An original member of New York's new-school pioneers the Ultramagnetic MC's… Read Full Bio ↴An original member of New York's new-school pioneers the Ultramagnetic MC's, "Kool" Keith Thornton is best known as a solo rapper. His signature style is stream-of-consciousness lyrical flow and complex vocals, two skills that earn him a perennial nod from the underground hip-hop community. The average Kool Keith album is peppered with bizarre, disjointed, even delusional or disassociated themes, concepts, and references. Nearly all of his albums incorporate a satirical dislike for more commercialized strains of hip-hop, as well as major record labels.

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)

N.B.A
Kool Keith Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah... a message to the N.B.A. ("well that's alright")
The National, Basketball, Association
We begin ("well that's alright")
Your man is a tourin nigga, six-foot-eight floss nigga

who carries champagne in the club with Coogi sweaters
Borin nigga, no game havin
Less rap skill, N.B.A. nigga with a studio you ill

Don't you know my game terrorize

Six-foot-three guards on the microphone, my lyrics kill
Why don't you awkward niggaz stop rhymin and take a birth control pill
Jackson got you gassed, ask Phil
I'm not impressed with your full court press

Girls with Tyra Banks weaves, and Lisa Raye's complexion
can step up to the foul line for an AIDS test
My jewelry like big trucks
I don't care if you flash your Milwaukee Bucks

Even bodyguards couldn't protect you ducks
I care less if you a Trailblazer
My cris-cross on girls is sharp, why'all get cut off with a razor
Even if you have braids like Latrell

I got more numbers in my system than Pacific Bell
Pass the basketball around and go tell
Smoother than Rick Fox puttin on his hair gel
Groupies don't have to know me, just swallow my sperm when you blow me

Keith look in the club for your celebrity jump shooters
Tall lean men who can't read books to they kids need tutors
You cats got the nerve to try to stop my tomahawk dunks
by e-mailing, golddiggers on computers

Leap over why'all with color and fashion
Lame assholes in black pinstripe suits, keep steppin and passin
Beyond the youse-a-baby, you broke finished payin for them car notes
I'm the championship nigga youse a loser ("well that's alright")

P.I.S.S., on the N.B.A. ("well that's alright")
N.B.A. niggaz!
National Basketball Association
N.B.A. bitches! (N.B.A. play)

National Basketball Association
(The N.B.A. Association..)

{*singer ad libs*}
(N.B.A. niggaz, house niggaz, slave owner niggaz..)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kool Keith's song "N.B.A" are meant to be a message to the National Basketball Association, known as the N.B.A. The rapper starts off by stating "that's alright," implying that he has no ill will towards the organization, but then proceeds to criticize certain aspects of it. Keith references a six-foot-eight man who is a "floss nigga," carrying champagne in clubs and wearing Coogi sweaters. He also comments on the lack of rap skills in some N.B.A. players who have studios but cannot rhyme well.

Keith then turns his attention to the game itself, boasting about his own terrorizing skills on the microphone and telling other players to stop rapping and take a birth control pill. He mocks the idea of full-court press and dismisses the importance of certain teams, such as the Milwaukee Bucks and the Trailblazers. He also speaks of his own jewelry and how it is like big trucks, and how he cares less about players' bodyguards who cannot protect them.

Towards the end of the song, Keith switches his focus to the women in the N.B.A.'s lives, insulting them with derogatory comments and insinuations about their sexual behavior. He then accuses certain players of being unable to read to their kids and needing tutors, and talks about how he is a championship player while they are losers.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah... a message to the N.B.A. ("well that's alright")
Kool Keith is addressing the National Basketball Association with this song.

The National, Basketball, Association
He states the full acronym of the organization he is addressing.

We begin ("well that's alright")
Kool Keith is ready to start his criticisms and insults to NBA players.

Your man is a tourin nigga, six-foot-eight floss nigga who carries champagne in the club with Coogi sweaters
He is insulting NBA players who love to flaunt their wealth with designer clothes and expensive drinks.

Borin nigga, no game havin
Kool Keith is insulting NBA players for not being able to bring more to the game than just their physical stature.

Less rap skill, N.B.A. nigga with a studio you ill
Kool Keith is suggesting that NBA players cannot excel in other industries such as music because they lack the necessary skills.

Don't you know my game terrorize
He is boasting that his lyrical ability can cause fear and intimidation.

Six-foot-three guards on the microphone, my lyrics kill
Keith is saying that his lyrics are so good that they can compete with the heights of NBA players.

Why don't you awkward niggaz stop rhymin and take a birth control pill
He is telling untalented rappers to stop creating music and eventually getting pregnant with their weak rhymes.

Jackson got you gassed, ask Phil
Kool Keith is making fun of the fact that many NBA players have an overgrown ego because of their iconic coach Phil Jackson's praise.

I'm not impressed with your full court press
He is saying that he is not impressed by the manner that basketball players are trying to impress the public.

Girls with Tyra Banks weaves, and Lisa Raye's complexion can step up to the foul line for an AIDS test
Kool Keith is making fun of the women who are willing to have sex with basketball players because they are HIV/AIDS free since they can afford tests and good healthcare.

My jewelry like big trucks
Keith is saying that his bling is so huge and impressive that it can even be compared to a large vehicle.

I don't care if you flash your Milwaukee Bucks
He is making fun of Milwaukee Bucks fans worshipping NBA players so much that they buy overpriced items in support.

Even bodyguards couldn't protect you ducks
Keith is boasting that he can take down NBA players even with their security team around them.

I care less if you a Trailblazer
He is stating that even if someone plays for a team like the Trail Blazers is not good enough for him to be impressed.

My cris-cross on girls is sharp, why'all get cut off with a razor
He is implying that he is successful with women and that other rappers who think they are good with girls are inferior to him.

Even if you have braids like Latrell
Keith is saying that even if someone has braids like NBA player Latrell Sprewell, they are not impressive enough for him to be impressed.

I got more numbers in my system than Pacific Bell
Kool Keith is boasting that he has more phone numbers saved than the telephone company, Pacific Bell.

Pass the basketball around and go tell
He is encouraging basketball players to pass the ball around rather than hogging it to themselves and indulging in their fame.

Smoother than Rick Fox puttin on his hair gel
Keith is implying that he is smoother than former NBA player Rick Fox when he was putting on his hair gel.

Groupies don't have to know me, just swallow my sperm when you blow me
He is making a vulgar comment in suggesting that he doesn't care about groupies and that all he needs is that they can satisfy him regardless of who he is.

Keith look in the club for your celebrity jump shooters
He is looking for NBA players in the club who are big spenders and can flaunt their wealth.

Tall lean men who can't read books to they kids need tutors
Keith is implying that basketball players are so uneducated and can't even help their children reading.

You cats got the nerve to try to stop my tomahawk dunks by e-mailing, golddiggers on computers
He is stating that people keep hating and disapproving of his talents by sending hate e-mails or complaining when his fans try to show their support on the internet.

Leap over why'all with color and fashion
Keith is saying that he can rise above prejudice through his color and fashion of his performances.

Lame assholes in black pinstripe suits, keep steppin and passin
He is cleary stating that persons who wear such suits are no match for him.

Beyond the youse-a-baby, you broke finished payin for them car notes
Kool Keith is saying he's beyond the 'you're broke' insults because NBA players can barely afford to pay for their cars.

I'm the championship nigga youse a loser ("well that's alright")
He is making the claim that he is a champion while NBA players are losers.

P.I.S.S., on the N.B.A. ("well that's alright")
Kool Keith is using P.I.S.S. as a metaphor to convey that his rap talent is better than the NBA organization.

N.B.A. niggaz!
This statement, along with the next couple of lines, is for added emphasis.

National Basketball Association
A reiteration of which organization this song is about.

N.B.A. bitches! (N.B.A. play)
An insult to NBA hoes, along with a playful reference to the action in the game.

(The N.B.A. Association..)
A final affirmation of the theme of this song.

{*singer ad libs*}
Musical fillers that add to the song's tone and mood.

(N.B.A. niggaz, house niggaz, slave owner niggaz..)
A final, gratuitous insult to everyone associated with the NBA organization, including the actual players, higher-ups, and even the fans.

Lyrics © Roba Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KEITH THORNTON, SCOTT SANTOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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