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)
Freak It
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I seen what yous was doing
What's goin' on on the corner, how's work out there?
Yeah I'm a see you tonight, take care, you know
Alright
Hey Big Louie, Joey The Man the master mack
I got them broads with legs up in a Cadillac
I bought 'em somethin' to eat I made 'em smile
They wanna dance double check in a local bar
That's my scene the phantom in a Go Go Bar
Like Luke said I got ta take a sky walker
Pumps and bumps, action man I'm no talker
You seen Benny around, he owe my honey's money
I'm here for business, yo boss go get Big Sonny
I'm into movies, yo Kurt start the camcorder
Take of those panties, yo baby start the tape recorder
I'm into Dannon yo girls taste the yogurt
I don't come quick, professionals control it
And who's these singers singin' up in my club
Freak it honey rated x
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Now put this teddy on, this red and black baby doll
With your high heel shoes, don't worry you won't fall
I must admit cha, I have to take a picta
When you walk away , I see your left eye switch a
I must say you are ready fro bondage
As I pull your hair and watch you stretch
You look around see the mask of the phantom
The skills to your bedroom, I must plant 'em
I look in windows and views with binoculars
I seen you wash up one time and a spot you miss
You don't know, I seen you in a video
With MC Hammer, my man Joe, here we go
I know you see me, I drive a green Cadilliac
With Tender Vittels, you bound to catch a mack smack
Yo where's Wille at, the blunt and the Phillie at?
I got employees with me selling kitty kat
C'mon girl, jump I like a groupie
No basket ball star, yo man she ain't doofy
C'mon and see the player swinger show
Forget them slow jams yo f that singer show
I come lay in the spot with now drawers
Freak it honey rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Hey yeah come here love
Let me tell you a little bit of somethin' in your ear one time
(Yeah)
I'm a tell ya a little something
Let me tell ya, come here
My pockets loaded I'm leanin' rollin' in a Caddy
The P I M P flex the phantom mack daddy
I seen her walk in the clubs with through hips
Yo Pepsi Cola come here lem me take sips
Get up there girl, yo work it, yo work it when you tap dance
Come on and sit down the owner want a lap dance
I tip big don't get me mad you smoke a cig
Yo Big Ben drops checks and Franky drive a rig
I'm swingin' intimate, I got the east coast
Yo hand me that phone control 'n panties on the west coast
I got no lyrical time, aye yo you waste time
I got a meet 'n with some business on my mind
I got this taste for greens to feel a bill
Money in rubber bands you people think i'm ill
I'm keepin' close to home she in a Cadillac
I'd rather live well with big steaks in a stack
Yo Jack yo give me some credit, put your bet up
I got 'em all dancin' freaky Dee's workin' sweat up
It's easy baby three records get you live
Make 'em spend second pockets and step if they get jive
I close down tonight, you stop that fools fight
If you come in wild, don't play you bring it right
I pull your card, pluck your feathers and your crap game
Leavin' you cold with no diamonds and your gold
Don't touch my women Franky, play with my money
Freak it honey rated x
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
Freak it honey
(With girl)
Rated X
The lyrics to Kool Keith's song Freak It are a vivid description of his world as a pimp and player. He boasts about his ability to turn women on, and his love of doggy style, mentioning buying them something to eat to make them smile. He flouts his dominance over the other men in his circle, such as Benny who owes money to his women. He reveals his penchant for kinky sex, asserting that the woman is ready for bondage and that he has seen her washing up mistake-free through binoculars. He recruits women to work for him selling "kitty kat" and encourages them to dance rated X in his club. The lyrics exude a sense of excitement and danger as they depict the lust and swagger of a man who is living life on his own terms.
The lyrics to Freak It offer a fascinating window into the world of pimping and player culture, but it's important to note that they are also controversial and offensive to many people. Kool Keith's explicit and often graphic descriptions of sex and violence may be disturbing to some listeners. They can be seen as promoting and glorifying the objectification of women and the criminal lifestyle of a pimp. Others might argue that the lyrics are a reflection of the reality of that world and shouldn't be taken seriously as advocacy. In either case, they are a powerful expression of a subculture that is often overlooked or misunderstood.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo what's goin' on?
A greeting to someone he sees on the street
I seen what yous was doing
He saw what they were doing earlier
What's goin' on on the corner, how's work out there?
Asking how business is going on the street corner
Yeah I'm a see you tonight, take care, you know Alright
Plans on seeing the person later and says farewell
Hey Big Louie, Joey The Man the master mack
Greetings to his friends and associates
I got them broads with legs up in a Cadillac
He has women in his car
I turn 'em doggy style, I turn 'em doggy wild
He has sex with the women
I bought 'em somethin' to eat I made 'em smile
He feeds the women after having sex
They wanna dance double check in a local bar
The women want to go to a bar and dance
That's my scene the phantom in a Go Go Bar
He likes to go to Go Go Bars
Like Luke said I got ta take a sky walker
A reference to Star Wars, he needs to leave soon
Pumps and bumps, action man I'm no talker
He enjoys sex and is not much of a talker
You seen Benny around, he owe my honey's money
Asking about someone who owes him money
I'm here for business, yo boss go get Big Sonny
He is here to conduct business and asks to speak to someone in charge
I'm into movies, yo Kurt start the camcorder
He likes making amateur porn and asks someone to start filming
Take of those panties, yo baby start the tape recorder
He asks someone to take off their underwear and start recording
I'm into Dannon yo girls taste the yogurt
He likes to have sex with women while they are eating yogurt
I don't come quick, professionals control it
He takes his time during sex and is good at controlling himself
And who's these singers singin' up in my club
He is annoyed by the music playing in his club
Freak it honey rated x
Encouraging someone to have sex with him
Now put this teddy on, this red and black baby doll
Asking a woman to wear lingerie
With your high heel shoes, don't worry you won't fall
Assuring her that she won't fall while wearing high heels
I must admit cha, I have to take a picta
He wants to take a picture of her
When you walk away ,I see your left eye switch a
He notices something strange about her eye
I must say you are ready fro bondage
He thinks she is ready for bondage
As I pull your hair and watch you stretch
He enjoys pulling hair and watching women stretch during sex
You look around see the mask of the phantom
He wears a mask during sex
The skills to your bedroom, I must plant 'em
He is skilled in sex and wants to show her
I look in windows and views with binoculars
He is a voyeur and likes to watch people
I seen you wash up one time and a spot you miss
He watched her while she was washing and noticed she had missed a spot
You don't know, I seen you in a video
He has seen her in a porn video
With MC Hammer, my man Joe, here we go
A reference to a porn video that he and his friend Joe made with MC Hammer
I know you see me, I drive a green Cadilliac
He wants her to notice him and his car
With Tender Vittels, you bound to catch a mack smack
His car has expensive food in it and he wants her to have some
Yo where's Wille at, the blunt and the Phillie at?
Asking about a friend and where the weed is
I got employees with me selling kitty kat
He has people selling drugs with him
C'mon girl, jump I like a groupie
He wants her to have sex with him like a groupie
No basket ball star, yo man she ain't doofy
He is not a basketball star and she is not dumb
C'mon and see the player swinger show
He wants her to watch him have sex with other women
Forget them slow jams yo f that singer show
He doesn't like slow music and wants to focus on sex
I come lay in the spot with no drawers
He wants to have sex with her without taking off his underwear
Freak it honey rated X
Encouraging her to have sex with him again
Hey yeah come here love
Calling a woman over
Let me tell you a little bit of somethin' in your ear one time
He wants to whisper something to her
My pockets loaded I'm leanin' rollin' in a Caddy
He has a lot of money and drives a Cadillac
The P I M P flex the phantom mack daddy
He thinks of himself as a pimp and a master of sex
I seen her walk in the clubs with through hips
He saw a woman with wide hips at the club
Yo Pepsi Cola come here lem me take sips
Asking someone to come to him so he can take a sip of their drink
Get up there girl, yo work it, yo work it when you tap dance
A woman is dancing for him and he is enjoying it
Come on and sit down the owner want a lap dance
He wants her to give him a lap dance
I tip big don't get me mad you smoke a cig
He tips well and doesn't like when people smoke around him
Yo Big Ben drops checks and Franky drive a rig
Talking about his friends and associates
I'm swingin' intimate, I got the east coast
He is having sex with women on the East Coast
Yo hand me that phone control 'n panties on the west coast
He is controlling a woman's phone and asking her to take off her underwear
I got no lyrical time, aye yo you waste time
He doesn't have time for talking and thinks the other person is wasting time
I got a meet 'n with some business on my mind
He has a business meeting to attend
I got this taste for greens to feel a bill
He has an appetite for money
Money in rubber bands you people think i'm ill
He has a lot of money and people think he is crazy for keeping it in rubber bands
I'm keepin' close to home she in a Cadillac
He is staying close to his home and has a woman with him in his Cadillac
I'd rather live well with big steaks in a stack
He wants a luxurious lifestyle
Yo Jack yo give me some credit, put your bet up
Asking someone for credit and to place a bet
I got 'em all dancin' freaky Dee's workin' sweat up
He has everyone in the club dancing and is enjoying it
It's easy baby three records get you live
Playing three songs will get the party started
Make 'em spend second pockets and step if they get jive
Encouraging people to spend money and have fun
I close down tonight, you stop that fools fight
He is closing the club and doesn't want any fights
If you come in wild, don't play you bring it right
Asking people to behave in the club
I pull your card, pluck your feathers and your crap game
He will expose someone if they try to cheat him
Leavin' you cold with no diamonds and your gold
He will take your jewelry and leave you with nothing
Don't touch my women Franky, play with my money
Warning his friend not to touch his women, only his money
Contributed by Wyatt L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.