Most people think of Eddie Murphy’s music career and immediately hear that high-pitched synth hook from "Party All the Time." It’s the easy punchline. But if you dig into the Eddie Murphy song Red Light, you find something entirely different from the glittery, Rick James-fueled pop of the eighties. It’s rootsy. It’s heavy. Honestly, it’s a bit of a shock if you’re expecting the Donkey from Shrek to start riffing.
Released in 2013, "Red Light" wasn't a desperate attempt to reclaim a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. It felt more like a passion project that happened to feature Snoop Dogg. It’s a reggae track. Yeah, reggae. And before you roll your eyes, it’s actually good.
Why the Eddie Murphy Song Red Light Caught Everyone Off Guard
Eddie Murphy has always been a musician. People forget that. He was playing guitar and writing songs long before Saturday Night Live made him a household name. By the time 2013 rolled around, he’d been out of the music spotlight for years, at least in a commercial sense. Then "Red Light" dropped.
🔗 Read more: Why the Guardians of the Galaxy Groot Rocket Dynamic is Marvel's Secret Sauce
The song is a social commentary. It’s moody. While many celebrity forays into music feel like overproduced vanity projects, this one had a legitimate groove. It wasn't just Eddie messing around in a home studio; it was a fully realized, polished piece of roots reggae. He’s not joking. He’s not doing a character. He’s singing about social unrest, poverty, and a world on the brink of "breaking."
The Snoop Lion Connection
You have to remember the era. In 2013, Snoop Dogg was going through his "Snoop Lion" phase. He had just released Reincarnated and was fully immersed in Rastafarian culture. It was the perfect storm.
Snoop’s verse on the Eddie Murphy song Red Light provides that mid-tempo flow that bridges the gap between Murphy's melodic vocals and the heavy bassline. They filmed a music video at a studio that looks exactly like where you'd want to record a reggae anthem—dim lights, vintage gear, and a live band. It didn't look like a big-budget Hollywood production. It looked like a jam session.
Breaking Down the Sound
The instrumentation is surprisingly organic. You’ve got a thick, bubbling bassline that carries the entire track. The horns are sharp. It’s got that classic one-drop rhythm that defines the genre. Murphy’s voice has aged into a soulful, slightly weathered tenor that fits the "conscious reggae" vibe better than his younger, thinner voice from the eighties would have.
👉 See also: The Colony Emma Watson: Why This Brutal Thriller Is Harder to Watch Than You Think
One of the most interesting things about the track is the lack of ego. Eddie doesn't over-sing. He lets the melody breathe. He lets the band play.
Social Commentary or Just a Catchy Hook?
When you listen to the lyrics of the Eddie Murphy song Red Light, you realize he’s frustrated. He talks about the "red light" as a warning for humanity. "The world is on fire," he sings. He mentions the struggle of the average person just trying to get by while the powers that be ignore the smoke.
It’s dark.
Is it a masterpiece of political philosophy? Maybe not. But it’s sincere. In an industry where most pop songs are about "the club," hearing one of the greatest comedians of all time sing about systemic failure is jarring in the best way possible. It showed a side of Murphy that the public rarely sees—the introspective, slightly cynical artist who is genuinely worried about the future.
📖 Related: Grey’s Anatomy Season 22: Is This Finally the End for Grey Sloan?
Why It Didn't Become a Massive Hit
Let's be real. If a 52-year-old comedian releases a reggae song in 2013, Top 40 radio isn't going to touch it. It doesn't matter if it's Eddie Murphy or Michael Jordan. The industry likes boxes. Eddie Murphy is the "funny guy." Reggae is a "niche genre" in the US market outside of legacy acts like Bob Marley.
The song didn't "fail," though. It racked up millions of views on YouTube. It earned respect from reggae purists who were prepared to hate it. It proved that Murphy wasn't just chasing a trend; he was making the music he actually listened to.
The Legacy of Eddie's Late-Career Music
"Red Light" wasn't a one-off fluke. It was part of a broader period where Murphy was releasing singles like "Oh Jah Jah" (another reggae track) and "Promise (You Won't Break My Heart)." He was testing the waters for an album titled 9, which has become something of a "lost" legend among his fans.
If you look at his discography, there's a clear evolution:
- The Early 80s: Parody songs and comedy albums.
- The Mid 80s: Pop-soul success with How Could It Be.
- The Early 90s: New Jack Swing experiments like Love's Alright.
- The 2010s: The Reggae Era.
Each phase reflects what was happening in his life. The 2010s were a time of relative quiet for him in Hollywood before his massive comeback with Dolemite Is My Name. He was spending time in his basement studio, playing his own instruments, and collaborating with whoever he felt like. That freedom is audible in "Red Light."
What Critics Said (And Why They Were Wrong)
Some critics at the time called it "confusing." They didn't get why he was doing it. But that's the point of being a legend—you don't have to explain yourself. When you've made billions of dollars at the box office, you earn the right to record a six-minute reggae jam with Snoop Dogg just because you want to.
The song holds up better than "Party All the Time" does, honestly. "Party All the Time" is a time capsule of 1985. "Red Light" feels timeless. You could play it in a set with Chronixx or Protoje today, and it wouldn't feel out of place.
How to Appreciate the Eddie Murphy Song Red Light Today
If you haven't heard it in a while, go back and watch the music video. Watch how Eddie handles the guitar. Watch the way he interacts with the band. There’s a level of musicality there that most people don't give him credit for.
He isn't trying to be a "singer." He is a musician. There’s a difference. A singer just uses their voice; a musician understands the structure, the rhythm, and the soul of the composition.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Curious Listeners
To truly understand this era of Murphy's work, don't just stop at "Red Light." There's a whole world of unreleased and independent tracks he's put out over the last decade.
- Check out "Oh Jah Jah": If you liked the reggae vibes of "Red Light," this 2015 follow-up is even more stripped-down and authentic. It hit #1 on the Billboard Reggae Digital Songs chart, proving there was a real audience for this sound.
- Watch the Studio Footage: Look for behind-the-scenes clips of the "Red Light" sessions. You’ll see Murphy playing multiple instruments. It changes your perspective on him as an entertainer.
- Listen Beyond the Comedy: Approach his music without expecting a joke. If you go in looking for a laugh, you’ll miss the craftsmanship.
- Explore the "Snoop Lion" Catalog: To understand the production choices on "Red Light," listen to Snoop’s Reincarnated album. It provides the context for why that specific "vibe" was trending in the early 2010s.
The Eddie Murphy song Red Light remains a fascinating footnote in the career of a polymath. It’s a reminder that artists are rarely just one thing. Sometimes, the guy who made you laugh until you cried in Raw is the same guy who wants to sit in a smoky room and sing about the end of the world over a reggae beat. And honestly? We should let him.