Eddie Murphy on his return to music, stage

Eddie Murphy:  I think people had no expectations. It’s always good when they have no expectations.RS: The reggae part’s a surprise.Murphy:  It was something different I was like … How can I become grown and still have it be danceable and not look like I’m trying to sound like everybody else.RS: I think the only […]

Eddie Murphy:  I think people had no expectations. It’s always good when they have no expectations.
RS: The reggae part’s a surprise.
Murphy:  It was something different I was like … How can I become grown and still have it be danceable and not look like I’m trying to sound like everybody else.
RS: I think the only time we’ve heard you sing reggae in public before was the “SNL” “Kill the White People” thing.
Murphy: That’s a classic! But you know, if you look at all my stuff … If you go back to ‘Saturday Night Live’, my stuff always has music, even a bunch of my comedy stuff, like in ‘Shrek’, the donkey is always singing. Music is always there. I stopped putting stuff out because I didn’t want to look like those actors putting out records. It looks weird.
RS: Was there something specifically going on in the world that inspired the lyrics?
Murphy: It’s just everything.  What’s cool about the track for me is it kind of says a little a bit about everything that’s going on without pointing a finger at anybody.
RS: What was the idea behind the video?
Murphy:  We were trying to have some visuals that would go with what we’re saying and not be too preachy or heavy-handed. The subtlety of a little girl coming up, going out of her house and going to the corner to get some ice cream and all that she sees from going out of her crib, just going and coming back, it’s real subtle. Really none of the big message stuff.
RS: How did Snoop Lion get involved?
Murphy: Well, I loved Snoop, and when he turned into Snoop Lion, I was checking to see how he was coming. I tracked that song around the same time I started hearing about him doing Snoop Lion. And I was like “Yo, if he’s Snoop Lion now, he can jump on this track, because I wanted to have a rapper on it.” It was perfect. He’s Snoop Lion, I got this reggae track. It was like just meant to be
RS: ‘Sweet Candy Rose’ a couple years ago. Did that make the record?
Murphy: When I put my studio in, I was putting it in there just for that track. And I must have tried recording that song like ten times. It never comes out right. I recorded 25-30 songs and can’t get ‘Sweet Candy Rose’. The only time that song sounds right is when I’m playing it on the guitar.
RS: It’s been 20 years since you released an album. How did you decide to finally put this thing out?
Murphy: I had so much stuff recorded. Everything that’s on the shelf, it’s not a masterpiece but I got a lot that’s really strong. I was like, “I’ve got enough to do a whole record here that stands up on its own.” Because I didn’t want to leave it at “Party All the Time.” It’s a good song, but I didn’t want to leave it there.
RS: How did you get past the whole idea that it’s just weird for you to put out music?
Murphy: I’ve been in this business for 35 years, and after a while, if you’re an artiste like a really, really long time, it stops being a performance. I’m not performing anymore. I reveal myself to the audience.  That’s the show now. It’s like here, here’s me. I show you some of me. It’s not a show no more. I’m like, “I don’t care if you don’t like it or think ‘Oh, it’s wack.” It’s like, hey this is me, this is a track. It’s not a show.
RS: Do you plan to go back to live performances?
Murphy: Yes, ultimately, when I go back to the stage, I want to be able to do everything. I want to be able to do music and comedy. Like, we going to drop this ‘Red Light’ and I’ll probably drop another single or two, and I’ll probably start doing little kick-offs with my band, going around, put a band together, do little small basic shows. Get the band really hot. And then in a year or two, do music and comedy and have a show like nobody ever had before.
RS: Do you think you’ll play any of your old stuff?
Murphy: We’ll play “Party All the Time” and “Put Your Mouth on Me.” My two hits. [Laughs]
RS:  ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movie, now that the TV show fell through and there’s talk that you might be in ‘Triplets’ with Danny DeVito and Schwarzenegger. Anything real there?
Murphy: I’ve had all types of talks like that. Nothing’s come together yet. All things still in the talking stage. Right now, this is what’s happening.
RS: After 20 years, what was it like the moment you put ‘Red Light’ out there?
Murphy: I wasn’t tripping about it. I didn’t have any anxiety about it, ‘cause the track is hot. It’s real. If you don’t like Eddie Murphy and you don’t like reggae and you don’t like Snoop Dogg, then the record’s not for you. But if you’re feeling any of them, then it’s a hot track.
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