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)
Girls in Jail
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The date - summer, August 25th
You was transferred from Riker's Island to Attica State Prison
Gina, Thompson
I told you you shouldn'ta went out there with those other girls
And stole a coach bag out of Macy's
Arguin with me every night, you was crazy
That Benz you pulled up you stole you didn't faze me
You had a nice body with bikers
Inmates and female C.O.'s was lookin at your body at Riker's
I took time to write you a letter
But you wanted me to put dope in your sweater
I thought you was sick, with the flu, did you get any better?
Did you write back your Auntie Trineta? Floss and don't pay
Jack say he seen you with a drug dealer that day
You would of been better off takin the subway
[Chorus]
My girl's in jail for life, never comin home - never comin home
She got to pay the price
[Kool Keith]
You got too big in New York
You needed big hustlers around everywhere you walk
A lot of Cristal, fake ballers poppin corks
Now you in a two-inch cell, eatin eggs and pork
Friday the 13th, your birthday, the worst day
I still had love for your dumb ass anyway
Bentley's and Rolls Royces
The answering machine filled up with mysterious voices
Your moms Ms. Jones called, I was in the mall, she said,
"Keith - Tina and Terry got them fake credit cards.
They got my daughter out there - I ain't seen Gina in two weeks."
I hung up the phone
I knew you was workin with some bronze pimp in the streets
(pimp in the streets.. pimp in the streets)
[Chorus]
[Kool Keith]
I called the operator to block the calls and stop the calls
The ceiling in my apartment was leakin like Niagara Falls
Sendin you a bunch of money, clothes and munchin money
You got a lot of phone call threats from a girl named Sunny
I seen the chick from the back
Puerto Rican girl with a nice ass drivin a black Cadillac
With a guy with long sideburns, is that your mack?
(is that your mack.. is that your mack)
[Chorus: x2]
The song "Girls in Jail" by Kool Keith tells a story of a woman named Gina Thompson who has been transferred to Attica State Prison from Riker's Island. Gina is being accused of stealing a coach bag from Macy's and arguing with Kool Keith every night. Kool Keith also mentions that Gina accused him of physical and mental abuse, but he does not seem to be bothered by it. He reveals that she had a nice body, and both inmates and female correctional officers were looking at her. Kool Keith wrote her a letter but did not comply with her request to send dope in her sweater. He wonders if she ever got better from the flu and if she wrote back to Auntie Trineta. Kool Keith also mentions that Gina got into trouble with credit cards and that her mother, Ms. Jones, had not seen her in two weeks. The song suggests that Gina may have been working with a bronze pimp and a girl named Sunny who threatened her on phone calls. Kool Keith finishes the song by revealing that he has seen a Puerto Rican girl driving a black Cadillac with a guy with long sideburns, whom he suspects is Gina's mack.
The song provides a glimpse into a specific aspect of the criminal justice system - women incarcerated in prison. It highlights some of the challenges that women face, especially being objectified and sexually harassed. However, the song also portrays women as criminals involved in illegal activities, such as stealing and working with pimps. The song's lyrics also depict the sexism that women face in the criminal justice system, as witnessed by Kool Keith's observation of both male inmates and female correctional officers admiring Gina's body.
Line by Line Meaning
The date - summer, August 25th
The setting of the story when the singer got incarcerated.
You was transferred from Riker's Island to Attica State Prison
The singer was moved from one prison to another.
Gina, Thompson
The name of the girl who got jailed.
I told you you shouldn'ta went out there with those other girls
The artist warned Gina not to associate with bad company.
And stole a coach bag out of Macy's
Gina stole a bag from Macy's.
Arguin with me every night, you was crazy
Gina used to argue with the singer every night and acted irrationally.
Callin your grandmother sayin I beat you, you think I'm mental & crazy
Gina accused the singer of abuse and called her grandmother about it.
That Benz you pulled up you stole you didn't faze me
The artist was not impressed by the car Gina stole.
You had a nice body with bikers
Gina's physique attracted the attention of the inmates and female C.O.'s.
Inmates and female C.O.'s was lookin at your body at Riker's
More emphasis on Gina's physical features being noticed by other inmates and C.O.'s.
I took time to write you a letter
The singer took the time to write to Gina while she was in prison.
But you wanted me to put dope in your sweater
Gina asked the artist to smuggle drugs into the prison for her.
I thought you was sick, with the flu, did you get any better?
The singer was concerned about Gina's well-being.
Did you write back your Auntie Trineta? Floss and don't pay
The singer asks Gina if she replied to her auntie's letter and advises her to prioritize saving money.
Jack say he seen you with a drug dealer that day
The singer heard that Gina was associating with people involved in drugs.
You would of been better off takin the subway
The artist thinks Gina made a bad decision.
My girl's in jail for life, never comin home - never comin home
The chorus emphasizes that Gina is serving a life sentence.
She got to pay the price
The cost of Gina's actions is emphasized in the chorus.
You got too big in New York
The singer thinks that Gina got too confident and ambitious in New York.
You needed big hustlers around everywhere you walk
The artist thinks Gina needed powerful people to surround her in New York.
A lot of Cristal, fake ballers poppin corks
The artist thinks that Gina was surrounded by fake people who pretended to have money.
Now you in a two-inch cell, eatin eggs and pork
The artist comments on Gina's current situation in prison.
Friday the 13th, your birthday, the worst day
The singer recalls the date of Gina's birthday and remembers it as a bad day.
I still had love for your dumb ass anyway
The artist has mixed emotions for Gina despite her actions.
Bentley's and Rolls Royces
The singer mentions luxury cars.
The answering machine filled up with mysterious voices
The singer receives strange voicemails on his answering machine.
Your moms Ms. Jones called, I was in the mall, she said, "Keith - Tina and Terry got them fake credit cards.
The singer gets a call from Gina's mother, who informs him that her sisters used fake credit cards.
They got my daughter out there - I ain't seen Gina in two weeks." I hung up the phone
Gina's mother fears for her daughter and hasn't heard from her in two weeks.
I knew you was workin with some bronze pimp in the streets
The artist suspects that Gina was working with a pimp.
I called the operator to block the calls and stop the calls
The singer takes action to stop getting calls from mysterious people.
The ceiling in my apartment was leakin like Niagara Falls
The singer's apartment has a leaky ceiling.
Sendin you a bunch of money, clothes and munchin money
The artist sends Gina money and clothes.
You got a lot of phone call threats from a girl named Sunny
Gina receives threats from someone named Sunny.
I seen the chick from the back
The artist sees someone from behind.
Puerto Rican girl with a nice ass drivin a black Cadillac
The singer describes the girl he saw as Puerto Rican and driving a black Cadillac.
With a guy with long sideburns, is that your mack?
The artist thinks the girl is with a pimp who has long sideburns.
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: SCOTT SANTOS, KEITH N THORNTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thetraveler9
This album is hilarious. Keith has an amazing talent of taking lifestyles and spoofing them. This album is like a spoof of the whole, 70s, jerri curl, drug era. It's hilarious.
@GrotesqueKevin
Kool Keith has some of the most original beats ever.
@AgentMorgan2010
Underrated Kool Keith track.
@MrLongduckdoong
THIS SHIT IS THE REAL FUNK!!! WOORD TO KEITH!!
@mrugod
Kool Keith is the Chappelle of Rap
@felondadog
Dopest instrumental ever
@KuthaJuice
Actually from what i understand, keith made most of the beats himself only two or three of the album was made by santos and esham In the liner notes of this cd, Keith disses kutmasta kurt (hence the hiatus from matthew to diesel truckers) saying some shit like "that fuck was nowhere near my neaveboard. Anyone going to him for my sound wont find it."
@DeathDrums
starting to really get into spankmaster..
@maximilianC9
damnnnn nice album coverrrrr woot
@bujwik
fuckin bomb tune