Kool Keith

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New York, United States

An original member of New York’s pioneers the Ultramagnetic MC’s, “Kool” Keith Thornton is best known as a solo rapper. His signature style is stream-of-consciousness lyrical flow and complex vocals, two skills that earn him a perennial nod from the underground community. The average Kool Keith album is peppered with bizarre, disjointed, even delusional or disassociated themes, concepts, and references. Nearly all of his albums incorporate a satirical dislike for more commercialized strains of hip-hop, as well as major record labels.

Thornton’s early career and lyrics with the Ultramagnetic MC’s often referenced his time as a patient of Bellevue, a psychiatric hospital, where he was treated for depression. With Ultramagnetic MC’s, his abstract style developed, maturing in songs like Poppa Large. He was probably the first rapper to create an alter ego, and then create an alter ego for that alter ego (Kool Keith v. Moe Luv). After the Ultramagnetic MC’s broke up, he expanded his resume, experimenting with new styles, including his self-described , known for pornographic imagery and brutal, abstract lyrics. Sex Style released in 1997, was the showcase for this genre.

Teaming up with Dan The Automator Nakamura under the name Dr. Octagon, Thornton again reinvented his image, recording the self-titled Dr. Octagon album (later reissued under the title Dr. Octagonecologyst) which was released by the English trip hop label Mo Wax.
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  • Sex Style
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  • Official Space Tape
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  • Black Elvis/Lost In Space
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  • Matthew
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Top Tracks

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  • ut0

    http://hudsonhongo.com/joyce/

    last month

  • NIGGAAPLEASE

    also, did you know that there was a year when kool keith was the undisputed greatest rapper on the planet? check the old red alert mixes from 1986. predating the gas face by 3 years, ultramags changed the entire rap game by putting out ego trippin'. all doom did was goofy middle school raps. not that there's anything wrong with that, but i'd hardly say doom ever changed the rap game at any point in his career that could be recognized as PIONEER status. [2] I still consider Dumile as the best MC ever but u gotta admit Keith was more of a Pioneer.

    March 2012

  • libraryatnight

    I'm seein' robots!

    March 2012

  • Nagsworth

    Keith is not the Charlie Sheen of rap, shut the fuck up. Sheen is a self-destructive mess of shit whom no one with half a brain cell cares a fuck about. Keith is a genius who mastered his technique and stayed at the top of his game for a very long time. He's the god of rap. What's Charlie Sheen the god of? Winning? Some bullshit phrase like that, hoofing coke and banging whores? Great legacy indeed. Fuck Sheen, long live Keith.

    March 2012

  • fleadilla

    also, did you know that there was a year when kool keith was the undisputed greatest rapper on the planet? check the old red alert mixes from 1986. predating the gas face by 3 years, ultramags changed the entire rap game by putting out ego trippin'. all doom did was goofy middle school raps. not that there's anything wrong with that, but i'd hardly say doom ever changed the rap game at any point in his career that could be recognized as PIONEER status.

    February 2012

  • fleadilla

    Was an album featuring "King Service" ever released?

    February 2012

  • jussi_m

    No, MF did Kool Keith. (although he didn't like NIGGAAPLEASE said) but the point is, Keith been there before Dumile.

    February 2012

  • NIGGAAPLEASE

    Damn Kool Keith ain't Another MF DOOM. He's Keith, and DOOM is DOOM and Flechter get ur Shit right.

    February 2012
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