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)
Can't Fuck With This
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Intro]
Yeah! This goes out to all you fake-ass motherfuckers
Doin your bullshit-ass parties (yeah, we in here)
You motherfuckers are fake, you look like it
We know you look like it
Look at your fuckin familiar face
The nine can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Casanova)
Latex on my dick, {?} on my wrists (on my wristssss)
Can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Gun Hill Road)
Latex on my dick, {?} on my wrists
Can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Newark, New Jersey)
Latex on my dick, {?} on my wristssss
[Kool Keith]
Hypin up niggaz too much, bullshit's goin down
I don't give a fuck about Howston Street
That's where they suckin dicks all day, niggaz meet
Play what you told to play, Flavmaster-ass nigga
You can't even cut straight, a DJ fast nigga
Y'all niggaz is monkeys with cups!
With that bullshit playlist, Arbitron even say you SUCK
Billboard hate you; you corny motherfuckers are fake too
Wit'cha robot format, stick a bomb on your asscrack
Who sponsor you motherfuckers, Speed stick deodorant
You motherfuckers yeah - you owe the rent
Get rid of your staff they make me laugh with that local-ass shit
Y'all play all day talkin shit
And sittin on the toilet even Clear Channel's mad
All y'all do is flush toilets and shit all day
Report some ol' bullshit to BDS, like y'all the best
Transexuals, walkin up there with a fuckin dress
Even Wendy Williams say you motherfuckers be up in girdles and bras
Gettin they fuckin nails pressed
[Chorus]
Hot 97 smell like piss
Latex on my dick, {?} on my wristssss
Can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss
Latex on my dick, {?} on my wristssss
[Marc Live]
Fuck if we ready it's war on the station
Taliban, car bomb the whole fuckin place in
Duct tape, the receptionist, boxcut up, the security
Gun down the P.D.; hold Angie Mar'
I strip her naked tie the bitch to the front of the door
I kick her face in; tie dynamite, to her nipples
I put a dildo in her mouth and if she moves flip the switch dude
It's doom, aiyyo the end of an era
Backstabbin bastards, no-talent asses
Angie got a bastard child by Nokio (faggot)
That has-been groupie bitch shoulda fuckin known
Flex is a fruitcake nigga, fat faggot
Transvestite lover on Hunt's Point every night
Do a show with RuPaul, troublemaker, softest nigga
In the city, guys cum on his fuckin titty
The worst DJ on KISS, you owe Chuck Chillout bitch
You got nerve to act large trick
You duck and hide, too many niggaz gettin shot outside (Game)
You gon' learn when that car show gets interrupted
A news break, they drove a Navi through your fuckin gate
[Chorus]
[Kool Keith]
The type of niggaz y'all fuck with little kids havin incest
A couple of years ago y'all was the first critics with that bullshit
Talkin about down South was weak, y'all was dissin Mannie Fresh
Only when Snoop come to town, y'all play his shit
Actin like y'all supportin the West; lyin-ass niggaz
Frank Crock' tryin-ass niggaz
Slick suckin dick-ass niggaz
Nuts when they get into town; I was listenin to Master P and shit
When you motherfuckers was hatin 'em
Now all of a sudden Lil Jon is hot, and blew up
Now you gon' stand in the music bitch and act CRUNK
Now you tryin to get DOWN, late-ass nigga
I hate a fake-ass nigga, strawberry shake-ass nigga
The song “Can’t Fuck With This” by Kool Keith and Marc Live is a diss track aimed at Hot 97, a popular New York City radio station that plays hip-hop and R&B music. The lyrics are filled with insults towards the radio station and its DJs. Kool Keith calls out the station for playing a “bullshit playlist” and accuses the DJs of being fake and sponsored by Speed Stick deodorant.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “Hot 97 smell like piss,” emphasizing the disgust Kool Keith feels towards the station. Marc Live joins in on the second verse, calling for violence against the station and its employees. He raps about strapping dynamite to a woman’s nipples and putting a dildo in her mouth.
Throughout the song, Kool Keith also criticizes the station for its changing attitudes towards different regions of hip-hop music. He accuses Hot 97 of not supporting down South music and only playing West Coast music when Snoop Dogg comes to town. The lyrics suggest a deep disdain for the station and its practices, with Kool Keith and Marc Live presenting themselves as real hip-hop artists who cannot be bought or influenced by the commercialization of the industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah! This goes out to all you fake-ass motherfuckers Doin your bullshit-ass parties (yeah, we in here) You motherfuckers are fake, you look like it We know you look like it Look at your fuckin familiar face
Kool Keith is calling out people who pretend to be something they're not and throw parties that are not authentic. He is saying they are easy to spot and everyone knows it just by looking at them.
The nine can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Casanova) Latex on my dick, {?} on my wrists (on my wristssss) Can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Gun Hill Road) Latex on my dick, {?} on my wrists Can't fuck with this, Hot 97 smell like piss (Newark, New Jersey) Latex on my dick, {?} on my wristssss
Kool Keith is saying that his music and style are untouchable while also dissing specific areas and radio stations for smelling bad and being inferior in general.
Hypin up niggaz too much, bullshit's goin down I don't give a fuck about Howston Street That's where they suckin dicks all day, niggaz meet Play what you told to play, Flavmaster-ass nigga You can't even cut straight, a DJ fast nigga Y'all niggaz is monkeys with cups!
Kool Keith is criticizing the DJs who only play what they are told to play and hype up artists too much. He even goes as far as to insult a specific DJ's lack of skill and other DJs' lack of originality by comparing them to monkeys with cups.
With that bullshit playlist, Arbitron even say you SUCK Billboard hate you; you corny motherfuckers are fake too Wit'cha robot format, stick a bomb on your asscrack Who sponsor you motherfuckers, Speed stick deodorant You motherfuckers yeah - you owe the rent Get rid of your staff they make me laugh with that local-ass shit
Kool Keith is taking jabs at the radio station's playlist which is criticized by even the ratings measurement company Arbitron. He implies that they are sponsored by low-quality companies like Speed Stick and need to pay their rent because they are not making enough money. He also insults the station's staff for their lack of originality.
Y'all play all day talkin shit And sittin on the toilet even Clear Channel's mad All y'all do is flush toilets and shit all day Report some ol' bullshit to BDS, like y'all the best Transexuals, walkin up there with a fuckin dress Even Wendy Williams say you motherfuckers be up in girdles and bras Gettin they fuckin nails pressed
Kool Keith is claiming that the radio station talks trash and does nothing all day but use the bathroom, and even the company they work for is unhappy with them. He also accuses them of playing mediocre content while pretending to be the best. He takes a transphobic swipe at Wendy Williams and claims that the men at the station wear women's clothing.
Fuck if we ready it's war on the station Taliban, car bomb the whole fuckin place in Duct tape, the receptionist, boxcut up, the security Gun down the P.D.; hold Angie Mar' I strip her naked tie the bitch to the front of the door I kick her face in; tie dynamite, to her nipples I put a dildo in her mouth and if she moves flip the switch dude It's doom, aiyyo the end of an era
Marc Live is threatening to go to war against the radio station and describes a violent takeover. He threatens to kill personnel and blow up the building, and makes a graphic and misogynistic reference to sexually abusing and murdering Angie Martinez, a popular DJ at the station.
Backstabbin bastards, no-talent asses Angie got a bastard child by Nokio (faggot) That has-been groupie bitch shoulda fuckin known Flex is a fruitcake nigga, fat faggot Transvestite lover on Hunt's Point every night Do a show with RuPaul, troublemaker, softest nigga In the city, guys cum on his fuckin titty The worst DJ on KISS, you owe Chuck Chillout bitch You got nerve to act large trick You duck and hide, too many niggaz gettin shot outside (Game) You gon' learn when that car show gets interrupted A news break, they drove a Navi through your fuckin gate
This section is a continuation of Marc Live's threats against certain DJs and staff members. He insults them and makes homophobic and transphobic comments, accuses them of being talentless and immoral, and indicates that violence is prevalent in the area where the station is located. He also suggests that their security is inadequate and that they will be attacked during a car show.
The type of niggaz y'all fuck with little kids havin incest A couple of years ago y'all was the first critics with that bullshit Talkin about down South was weak, y'all was dissin Mannie Fresh Only when Snoop come to town, y'all play his shit Actin like y'all supportin the West; lyin-ass niggaz Frank Crock' tryin-ass niggaz Slick suckin dick-ass niggaz Nuts when they get into town
Kool Keith criticizes the radio station for previously criticizing Southern rap but now playing Snoop Dogg's music when he comes to town, implying that they are hypocrites. He also insults the DJs with crude language and insinuates that they are pedophiles.
I was listenin to Master P and shit When you motherfuckers was hatin 'em Now all of a sudden Lil Jon is hot, and blew up Now you gon' stand in the music bitch and act CRUNK Now you tryin to get DOWN, late-ass nigga I hate a fake-ass nigga, strawberry shake-ass nigga
Continuing his criticism of the radio station's playlist, Kool Keith claims to have been listening to Master P when the station was hating on him, further emphasizing their lack of authenticity. He also accuses them of jumping on the bandwagon with the rise of Lil Jon and the crunk genre, and calls them out for being late to the party.
Contributed by Sophie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
7ToRnAdOeS
Real talk here, at least he's telling the truth...
Devin Simmons
Yo, these guys exposed Flex and Mister cee with transexuals years before we found out the truth. He exposed a lot of rappers, it's crazy that Kool Keith is not getting recognition he deserves.