Kool Keith
Encyclopedia
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name
Kool Keith, is an American
rapper
from The Bronx
, New York
. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs
, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of horrorcore
.
. After the release of Critical Beatdown
, Thornton was reportedly institutionalized in Bellevue Hospital Center
. However, he admitted later that the idea that he was institutionalized came from a flippant remark made during a stressful interview and he never expected the story to become so well-known.
Thornton released his first notable solo single, "Earth People," in 1995, under the name Dr. Octagon
, followed by the release of Dr. Octagonecologyst
the following year. The album's production by Dan the Automator
and Kutmasta Kurt
, with scratching
by DJ Qbert was acclaimed by critics, and the album was released nationally by DreamWorks Records
, who also issued an instrumental version of the album, titled Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats)
. Thornton followed the album with Sex Style
in 1997 under the name Kool Keith.
In 1998, Thornton collaborated with Tim Dog
for the single "The Industry is Wack," performing under the name Ultra. The following year, he released the album First Come, First Served
under the name "Dr. Dooom", in which the album's main character killed off Dr. Octagon on the album's opening track. On August 10, 1999, Thornton released Black Elvis/Lost in Space
. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard
Heatseekers chart
, #74 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and #180 on the Billboard 200
. On July 25, 2000, Thornton released the album Matthew
. It peaked at #47 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The same year, Thornton collaborated with Ice-T
, Marc Live, Black Silver and Pimp Rex for the album Pimp to Eat
, under the group name Analog Brothers
, with Keith performing as Keith Korg and Ice-T as Ice Oscillator.
On June 5, 2001, Thornton released the album Spankmaster
on Esham
's Gothom Records
. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #11 on the Top Independent Albums chart and #48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
In 2002, Thornton began recording The Resurrection of Dr. Octagon with producer Fanatik J, signing a contract with CMH Records
to release the album, which was eventually completed without much input from Thornton, due to a falling out over contractual terms. Thornton, Marc Live and H-Bomb
formed the group KHM
, releasing the album Game
on November 19, 2002, changing their name to "The Clayborne Family" by the release of their second album.
On October 12, 2004, Real Talk Entertainment
issued the unauthorized release Dr. Octagon Part 2. The album was discontinued by court order. On April 25, 2006, Thornton released the album Nogatco Rd.
under the name Mr. Nogatco. On June 27, The Return of Dr. Octagon was released by OCD International, an imprint of CMH, advertised as the official follow-up to Dr. Octagonecologyst. Some critics felt that it was not as good as its predecessor. Thornton stated that he liked the album, but felt that it hurt his reputation as a musician. In August, Thornton performed under the Dr. Octagon billing, but did not acknowledge the release of the OCD album.
In 2007, Ultramagnetic MCs released the reunion album The Best Kept Secret. In 2009, Kool Keith released the concept album Tashan Dorrsett
; a follow-up, The Legend of Tashan Dorrsett
, followed two years later.
, surreal
, and filled with non-sequiturs and juvenile humor. Thornton is also known for an explicit style focusing on sexual
themes, which Thornton has referred to as "pornocore". In a 2007 interview, Thornton claims to have "invented horrorcore
".
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Kool Keith, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
from The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs
Ultramagnetic MCs
The Ultramagnetic MC's is an American hip hop group based in Bronx, New York. Originally founded by Kool Keith, the group is composed of Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as Roadmanager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney...
, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of horrorcore
Horrorcore
Horrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...
.
History
Kool Keith began his rap career with the group Ultramagnetic MCsUltramagnetic MCs
The Ultramagnetic MC's is an American hip hop group based in Bronx, New York. Originally founded by Kool Keith, the group is composed of Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as Roadmanager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney...
. After the release of Critical Beatdown
Critical Beatdown
Critical Beatdown is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs, released October 4, 1988, on Next Plateau Records. Production for the album was handled primarily by the group's rapper and producer Ced-Gee, who employed a E-mu SP-1200 sampler as the album's main instrument...
, Thornton was reportedly institutionalized in Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center
Bellevue Hospital Center, most often referred to as "Bellevue", was founded on March 31, 1736 and is the oldest public hospital in the United States. Located on First Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, Bellevue is famous from many literary, film and television...
. However, he admitted later that the idea that he was institutionalized came from a flippant remark made during a stressful interview and he never expected the story to become so well-known.
Thornton released his first notable solo single, "Earth People," in 1995, under the name Dr. Octagon
Dr. Octagon
Dr. Octagon was a persona created and used by American rapper Keith Matthew Thornton, better known as Kool Keith. First appearing on Thornton's 1996 debut solo album, Dr. Octagonecologyst, Dr. Octagon is an extraterrestrial time traveling gynecologist and surgeon from the planet Jupiter. Thornton...
, followed by the release of Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo album of American rapper Keith Thornton and the first album he released under the alias Dr. Octagon. It was released May 6, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom, and re-released in the US on DreamWorks Records in...
the following year. The album's production by Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
and Kutmasta Kurt
KutMasta Kurt
Kurt Matlin, professionally known as KutMasta Kurt, is an American hip hop producer, best known for his work with Kool Keith.-Collaborations:*Kool Keith - Sex Style *Dr Dooom - First Come, First Served...
, with scratching
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
by DJ Qbert was acclaimed by critics, and the album was released nationally by DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
, who also issued an instrumental version of the album, titled Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats)
Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats)
Instrumentalyst is a remix album by American emcee Keith Thornton, credited under the title Dr. Octagon. Released in 1996, it is the instrumental version of Dr. Octagonecologyst. It is Thornton's second album under the Dr. Octagon alias...
. Thornton followed the album with Sex Style
Sex Style
Sex Style is the second studio album by Kool Keith. Released in 1997, it is a dirty rap concept album utilizing a lyrical style Keith referred to as "pornocore". Although the album did not chart, it was reissued in 2006 with a bonus track....
in 1997 under the name Kool Keith.
In 1998, Thornton collaborated with Tim Dog
Tim Dog
Tim Dog is an American rapper from the Bronx, New York who rose to prominence during the early '90s with his debut LP Penicillin on Wax and the celebrated "diss" record "Fuck Compton". Tim had already appeared on songs with the Ultramagnetic MCs and went on to form a duo, Ultra, with member Kool...
for the single "The Industry is Wack," performing under the name Ultra. The following year, he released the album First Come, First Served
First Come, First Served
First Come, First Served is the third studio album by American emcee Keith Thornton, better known as Kool Keith. Released in 1999, it is his first release under the alias Dr. Dooom.- Production :...
under the name "Dr. Dooom", in which the album's main character killed off Dr. Octagon on the album's opening track. On August 10, 1999, Thornton released Black Elvis/Lost in Space
Black Elvis/Lost in Space
Black Elvis/Lost in Space is a studio album by emcee Kool Keith under the alias of Black Elvis. This is the first album performed under this alias...
. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Heatseekers chart
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
, #74 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and #180 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. On July 25, 2000, Thornton released the album Matthew
Matthew (album)
Matthew is the fifth album by rapper Kool Keith. The album was released on July 25, 2000 for Funky Ass Records and was produced by Kool Keith and KutMasta Kurt.-Track listing:#"F-U M.F." 2:50#"27 Shots" 3:18#"Errand Boy " 0:51...
. It peaked at #47 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The same year, Thornton collaborated with Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
, Marc Live, Black Silver and Pimp Rex for the album Pimp to Eat
Pimp to Eat
-CD:#"Analog Brother's Intro" - 3:41#"Analog Technics" - 4:52#"More Freaks" - 4:03#"2005" - 4:29#"So Bad" - 4:03#"Analog Anilalator VRS. Silver Surfer" - 3:49#"Perms Baldheads Afro's & Dread's" - 4:09#"Who Wana Be Down" - 4:43#"Country Girl" - 4:03...
, under the group name Analog Brothers
Analog Brothers
Analog Brothers is an experimental hip-hop crew featuring Ice Oscillator also known as Ice-T , Keith Korg also known as Kool Keith , Mark Moog also known as Marc Live , Silver Synth also known as Black Silver , and Rex Roland also known as Pimp Rex Analog Brothers is an experimental hip-hop crew...
, with Keith performing as Keith Korg and Ice-T as Ice Oscillator.
On June 5, 2001, Thornton released the album Spankmaster
Spankmaster
'Spankmaster is the sixth album by Kool Keith. It was released on June 5, 2001 on Esham's Gothom Records. The album was mildly successful making it to #48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, #11 on the Independent Albums and #16 on the Top Heatseekers charts in the U.S.-Track listing:#"Concert Intro"-...
on Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
's Gothom Records
Reel Life Productions
Reel Life Productions, also known as Gothom Records, is an independent record label based in Detroit, Michigan that specializes in hip hop music. The label was founded in 1988 by James H. Smith and his younger brother, rapper Esham...
. It peaked at #16 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #11 on the Top Independent Albums chart and #48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
In 2002, Thornton began recording The Resurrection of Dr. Octagon with producer Fanatik J, signing a contract with CMH Records
CMH Records
Founded in 1975, CMH Records is a Los Angeles based independent country and bluegrass label with several subsidiary labels, including Vitamin Records, Crosscheck, Dwell, and Rockabye Baby!, which release diverse styles of music including string quartet tributes, punk, metal, and lullabies,...
to release the album, which was eventually completed without much input from Thornton, due to a falling out over contractual terms. Thornton, Marc Live and H-Bomb
Jacky Jasper
Jacky Jasper, also known by his stage name H Bomb, is an American rapper. A founding member of The Clayborne Family , which features him alongside Kool Keith and Marc Live...
formed the group KHM
The Clayborne Family
The Clayborne Family is an American hip hop group composed of Kool Keith, Marc Live and Jacky Jasper ....
, releasing the album Game
Game (KHM album)
Game is the debut album by KHM, a rap group consisting of Kool Keith, H-Bomb , and Marc Live. The album was released on November 19, 2002 for Number 6 Records and was produced by all three members of the group. The album gained some positive reviews but was a commercial failure and did not make...
on November 19, 2002, changing their name to "The Clayborne Family" by the release of their second album.
On October 12, 2004, Real Talk Entertainment
Real Talk Entertainment
Real Talk Entertainment is a hip hop record label and is the current home to a diverse group of Gold and Platinum artists. Real Talk Entertainment was launched in 2003 and is a privately held independent record label based in Sacramento, California....
issued the unauthorized release Dr. Octagon Part 2. The album was discontinued by court order. On April 25, 2006, Thornton released the album Nogatco Rd.
Nogatco Rd.
Nogatco Rd. is the eighth album by Kool Keith, the first under the alter-ego Mr. Nogatco. The album was produced by Iz-Real Vasquetelle.The album art was created by Gregory Titus.Dr...
under the name Mr. Nogatco. On June 27, The Return of Dr. Octagon was released by OCD International, an imprint of CMH, advertised as the official follow-up to Dr. Octagonecologyst. Some critics felt that it was not as good as its predecessor. Thornton stated that he liked the album, but felt that it hurt his reputation as a musician. In August, Thornton performed under the Dr. Octagon billing, but did not acknowledge the release of the OCD album.
In 2007, Ultramagnetic MCs released the reunion album The Best Kept Secret. In 2009, Kool Keith released the concept album Tashan Dorrsett
Tashan Dorrsett
Tashan Dorrsett is an album by Keith Thornton, better known as Kool Keith, released in 2009.-Track listing:#Intro#Supa Supreme#Above Sea Level#Flow Smooth#Glamour Life#La Chacha#Magnetic Junkadelic feat. Ced Gee & D. Eazy#The Real Beginner...
; a follow-up, The Legend of Tashan Dorrsett
The Legend of Tashan Dorrsett
The Legend of Tashan Dorrsett is a remix album made by rapper Kool Keith, released in 2011 on the label Junkadelic.-Track listing:# "The Legend Of Tashan Dorrsett "# "New Shit [DJ Junkaz Lou Remix]"...
, followed two years later.
Lyrical and performance style
Thornton's lyrics are often abstractAbstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
, surreal
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, and filled with non-sequiturs and juvenile humor. Thornton is also known for an explicit style focusing on sexual
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
themes, which Thornton has referred to as "pornocore". In a 2007 interview, Thornton claims to have "invented horrorcore
Horrorcore
Horrorcore is a subgenre of hip hop music based in horror-themed lyrical content and imagery. While the style is rarely popular, some performers have sold well in the mainstream scene.-Origins:...
".
Discography
- Dr. OctagonecologystDr. OctagonecologystDr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo album of American rapper Keith Thornton and the first album he released under the alias Dr. Octagon. It was released May 6, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom, and re-released in the US on DreamWorks Records in...
(1996) - Sex StyleSex StyleSex Style is the second studio album by Kool Keith. Released in 1997, it is a dirty rap concept album utilizing a lyrical style Keith referred to as "pornocore". Although the album did not chart, it was reissued in 2006 with a bonus track....
(1997) - First Come, First ServedFirst Come, First ServedFirst Come, First Served is the third studio album by American emcee Keith Thornton, better known as Kool Keith. Released in 1999, it is his first release under the alias Dr. Dooom.- Production :...
(1999) - Black Elvis/Lost in SpaceBlack Elvis/Lost in SpaceBlack Elvis/Lost in Space is a studio album by emcee Kool Keith under the alias of Black Elvis. This is the first album performed under this alias...
(1999) - MatthewMatthew (album)Matthew is the fifth album by rapper Kool Keith. The album was released on July 25, 2000 for Funky Ass Records and was produced by Kool Keith and KutMasta Kurt.-Track listing:#"F-U M.F." 2:50#"27 Shots" 3:18#"Errand Boy " 0:51...
(2000) - SpankmasterSpankmaster'Spankmaster is the sixth album by Kool Keith. It was released on June 5, 2001 on Esham's Gothom Records. The album was mildly successful making it to #48 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, #11 on the Independent Albums and #16 on the Top Heatseekers charts in the U.S.-Track listing:#"Concert Intro"-...
(2001) - Diesel TruckersDiesel TruckersDiesel Truckers is an album by American rapper Kool Keith and producer Kutmasta Kurt. The album was released on August 10, 2004 for Dmaft Records and was produced by Kool Keith and Kutmasta Kurt. The album was met with positive reviews, it was however a commercial failure...
(2004) - Nogatco Rd.Nogatco Rd.Nogatco Rd. is the eighth album by Kool Keith, the first under the alter-ego Mr. Nogatco. The album was produced by Iz-Real Vasquetelle.The album art was created by Gregory Titus.Dr...
(2006) - The Return of Dr. Octagon (2006)
- Dr. Dooom 2Dr. Dooom 2Dr. Dooom 2 is the eleventh studio album by Keith Thornton, better known as Kool Keith. Released in 2008, it is his second release as "Dr. Dooom", following First Come, First Served.-Lyrical themes:...
(2008) - Tashan DorrsettTashan DorrsettTashan Dorrsett is an album by Keith Thornton, better known as Kool Keith, released in 2009.-Track listing:#Intro#Supa Supreme#Above Sea Level#Flow Smooth#Glamour Life#La Chacha#Magnetic Junkadelic feat. Ced Gee & D. Eazy#The Real Beginner...
(2009)