After serving three
years in prison for a 1995 brawl, rapper Keith Murray was released in May of 2001,
rejoined Def Squad family, almost immediately jumped on the hit record "Fatty
Girl," and inked a deal with Def Jam.
So with a hit single
getting moderate radio airplay and a new album, He’s Keith Murray being promoted
by Def Jam, why was he suddenly released from his contract?
"I got into
a disagreement with one of the n##### that work up there," Murray revealed
to AllHipHop.com. "He took the situation up into the office, saying things
like he couldn’t work under the pressure. I would call Kevin [Liles, President
of Def Jam] about certain things and it would be done with. This guy put a letter
into human resources and they told Kevin that they (human resources) would deal
with it."
The result was
walking papers, which Murray says were the result of simple label politics.
"Due to the
lawsuit that Lyor got into with TVT and the thing going down with Murder Inc.,
they gave me my release because they didn’t want to deal with it," Murray
continued.
The rapper is not
looking back . He’s launched his own label, Head Rush Entertainment and has
started recording a new yet-to-be titled album and has nine songs in the can.
"I was already
uncomfortable with Def Jam anyway, because they were trying to control my creativity
and I didn’t like that," Murray said.
Murray is currently
negotiation with three "powerhouse" record labels to handle his new
album, which he says will hit shelves in late fall/early spring.
"I want my
fans to know I aint going no where. Matter of fact, hit me up on email at kmurrayrap@aol.com.
I’ll be on it and responded back. I gotta keep the people close to me."
