Kool Keith
After single-handedly redefining “warped” as the mind and mouth behind the Bronx-basedUltramagnetic MC’s, “Kool” Keith Thornton – aka Rhythm X, aka Dr. Octagon, aka Dr. Dooom, aka Mr. Gerbik – headed for the outer reaches of the stratosphere with a variety of solo projects. A onetime psychiatric patient at Bellevue, Keith’s lyrical thematics remained as free-flowing here as they ever were with the N.Y. trio, connecting up complex meters with fierce, layers-deep metaphors and veiled criticisms of those who “water down the sound that comes from the ghetto.” His own debut single, “Earth People” by Dr. Octagon, was quietly released in late 1995 on the San Francisco-based Bulk Recordings, and the track spread like wildfire through the hip-hop underground, as did the subsequent self-titled full-length released the following year.
Featuring internationally renowned DJ Q-Bert (of Invisibl Skratch Piklz) on turntables, as well as the Automator and DJ Shadow behind the boards, Dr. Octagon’s left-field fusion of sound collage, fierce turntable work, and bizarre, impressionistic rapping found audiences in the most unlikely of places, from hardcore hip-hop heads to jaded rock critics. Although a somewhat sophomoric preoccupation with body parts and scatology tended to dominate the album, Keith’s complex weave of associations and shifting references is quite often amazing in its intricacy. The record found its way to the U.K.-based abstract hip-hop imprint Mo’Wax (for whom Shadow also recorded) in mid-1996, and was licensed by the label for European release (Mo’Wax also released a DJ-friendly instrumental version of the album titled, appropriately, The Instrumentalyst [Octagon Beats]).
The widespread popularity of the album eventually landed Keith at DreamWorks in 1997; the label gave Dr. Octagon (retitled Dr. Octagonecologyst) its third release mid-year, adding a number of bonus cuts. In early 1999, however, Keith’s alter ego Dr. Dooom unfortunately “killed off” Dr. Octagon on the opening track of First Come, First Served(released on Thornton’s own Funky Ass label). Kool Keith signed to Ruffhouse/MCA for his second album under that alias, 1999′s Black Elvis/Lost in Space. Records released as Kool Keith followed in 2000 (Matthew) and 2001 (Spankmaster), while the 2002 collaboration Gene appeared as KHM (Kool Keith plus H-Bomb and Marc Live). His next project was a four-rapper group named Thee Undatakerz with Keith taking on a new persona,Reverand Tom. Kool Keith Presents Thee Undatakerz hit the streets in May 2004. Keeping busy, Keithreleased Diesel Truckers in August of the same year with old friend/producer KutMasta Kurt.
As if 2004 hadn’t been filled with enough Kool Keith releases, some truly oddball ones started to appear that year. The Official Space Tapeborrowed from previous releases to create the ultimate Keith mixtape, the R&B-leaning Personal Album was released in a limited edition of 500 and with a high price tag, plus the Real Talk label issued Dr. Octagon, Pt. 2, an unauthorized release that had little to do with the original and was quickly pulled from the shelves by court order. The next year was much calmer with the Global Enlightenment, Pt. 1 DVD being released at the beginning of the year, followed by Lost Masters, Vol. 2 in the summer. Nogatco Rd. from 2006 introduced a new character, Mr. Nogatco (“Octagon” backward). The UFO-obsessed album was a collaboration with producer Iz-Real. The two-CD Collabs Tape compilation and The Return of Dr. Octagon followed soon after. In early 2007, Keith was part of a Ultramagnetic MC’s reunion that yielded Best Kept Secret.Tashan Dorrsett, another concept-driven release from Keith, was released in 2009.
Kutmasta Kurt
One of the more underrated producers and DJs in the West Coast underground, KutMasta Kurt initially made his name working withKool Keith, during which time he first donned his trademark Mexican wrestling mask. Kurt (b. Kurt Matlin) had been DJing in the Bay Area since the mid-’80s, getting his start as a teenager on a Santa Cruz community radio station. In 1988, he moved on to the Stanford University college station, and also mixed live at parties around the University of California-Santa Cruz campus. As his reputation grew, local MCs began to approach him about producing tracks, and he bought some basic studio equipment and taught himself to use it. After a few remixes and small independent releases, Kurt’s friendship with the groundbreaking, underappreciated Ultramagnetic MC’s paid off when, in 1994, ex-leader Kool Keith tapped Kurt to handle DJ and production duties for his new solo career. Kurt produced a couple of tracks on Keith’s landmarkDr. Octagon album, but their first full project together was 1997′s Sex Style, the first album released under Keith’s own name. Kurt also helmed Keith’s album as Dr. Dooom, 1999′s First Come, First Served, and 2000′s Matthew.
By the time Matthew was released, Kurt had begun to build his own career apart from Keith. He provided remixes for the likes of the Beastie Boys, Planet Asia, Rasco, DJ Spooky, Luscious Jackson, Buffalo Daughter, and Blackalicious, among others. He also formed his own label, Threshold, and in 2000 released the full-length album KutMasta Kurt Presents: Masters of Illusion, a collaborative project that featuredKool Keith and underground MC Motion Man. His relationship withKeith was fraying, however, partly because of a false rumor that Keithwas missing gigs because he’d been institutionalized. Keith eventually fired him, but Kurt’s career stayed in good shape thanks to his production on Dilated Peoples’ 2000 breakthrough single, Work the Angles. He soon went on to work with Hieroglyphics members Souls of Mischief and Pep Love, and did a high-profile remix of nu-metal band Linkin Park’s single In the End in 2001. That same year, he also produced Motion Man’s well-received solo debut, Clearing the Field. Kurt was a busy man in 2004, releasing Diesel Truckers with his man Keith and his own, career-spanning compilation Redneck Games.
