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 pornocore, 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. The album received critical acclaim, though mainly from sources outside the mainstream hip-hop community. The critical success of the album helped to open the accessibility of the underground hip hop scene to an appreciative audience. For Dan the Automator, this album laid the foundation for a burgeoning career and accolades as a producer; for Thornton, the success of Dr. Octagonecologyst seemed to put him in danger of being typecast as a "space and Mars" rapper, or an industry tool, which he throughout his career has looked down upon.
His style as a whole is characterized by non sequiturs and bizarre commentary, particularly anal, fecal and genital references. For example, "Chief administrator suck my oil," "Dr. Ludicrous I turn into an octopus," "All this jealousy shit is mayonnaise and celery shit," "Two drinks minimum, don't worry, we're maximum," etc. An instrumental version of the album, Instrumentalyst, showcased the production, became a rising success with most of the credit given to Dan the Automator and other collaborators, even though Thornton is credited on the LP with some production duties.
List of projects, groups and alter-egos:
- Ultramagnetic MC's
- Dr. Octagon
- Dr. Dooom
- Sinister 6000 (Dan the Automator)
- Black Elvis
- Masters of Illusion
- Analog Brothers
- Mr. Nogatco
- Project Polaroid
- Tashan Dorset
- Sex Style
- Ultra
- The Cenobites
- Sergei Khmelev
(this list is incomplete)
Back Stage Passes
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[guy]do you?
[girl]well ahh.. I'm laurie kessler, haven't we met before?
[guy]have we?
[girl] maybe not
[kool keith]
Back stage! ..
Overwhelmed by a new obsessed fan
No I don't wanna answer your questions
Are you some kind of journalist, follow me around?
Come on in the bathroom
Now you wanna see how keith acts at home
Call your girlfriends
Now you wanna see the way I p-i-s-s
Beggin me to get a magic marker to sign my name on your back
You're very young, and giggly with pre-washed levi's on
You don't know how to act - let's party, how about it?
I don't wanna party drink bacardi what you think I look like;
The purple dragon barney?
[chorus]
Back stage! you're excited.. back stage passes!
You're excited, girls lookin all around
Back stage! you're excited.. back stage passes!
You're excited, stop lookin all around
Back stage! you're excited..
[kool keith]
I'm totally attracted to you, but you turn me off as a fan
Approachin me back stage with a guy that's not your friend
Lyin to get a laminate - is that your man?
Some weird guy starin at me like peter pan
There's no time to talk about how I got started in rap
I'm goin straight home
You don't know, i'ma leave you alone
Why should I waste my time, get no sleep?
I just got off stage, you're still complainin
You shoulda stayed on stage longer at the new orleans superdome
What you want from me? you took my picture;
You got my autograph - I'm not tryin to crack any more coronas
I hate the smell of beadies
And you have a bunch of dinky friends, and a adolescent staff
You are immature
[chorus]
Back stage! you're excited.. back stage passes!
You're excited, girls lookin all around
Back stage!you're excited..
[kool keith]
Laugh at yourself, put your whole world on the shelf
Do that stupid stuff with weird al yankovich
Go try to figure out somebody else
First of all, you're living through my cd
Second you don't know me
Base your life on fan magazines I go shoppin everyday
When I'm in a small boring city you don't see me
If I told you I had eighteen hands
You're so tuned and tweaked out, your ass would believe me
[chorus]
Back stage passes!
You're excited, girls lookin all around
Back stage! you're excited..back stage passes!
You're excited, girls lookin all around
Back stage! you're excited..
The lyrics to Kool Keith's "Back Stage Passes" speak to the experience of being a famous rap artist and dealing with overly excited fans. The song tells a story of a girl who approaches Keith after a show, claiming to have met him before. Keith is uninterested in entertaining her, as he is often approached by fans who try to get close to him for the wrong reasons. He questions her motivations, wondering if she's a journalist or just a fan looking for attention.
Keith expresses his annoyance with fans who want to follow him around, saying they should simply enjoy the show and not idolize him. He is also dismissive of fans who are overly eager to party with him, pointing out the absurdity of thinking he would drink Bacardi like "the purple dragon Barney." He is disillusioned with fans who don't seem to understand that his persona on stage is different from his true self.
The song seems to criticize fans who base their entire lives on magazine stories and celebrity worship, suggesting that these individuals are immature and lacking in individuality. The lyrics also convey that Keith, like any other performer, deserves privacy and respect after a show, rather than constant fan intrusions.
Line by Line Meaning
[girl]don't I know you?
The girl recognizes Kool Keith and is asking if they have met before.
[guy]do you?
The guy is unsure if they have met before.
[girl]well ahh.. I'm laurie kessler, haven't we met before?
The girl introduces herself as Laurie Kessler and reiterates her question about whether they have met before.
[guy]have we?
The guy is still unsure if they have met before.
[girl] maybe not
The girl concedes that they may not have met before.
[kool keith] Back stage! ..
Kool Keith starts his song with the refrain 'back stage' indicating that the rest of the song will describe his experiences dealing with overzealous fans backstage.
See girl after the show I'm not to be idolized
Kool Keith tells the girl that she should not idolize him after the show.
Overwhelmed by a new obsessed fan
Kool Keith complains about being overwhelmed by a new and obsessed fan.
No I don't wanna answer your questions
Kool Keith tells the fan that he does not want to answer her questions.
Are you some kind of journalist, follow me around?
Kool Keith questions whether the fan's interest in him is journalistic in nature and accuses her of following him around.
Come on in the bathroom
Kool Keith invites the fan to the bathroom.
Now you wanna see how keith acts at home
Kool Keith sarcastically suggests that the fan wants to see how he behaves at home.
Call your girlfriends
Kool Keith encourages the fan to call her friends to come hang out with him.
Now you wanna see the way I p-i-s-s
Kool Keith suggests that the fan is more interested in seeing bodily functions than anything else.
Beggin me to get a magic marker to sign my name on your back
Kool Keith describes a scenario where the fan begs him to sign her back with a magic marker.
You're very young, and giggly with pre-washed levi's on
Kool Keith describes the fan as being very young and giggly, and wearing pre-washed Levi's.
You don't know how to act - let's party, how about it?
Kool Keith accuses the fan of not knowing how to act and then invites her to party with him.
I don't wanna party drink bacardi what you think I look like;
Kool Keith rejects the idea of drinking Bacardi and ridicules the fan's suggestion.
The purple dragon barney?
Kool Keith mocks the fan by comparing her to the children's character Barney.
[chorus] Back stage! you're excited.. back stage passes!
The chorus repeats the refrain 'back stage' and indicates that the girls with back stage passes are excited.
You're excited, girls lookin all around
The chorus describes the excited girls who are looking around backstage.
I'm totally attracted to you, but you turn me off as a fan
Kool Keith reveals that he's attracted to the fan but is turned off by the fact that she's a fan.
Approachin me back stage with a guy that's not your friend
Kool Keith points out that the fan is approaching him backstage with a guy who is not her friend.
Lyin to get a laminate - is that your man?
Kool Keith accuses the fan of lying to get backstage passes and questions whether the guy with her is her boyfriend.
Some weird guy starin at me like peter pan
Kool Keith describes another weird guy who is staring at him like Peter Pan.
There's no time to talk about how I got started in rap
Kool Keith tells the fan that there's no time to talk about his rap career.
I'm goin straight home
Kool Keith tells the fan that he's going straight home and doesn't want to hang out with her.
You don't know, i'ma leave you alone
Kool Keith tells the fan that he's going to leave her alone.
Why should I waste my time, get no sleep?
Kool Keith questions why he should waste his time and energy talking to the fan when he's not going to get any sleep.
I just got off stage, you're still complainin
Kool Keith is annoyed that the fan is still complaining even though he just got off stage.
You shoulda stayed on stage longer at the new orleans superdome
Kool Keith mocks the fan by telling her that she should have stayed on stage longer at the New Orleans Superdome.
What you want from me? you took my picture;
Kool Keith questions what the fan wants from him after she took his picture.
You got my autograph - I'm not tryin to crack any more coronas
Kool Keith tells the fan that he's not interested in trying to crack any more Coronas (a brand of beer).
I hate the smell of beadies
Kool Keith expresses his dislike for the smell of beadies (cigarettes).
And you have a bunch of dinky friends, and a adolescent staff
Kool Keith mocks the fan's friends and the young staff who work with her.
You are immature
Kool Keith concludes by calling the fan immature.
Contributed by Elliot D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Just Sum Guy
Never knew this is where Keith sampled the intro from..what a tune..what a film..both remind me of better days....~"Don't I know you??...."
~"Do you??"....The movie is like an early version of: "American Psycho" 2000..especially at 0:54 when he's grooming himself..very "Patrick Bateman"....
Jason B.
Do the stupid stuff with weird al yankovic lmaoo... kool keith is amazing.
Ringolero
🔥🔥🔥
Maxim Krobotnik
Perfect video.
Terron herring
Cool
smAsho mAsh
WHAT MOVIE IS THIS? Can anybody tell us? We want to watch it and review it on the channel. Hollah
Bryan Tankersley
10 to Midnight with Charles Bronson
Raczka Ruffino
is this the weatherman/ doyo uhave moer ketih vids mixas
DarkCornerFilms1
https://youtu.be/9n9dgg_zxQc
DreamWarrior
richard remariz