KEITH
MURRAY - "Enigma" Keith Murray has been known for
his lyrical rollercoaster rides where he makes his own words like "murderation"
and "beautifullist". Some say it's broken English while others think he's
being clever.. When it comes down to it, Keith doesn't give a sh*t what
the hell you say. He claims that on the intro to his new album titled "Enigma".
The keyboard sounds are in the background as he talks about how he's going
to do his thing no matter what.. not the most creative intro but it's much
better than the usual crap.. "Call My Name" is the first real song on the
album. Dr. Trevis, who usually starts off Redman's albums, says his peace
on this during the begining. It brings a unity to Def Squad's stuff.. Unfortunately,
Redman doesn't come in until later... "Call My Name" has a jumpy beat which
is much more stripped down and raw... nothing really fancy going on...
Still, it's a strong way to start the album. Murray does the chorus with
energy: "Call my name and I'll come running - gunning - All you bummy
n*ggas will get done in!" I think this is one of the best songs on
the album. "Manifique (Original Rules)" is another cool song with a bouncy
beat. It's full and thick with the background effects during the chorus:
"When I'm alone in my room, I stare at the wall and in the back of my
mind, I hear my conscious call - Keith Murray! (rock-rock on) Original
rules, original rules..." It's a cool track... nothing wrong
about it. "Whut's Happin'" is a slower and a little more boring track.
Though it's not bad, it seems like Mr. Murray isn't trying too hard on
the chorus: "You can do what you got to and say what you say but N*ggas
gonna come outside with gun play anyway. So I play the game and let the
ball bounce where it may and roll with LOD and Def Squad everyday".
I like the chorus but the way Murray delivers it seems too relaxed yet
forced... "The Rhyme" is the first single which has both excellent qualities
and poor ones. The music is thick and full. The laid back bouncy bass line
has a cool flow under Murray's rough vocals. "The most beautifullist
vocabulist punches emcees dead in their esophogus." Murray has some
great lyrics in this song but the chorus has a double effect: "It beez
like that sometimes cuz I can't control the rhyme! I said, It beez like
that sometimes cuz I can't control the rhyme! I keep it jiggy, jiggy, jiggy,
jiggy. Cuz it be wiggy, wiggy, wiggy, wiggy.." I love the sentiments
that say he can't control the rhyme out of his mouth.. he just expresses
it and if it causes trouble.. so be it! The only problem is that he goes
"jiggy, jiggy" at the end of the chorus. I know he was using the word before Jay-Z blew it up and before Will Smith made a complete and utter fool out of himself. It would be perfect if he replaced "jiggy" with "wiggy"... it reminds me of the hardcore Heltah Skeltah's "Da Wiggy". Still, the Rolling Stones said "You can't always get what you want". The fact Murray uses "Beez" in "It beez like that" makes him sound well... dumb. If he needed it for a rhyme, I would dismiss it but he doesn't...With all of the problems... I do like this song overall. "Dangerous Ground" is one of the best songs on the album too. 50 Grand is featured on the song. He does a pretty good job but comes no where near Murray's style. The chorus is cool and energetic over an organ influenced melody: "You're standing on dangerous ground, too close to the ground, let's see if you know the bounds.." I dig it for the stripped down quality which maintains an energy and hardcore threat. "Rhyming With Kel"
features Kel-Vicious and uses the same beat as "Get Money (remix)" where
Biggie sings... you know it... Anyway, the chorus is more upbeat on this
album because Murray and Kel go back and forth: "Who you wit? (Def Squad!)
Where ya' at? (L.O.D.)" Kel and Murray do have a chemistry and
they flow right after each other.. back and forth every couple of lines..
It's cool and refreshing because that's not done too much in hip-hop anymore
these days. "What A Feelin'" is one of those filler songs that are not
really important. The beat's okay but the chorus seems lame since you heard
it on L.L. Cool J's "I Shot Ya": "My style's all that like a big bag
of chips with the dip - F*ck all that sensous sh*t! The astronomical is
coming through like the flu bombing you!" Murray recites this with energy as someone in the background sings (or sampled) "Oooh-ohh what a feeling!" Maybe, I'm being to hard on him, huh? I think he's a talented man who can be very clever. With a chorus like this, he's selling himself short. "Hot To Def" is a dope song. It's one of the best tracks on the album after the lp grows on you. The samples are all sliced together and put in place. As Murray says in the background, "1000 degrees - 96 degrees in the shade!" A sampled from Redman's "Rockafella" is used : "He's heating up! Naw! Brother! I'm on fire!" The next song "Yeah" is probably the dopest on the album because of all the stars on it. "Yeah" features Erick Sermon, Busta Rhymes, Jamal, and Redman. Erick kicks it off beautifully and Busta does a fine job too though his voice is higher than usual... Murray has a great line: "Here's something you can all understand... F*ck you! Coming from the f*ck you man!" There should be more funny things like this in the album! Redman wraps the song up in his own crazy and wonderful way: "Slice your neck, stick my arm down your throat, tear out your artichoke!" See.. On Redman's albums, Murray is on a couple of tracks... just in the background and stuff. Redman should be in there more.... more ... MORE!!!! Well...anyway, "Love L.O.D." features 50 Grand and Kel-Vicious who were introduced on the album earlier. The beat is very similar to the others.. stripped down, laid back, raw and bouncy. They don't go back and forth like they should but they do interchange by asking each other: "Keith (or Kel or Grand) Let me ask you this question... why are you so nice in your profession?" They get a chance to explain and eventually they add: "I've been all around the world, what? battle me? Take this autograph home and give it to your family. All I hear is booty ass stinkin' wack m.c.'s sticky Do Rae Me Fa So Love L.O.D." I like it... it's a cool song but L.O.D. comes no where near the strength and lyrical force of Def Squad.. "To My Mans" features Dave Hollister doing the R&B hook where he sings "I keep holding on.." Here, Murray pays tribute to all his friends he lost in the streets. Death's a bitch, ain't it! Erick Sermon adds an additional feel when he rolls "To my mans..", repeating it 12 times. Though this song displays the harsh reality and outcomes of life in the street, the R&B hook makes it sound weak. I've lost friends too. The hook is sad but it's not overdone..Still,
the song's weak. "World Be Free" is a song where Murray tries to be clever.
He rhymes about how he's rhymed and traveled all over the globe. "Anywhere
I go, I definitely rep for mine cuz I'm constantly in a def squad state
of mind." This song's alright... not one of the best on the album..
The chorus has him going "I've been all around the world... going all
around the world cuz my world be free.." The album ends with "The Rhyme
(Remix)".. This is not too much different than the original and it's certainly
not better. The lyrics are the same and the beat's pretty much the same..
it's just not as full.. weak...Overall, the album is cool but somewhat
dissapointing because I feel Murray's selling himself short. On "El Nino" and the other collaborations,Murray raps some insane rhymes that stick in your mind permenently... It's a shame they don't as much on this album. Lyrically, the subjects range from getting money, jail, smoking, rhyming, not giving a F*ck about anybody, losing his mans from bullets, and cops. Overall, the rhyme is his subject.. He could have used the English language more and played with it... really screwing with out heads. Instead, he just does his thing and lets it flow. There should be more power...The beats are good but stripped down a little too much. There's not one wack beat on the album but I wish that some of
them were thicker. Erick Sermon did the usual excellent production like
on "Hot To Def" where he uses slices of Redman's "Rockafella" and "The
Rhyme" with it's sample use. The Ummah (who did A Tribe Called Quest's
"Beats, Rhymes, And Life") is a major influence in the stripped beats.
There should be more scratches and slices of songs and less keyboards .
I mean the production is cool but the Erick Sermon should have done all
of it and the Ummah should not have done any of it... Imagine, an EPMD
record or Redman's album with Keith Murray doing all the rapping... The
beats and production is less thick funk basslines and more laid back, jazzy,
groove. Keith Murray is original in the fact that his style is creating
his own ebonics and playing with the English language... The only problem
is that he does not do that on this album that much. The album does flow
nice with the exception that some of the songs are too long.. They should
be shortened towards the end and the rhymes should be kicked off when the
beats come in. Keith Murray is hardcore because he says what he says and
does not "Give a f*ck" what people think. I admire him for that.. he can't
control his expression... that's how it "beez"... Though he is hardcore
and does not smile, his topics are not as gritty into the hardcore lifestyle
of the ghetto.. There's no graphic blood, bullets, sweat and tears. Though
he'll probably knock your head off with a bar stool, he sounds like a friend
from down the corner. Still, Keith Murray is not that much of an enigma..
He can be figured out... He has the potential to make one of the greatest
or "beautifullist" hip-hop albums but this is more like a stepping stone..
"Enigma" is a good album but it's not too mysterious.
Beats: 8/10
Lyrics: 8/10
Production: 8/10
Originality/Creativity: 8/10
Album Flow: 8/10
Hardcore Rating: 8/10
[ Overall Rating: 8/10 ]
