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Keith Murray - "It's A Beautiful Thing"  Jive

 East Coast Hip Hop

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The third album drops with Mr. Murray locked away for 3 years after being on the run, completing this album, and numerous songs to keep him in the public eye. Following on from his past two efforts, the well-received "The Most Beautifulest Thing" and the less-successful "Enigma", this one is more like the Def Squad album in the sound. The somewhat southern funk that Erick Sermon seems to produce more of nowadays is in effect throughout.

The lead single is bouncy, yet laid back, with LL Cool J for an "Incredible" experience, but while it is good, it definitely does not reach those heights. A braggadocio effort. Subjects are explored like his own case, but alongside something like "Slap Somebody", it seems out of place when he is looking inwards on "Secret Indictment" or "My Life". The obvious track to get radio play is a team up with Canibus and Eve on "Some Sh*t" which is ok for what it is there for.

Keith Murray's unique voice complements his use of his vocabulary as he twists words to fit into his rhyme scheme, especially evident on the opening "When I Rap". A high point (no pun) is "High As Hell", reusing played out subject matter, but infusing it with a little new life. "Bad Day" flips Ice Cube's "It Was A Good Day" over the same beat but showing a different perspective. "Radio" is also another to check for. Keith Murray wraps it up with a DMX-style talk on life, wich is something you don't usually hear, knowing that he is a role model and delivering a message to his fans.

I feel that this album doesn't match up to his first joint, and it may have been rushed due to his own personal problems and being on the run, and sometimes the songs blend into each other rendering them on the periphery of your mind, and inconsequential, but if you listen to him, it is much more, and is more of the Def Squad album, although not matching up to that. - Roni


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