Murphy Lee

It's almost impossible to not like the affable Murphy Lee (aka da Skool Boy), but the same can't be said about his debut solo album, titled -- surprisingly enough -- Murphy's Law. Though you can't exactly say he's fired a blank, the number of unengaging productions and unimaginative rhymes makes it apparent that Lee is best suited to the guest spots and supporting roles that helped pave the way for this. This fact is proved most in the songs where Lee is the one getting the assistance; for instance, one "what!/yeah!/OK!" combination from Lil' Jon (in "This Goes Out") all but destroys the rest of the record. In lead single "What da Hook Gon Be," Lee boasts that he's skilled enough to not need a hook, and then he proves throughout the song (and the remainder of the album) that yes, he does in fact need a hook. Adding profit potential is the reappearance of "Shake Ya Tailfeather," the collaboration with P. Diddy and Nelly that managed to mysteriously trump Jay-Z's "La La La" as the biggest song from the Bad Boys II soundtrack. The album's low point is "Murphy Lee," which takes its main vocal hook from -- ta dum, ta dum -- Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me." You can guess how the words are changed. [The import version includes the bonus tracks "Same Ol' Dirty," "Grown Ass Man" and "Jungle Gym." ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide