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)
Keith Turbo
Kool Keith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're listening to the number one
The one and only (Keith Turbo)
Keith (Keith Turbo) Turbo
Pontiac GTO
That's right we do it like that
Keith Turbo the new man
Here we go
Move in close range with the ARTCC
Air Route Traffic Control Center
I freeze MC's at maximum degrees
?? from the street when I ripped apartments
And the Corman suites
Two and a half units available, bass you can't trace
Your girl starin' in my face at seven thousand feet
Turbo, jets in the cockpit
You flock with weak kids on the block with
For protection, I'll ruin your whole section
For major alteration, my final approach is to spray y'all
Attack ya like roaches
Don't step to me at the food court at the municipal airport
Your unmatched performance can't stop my endurance
Runaway 18-L, pilot one, change in your slot
Number two you're through, dischargin' your battery
Stop rappin' to me
New York City's number one MC, that's real G
Who's that kid be ? Passengers are in position
Change your whole vision
Commercial instructors stop your stretch marks
Take off your shirt I see your ribs
Fakin' like you Tommy Gibbs
Technology program, you used to know
I used to study with Son of Sam, that's right
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
Man
I can throw a hundred thousand pound walrus right through the walls
That's right
Mad like five gorillas in the vocal booth [mad like five guerrillas]
It's all Turbo
Yo Mom Duke, pass me my helmet
Let me show these kids what to do
RPM six hundred pound gorillas, twenty two not hot
Engine accurate, GPS storm scopes on your folks
Monitors equal, my three million new fans are white people
Geared toward the universe while black people think the worse
Realistically expect my gross is twenty times your checks
Triple that diamond around your necks, besides I hate cars
You feel the turbulence, fasten seatbelts, close your vents
Rugged horsepower, M-20-F, executive manifestin' you a lesson
False representation'll leave y'all sweatin' in the train station
Remember I'm blacker than your used Acura
That's why I laugh at ya
Like a anorexic model on the crack bottle
Y'all play Frankie Beverly I'm in the future with a phaser network
I bet ya I'll make your beck hurt
Endorsements from the universities can't stop my abilities
Financial trainin' on the campus
Sock ya like ? did Kurt Rambis
Fax you that flight number, stand by frequency
Don't mess with me
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
Pontiac, GTO
That's right y'all, it's all about NASA
When I ride around in my NASCAR
Don't think I'm Richard Petty, or Bobby Unser
Or even Al Unser, it's all Indy 500 when I run around
You know it, I come with the fluid like Jackie Stewart
The lyrics in Kool Keith's song "Keith Turbo" depict his persona as a skilled and confident MC who dominates the rap game. He references the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and jets in the cockpit, establishing himself as a lyrical pilot who can take off and land with ease. Keith believes that his unmatched performance cannot be matched by anyone, and he advises weaker MCs not to step to him. He compares his determination to fly to the same determination that his fans have in supporting him.
Keith Turbo also alludes to the Pontiac GTO, a classic American muscle car that symbolizes speed, style, and muscle. He repeats the phrase "Pontiac GTO" as a way of emphasizing his bold and courageous personality. Keith exudes confidence in his lyrics, and his fans can feel and relate to his message, empowering them to take charge of their lives and achieve their dreams.
The song also has a lot of imagery related to aviation and technology, such as "storm scopes," "GPS," and "frequency." Keith Turbo portrays himself as a futuristic figure who has superior technical skills and is always ahead of his competition. The song's upbeat tempo, accompanied by samples from the famous "Apache" breakbeat, reflects Keith Turbo's energetic and dynamic personality.
Line by Line Meaning
New York City! (Keith Turbo)
Introducing himself, Keith Turbo, as number one in NYC
You're listening to the number one
Reinforcing that he is the top MC
The one and only (Keith Turbo)
Establishing his unique identity as Keith Turbo
Keith (Keith Turbo) Turbo
Repeating his name for emphasis
Pontiac GTO
Referencing his powerful car and style
That's right we do it like that
Confidently asserting his style
Keith Turbo the new man
Introducing himself as a new artist
Here we go
Starting the song with energy
Move in close range with the ARTCC
Comparing his skills to those of air traffic controllers in managing the mic
Air Route Traffic Control Center
Naming the control center where air traffic controllers work
I freeze MC's at maximum degrees
Bringing in a metaphor about freezing and then dominating other MCs
?? from the street when I ripped apartments
Unknown
And the Corman suites
Referencing a high-end hotel room
Two and a half units available, bass you can't trace
Advertising his distinct sound, bass-heavy and hard hitting
Your girl starin' in my face at seven thousand feet
Boasting about his high altitude and how he attracts attention from others, specifically women
Turbo, jets in the cockpit
Reasserting that he's in control and powerful, like a pilot in a cockpit
You flock with weak kids on the block with
Dissing his competition as weak and inferior to him
For protection, I'll ruin your whole section
Warning his competition that he will destroy them to protect himself
For major alteration, my final approach is to spray y'all
Promising to change the game and revolutionize rap with his unique style
Attack ya like roaches
Comparing his attack style to that of a roach infestation, unstoppable
Don't step to me at the food court at the municipal airport
Challenging his competition to come to him anywhere, even at a public place like the airport food court
Your unmatched performance can't stop my endurance
Confirming his superiority and his resilience against competition
Runaway 18-L, pilot one, change in your slot
Referencing a runway and air traffic control again, claiming that he is in charge here and everyone else needs to step aside
Number two you're through, discharging your battery
Naming other competition by number and dismissing them
Stop rappin' to me
Telling other MCs to stop trying to compete with him, as they are inferior
New York City's number one MC, that's real G
Reiterating his status as the top MC, this time with a slang term 'real G'
Who's that kid be? Passengers are in position
Rhetorical question asking who could take him, without any takers stepping up
Change your whole vision
Demanding others to change their perspectives because he's just that good
Commercial instructors stop your stretch marks
Mocking the commercialized rap scene and encouraging artists to stay true to themselves
Take off your shirt I see your ribs
Insultingly telling other MCs that they're weak and frail
Fakin' like you Tommy Gibbs
Referencing a character in a movie, mocking other rappers for pretending to be somebody they're not
Technology program, you used to know
Referencing his technical prowess and putting down others who might have once had a glimmer of hope to compete with him
I used to study with Son of Sam, that's right
Revealing that he has a dark past and associates with notorious people, adding to his mystique and uniqueness
Man
Exclamation of his greatness
I can throw a hundred thousand pound walrus right through the walls
Making an impossible and exaggerated claim about his strength and ability
That's right
Reasserting his previous claim
Mad like five gorillas in the vocal booth [mad like five guerrillas]
Boasting about his intensity and energy in the studio
It's all Turbo
Reaffirming his unique style and persona
Yo Mom Duke, pass me my helmet
Addressing his mom and asking for his metaphorical 'helmet' to take on the competition
Let me show these kids what to do
Confidently boasting to show others how it's done
RPM six hundred pound gorillas, twenty two not hot
More exaggerated claims about his dominance, comparing it to a gorilla-like force
Engine accurate, GPS storm scopes on your folks
Making technological references to sound advanced
Monitors equal, my three million new fans are white people
Referencing his fan base, and making assumptions about their race, possibly to indicate cross-genre appeal
Geared toward the universe while black people think the worse
Claiming that he's beyond his time and appeal and may not be understood by black fans
Realistically expect my gross is twenty times your checks
Asserting that he makes more money than other MCs
Triple that diamond around your necks, besides I hate cars
Making fun of his competition's jewelry and musical style because they all stereotype themselves
You feel the turbulence, fasten seatbelts, close your vents
Using airplane language metaphorically to describe his MC style as turbulent and powerful
Rugged horsepower, M-20-F, executive manifestin' you a lesson
Bringing in a metaphor that he's an executive teaching others a lesson
False representation'll leave y'all sweatin' in the train station
Warning others to be true to themselves or they'll face consequences
Remember I'm blacker than your used Acura
Rhetorically playing with the idea of race, claiming he's 'blacker' and cooler than his competition
That's why I laugh at ya
Mocking his competition
Like a anorexic model on the crack bottle
Using a strange simile to implicitly call his competition weak and drug dependent
Y'all play Frankie Beverly I'm in the future with a phaser network
Mocking his competition for being old and outdated, while positioning himself as futuristic and technologically advanced
I bet ya I'll make your beck hurt
Threatening to cause pain to other MCs' backs, from the force of his music
Endorsements from the universities can't stop my abilities
Boasting about his abilities, and suggesting that even university endorsements are not enough to stop him
Financial trainin' on the campus
Referencing his business acumen, and his superiority over others
Sock ya like ? did Kurt Rambis
Using a strange and unknown metaphor to indicate his ability to defeat his competition easily
Fax you that flight number, stand by frequency
Playing with airline jargon again, telling others to wait for his next move
Don't mess with me
Warning others not to challenge him
That's right y'all, it's all about NASA
Bringing in another scientific reference after previously referencing an air traffic control center
When I ride around in my NASCAR
Bringing in another reference, suggesting he's a race car driver now
Don't think I'm Richard Petty, or Bobby Unser
Clarifying that he's not like other popular race car drivers
Or even Al Unser, it's all Indy 500 when I run around
Further asserting his superior race car driving abilities and connecting it to a famous race
You know it, I come with the fluid like Jackie Stewart
Comparing his flow to the smooth driving of a famous race car driver, Jackie Stewart
Lyrics Β© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: KEITH THORNTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jemimallah
surely the funniest rap album ever made. even the production is hilarious, i.e. the stupid synth line at 1:26
unicron
Ngl him aesop doom and deltron changed ug hip hop
Chris Dickey
This is rock n roll Hall of Fame shit dummy. This man invented alt hip hop. Before him it was as materialistic as it is now.
M K
@Gene Schwartz It is equally funny and genius πππ
Gene Schwartz
nothing funny about these beats. this shit is genius level
Tao Quit
That brilliant, not stupid
Jason King
I can throw a 100,000 pound walrus right through the wall
Japreme Magnetic.
"Monitors equal/my 3 million new fans of white people/geared towards the universe/while black people think the worst." Kool Keith #RGM
Keithisill
Japreme Eloheem Fucking WORD bro!β€οΈ
scose
Not only does Kool Keith rap about the ARTCC, he raps about moving people back in the line to take off as a sign of disrespect. This man wrote an air traffic control themed diss track