Kool Keith

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Biography

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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  • scomatsho

    what!!!? Black Elvis / Lost in Space is dope jakobdorof

    7 Jun 2:21pm Reply
  • TheBigPoppa

    i rape girls to sex style

    18 May 6:48pm Reply
  • RaoulComo72

    Kool Keith runs rap

    1 May 3:23am Reply
  • sunheadbowed

    Sex Style and Lost in Space/Black Elvis are both killer, dorof.

    26 Apr 1:59pm Reply
  • adamcooleyisdea

    Riding his space styles, biting his horror-core, all he saw was little Kool Keiths on his tour...

    10 Mar 10:28pm Reply
  • jakobdorof

    Sex Style and Black Elvis are definitely the two weakest records i've heard from him. Dr. Dooom's First Come First Served is best

    1 Mar 5:21pm Reply
  • IAJP

    matthew is a really underrated record. love sweet unique pete, fucking weird beat on that one.

    30 Jan 1:02pm Reply
  • wack-doodoo

    i Got over 5000 Scrobles on my old profile

    10 Jan 8:42pm Reply
  • handcuter

    I am scrobbling the Prodigy and suddenly on Diesel Power this guy! ok, whoever he is!

    20 Dec 2012 Reply
  • Heicky

    Legend!

    4 Dec 2012 Reply
  • Buckshot_Shorty

    GOD OF RAP [3]

    16 Oct 2012 Reply
  • CastitusLilium

    GOD OF RAP [2]

    13 Oct 2012 Reply
  • Dr_3000

    GOD OF RAP

    11 Oct 2012 Reply
  • garynotrashcoug

    I'm not disappointed that there aren't many Dr. Octagon albums because his stuff as Kool Keith sounds very similar. These beats are FUCKING SICK AS FUCK.

    29 Sep 2012 Reply
  • XLBaron

    Keith - ginius badssssssssss. TOP - 10 Nigga!

    14 Jul 2012 Reply
  • kinoholic

    With strength from the butt needles

    13 Jul 2012 Reply
  • Kreib

    DIESEL POWER LOL

    4 Jul 2012 Reply
  • Gordonflesher

    Какой нахуй Кейт??? Кул Кит. Что за неуч писал биографию!?

    21 Jun 2012 Reply
  • Pseudomancer

    That quiz made my week. I got 50%, but pretty much guessed on all of them. If I had a time machine, Joyce and Keith would be freestyling in my basement right now.

    11 Jun 2012 Reply
  • megajosh2

    "Kissed the plump mellow yellow smellow melons of her rump." -James Joyce, Ulysses Okay somebody is bullshitting on that quiz.

    10 Jun 2012 Reply
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