Keith Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keith Murray
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Murray in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Keith Omar Murray |
| Born | May 29, 1972 |
| Origin | Central Islip, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Labels | |
Keith Omar Murray (born May 29, 1972) is an American rapper from New York. He is famous for his unique rapping style and for being part of the hip hop group Def Squad. This group also includes other well-known rappers like Redman and Erick Sermon. Def Squad released their first album, El Niño, in 1998.
In 1994, Keith Murray released his first song, "The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World". This song was a big hit. Soon after, his first album with the same name came out. People really liked his music. His rapping style has been described as "spaced out, complex, and multi-syllablistic," meaning he uses many words and complex rhymes.
Contents
Keith Murray's Music Journey
Starting in Hip Hop
Keith Murray began his music career using the name MC Do Damage. However, he later decided to use his real name, Keith Murray.
In 1993, a friend named K-Solo introduced him to Erick Sermon. Erick Sermon is a member of the famous group EPMD. Keith Murray then appeared on Erick Sermon's album No Pressure. He was featured on a song called "Hostile." Music critics praised Keith Murray's rapping skills on this track.
First Album Success
Because of his strong performance on "Hostile," Keith Murray signed with Jive Records. He then started working on his first album. His first song, "The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World", was released in 1994. It quickly became very popular. Erick Sermon produced the song and also sang background vocals. The song reached number 3 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
Keith Murray's first album, also called The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World, came out in 1994. It was a big success and was loved by many. The album sold so well that it was certified Gold in August 1995. This means it sold over 500,000 copies! The Source magazine, a well-known hip hop publication, gave the album a high rating.
Working with Other Artists
Keith Murray became very well-known and appeared in a Coca-Cola advertisement. He also featured on songs by many other famous artists. These included "Be Happy" by Mary J Blige, "Can't You See" by Total, and "Home Alone" by R Kelly. He also appeared on both versions of LL Cool J's song "I Shot Ya".
For a short time, his appearance on "I Shot Ya" caused some misunderstanding with rapper Tupac Shakur. Tupac thought the song was about him. However, Keith Murray explained that the song was not about Tupac, and they resolved the situation peacefully. Keith Murray has talked about this event in interviews over the years.
Joining Def Squad
Keith Murray's second album, Enigma, was released in November 1996. It was also released by Jive and received good reviews. The album reached number 39 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It also reached number 6 on the R&B Albums chart. Keith Murray continued to collaborate with other artists, appearing on tracks by Busta Rhymes, UGK, Redman, and Jamal.
In 1998, Keith Murray and the Def Squad group released their first album together, El Niño. This album was very popular, reaching number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It also sold enough copies to be certified Gold.
Keith Murray's third solo album, It's a Beautiful Thing, was released in 1998.
Later Music and Independent Work
After some time away, Keith Murray signed with Def Jam. He released his album He's Keith Murray in 2003. This album was also a success. It included the popular song "Yeah Yeah U Know It." The album featured guest appearances from artists like Busta Rhymes, Redman, and Jamie Foxx. In the same year, Keith Murray was even a playable character in the video game Def Jam Vendetta.
Despite the success of his album, Keith Murray left Def Jam soon after its release due to some disagreements with the label. After leaving, he decided to continue making music on his own, as an independent artist.
He released his fifth solo album, Rap-Murr-Phobia, on July 31, 2007. It debuted at number 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The main song from this album was "Nobody Do It Better," which featured Tyrese and Junior.
Keith Murray's Albums
Here are some of the albums Keith Murray has released:
Solo Albums
- The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World (1994)
- Enigma (1996)
- It's a Beautiful Thing (1999)
- He's Keith Murray (2003)
- Rap-Murr-Phobia (The Fear of Real Hip-Hop) (2007)
- Intellectual Violence (2008)
- Puff Puff Pass (2008)
- Lord of the Metaphor (2018)
- Lord of the Metaphor 2 (2019)
Group Albums
- El Niño with Def Squad (1998)
- In Gods We Trust, Crush Microphones to Dust with Canibus (as The Undergods) (2011)
See also
In Spanish: Keith Murray para niños
