known for his creative and witty wordplay, as well as a complex rap style, he’s undoubtedly one of one. 

A Hip Hop legend, Murray’s music covers a wide variety of topics. Growing up in Long Island shaped much of his content, often spitting social commentary about his life and his surroundings. While his rap flow is almost irreplicable, that hasn’t taken away from its relatability. Keith Murray’s lyricism has hit close to home for many listeners, who continue to hail him for his unique, storytelling flow. 

Recently, however, Keith Murray's reputation has been marred by controversies surrounding explicit sex stories allegedly involving Shawwna and Foxy Brown. Both artists denied the claims but Murray's credibility took a hit, especially considering how much time has passed since these alleged incidents took place. Nonetheless, it led to N.O.R.E. of Drink Champs to announce that he had no plans to invite the legendary MC to his podcast due to concerns surrounding his mental health.

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K-Solo introduced Murray to the iconic producer Erick Sermon. At the time, Sermon had already made huge waves as a member of the rap duo, EPMD. Sermon was impressed with Keith’s impressive talents and proceeded to feature him on the 1994 single, “Hostile” from his album No Pressure. This feature proved to be a game changer for Murray, who was then signed to Jive Records. 

Within the same year, Keith Murray began work on his debut project. His first single, “The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World” was released to critical acclaim. Proving his delivery on “Hostile” wasn’t a fluke, Murray began to garner much anticipation for his debut solo album. “The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World” hit a peak of 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 and served as the lead single of his debut album of the same name. 

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Following the stellar reviews for his debut album, Keith Murray was a valuable product throughout the 90s. He collaborated with Mary J. Blige, Total, and LL Cool J, with the latter featuring him on the infamous song, “I Shot Ya.” Murray’s music continued to evolve, eventually becoming very personal, featuring themes of spirituality, love, and loss. His 1996 sophomore album, Enigma, also received rave reviews.

In 1998, Murray, Redman, and Erick Sermon officially released an album, El Niño, as Def Squad. In the same year, his third album, It’s A Beautiful Thing, hit the airwaves. However, it’s important to note that his third album was released without his permission while he was incarcerated. Murray eventually signed with the powerhouse music label Def Jam Records after serving time and released his fourth album. Titled He’s Keith Murray, it was a return to critical praise following the mixed reception of his third project. 

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Despite his success, Keith Murray’s career is not without its string of controversies. After appearing on two versions of LL Cool J’s song, “I Shot Ya,” Murray’s lyrics were believed to be a diss towards Tupac. Feeding the East Coast-West Coast beef, Tupac’s infamous shooting at Quads Studios occurred mere months before the song was released. Furthermore, the song was believed to be a response to Biggie’s famous track “Who Shot Ya?” However, Murray and Tupac met in person and squashed any tensions that would've led to a full-blown beef. 

His career also faced a glitch when was arrested in 1995. He was accused of hitting a man with a barstool during a fight and was sentenced to three years in prison. Murray maintained his innocence but turned himself in by 1998. After his release in 2001, he released his fourth album under Def Jam Records. However, his union with the label was short-lived. Murray was dropped soon after news surfaced that he allegedly choked two label employees.

He made headlines earlier this year for detailing alleged sexual relations with Shawnna and Foxy Brown. He received major backlash for explaining in detail the events that reportedly occurred. Brown responded to the claims, tagging him a “crackhead” and “dope fiend.” Murray further raised eyebrows after videos of him exhibiting questionable, intoxicated behavior surfaced online. 

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