Whatzupwitu

Album: Love's Alright (1993)
Charted: 121
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Songfacts®:

  • Long before Budweiser popularized the "Whatzuuuuup" catchphrase, Eddie Murphy made a song out of it, asking "Whatzupwitu."

    Murphy is a legendary comedian and a capable singer who had some famous friends that enabled his music endeavors. In 1985, he had a huge hit with "Party All the Time," written and produced by Rick James. "Whatzupwitu" features vocals from Michael Jackson, who also appears in the video. The novelty of Murphy singing had passed, so Jackson was the real draw on this one. He was still red hot, floating on a number of hits from his 1991 Dangerous album and not yet embroiled in legal issues. Murphy starred in the video for Jackson's Dangerous track "Remember The Time" along with Magic Johnson.

    Jackson's starpower got the song some airplay on pop radio and MTV, but it got a tepid response. Murphy's Love's Alright album stiffed, and he didn't return to music until 2013, when he released a single called "Promise (You Won't Break My Heart)."
  • Murphy wrote this song with producer Trenten Gumbs. The lyrics take a look at our place in the universe, and how unlike other living things, we tend to kill each other.
  • Wayne Isham directed the video, which finds Murphy, Jackson, and the Boys Choir Of Harlem (who sing on the track) in a virtual world populated by clouds, peace symbols and flying hearts. It didn't age well - compositing technology was still sketchy.

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