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)

You know You want it
Kool Keith Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Kool Keith]
Girls, I'm slappin 'em up
Pimp smackin 'em up, anger management
President, better than ediment{?}
Sweetness by slickness you with this
You witness the lonely the misfits
On them place and table servin 'em biscuits
But kisses delicious

My swiftness fills statistics linguistics
You think I'm Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone
How many, comin at me
Startin G, ladies excuse me
Player I beg your pardon G
I'm harder G, astrology dodgin me when I'm rum pum pum pum..
Make me the sergeant see
From the coast, and pot roast, I load furs
And them diamonds and them pearls on them coats, I will boast
Be braggin, not draggin
Flowin on the spoon like Daggen-Hanz
The Nova is comin over, I'm Cas'
See the pimp of nature under the table
With broads by the side I will hate'cha
From Singapore and Malaysia
When the last time you pulled your fuck out
The other players claimin pimp that wanna trick off
What they assssk, me, ask Whitefolk and Pimpin' Ken
I bring it around and let you taste it

[Chorus: repeat 2X]
We comin up big doggy, we playin it big homey
No niggaz just chicks around me all we want is ass and money
We combin the streets, droppin our work all day and night
They know we pimps cause the chicks always play us tight

[H-Bomb]
'Bout comin up pickin up paper, it's the H you know it's me
You soakin up game, but you lame, shame on he not me
Peepin on what we wear and, steppin on checks we clearin
Tryin to look and act like us so his cash we start sharin
You movin too slow man, you fallin in love man
You don't know pimpin is the only thing to know man
Double back double up on the paper that I'm musclin
Put it out doin my dirt checkin my work, paper keep comin in
Don't be so mad homey, you too uptight nigga
I know the pimps and pushers strippin up pickin up dollars
I'm holdin on to my dough, I'm plannin to stick yo' flow
I'm lookin to ho through pimpin choose I'm keepin up all her dough
You know the chicks go, out watch the chips fall
The money I bank it I don't give a fuck 'bout none of y'all

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "You know You want it" by Kool Keith is about his pimp lifestyle, where he talks about slapping up and pimp-smacking girls. He brags about being better than the President and winning over women with his swiftness and slickness. He calls himself the "pimp of nature" and claims to have women from Singapore to Malaysia. He talks about his competitors claiming to be pimps but only wanting to trick off, and emphasizes how he is in it for the ass and the money.

The lyrics talk about the pimp game as a business, where everyone is trying to make their way up the ladder, picking up paper, and clearing checks. Kool Keith implies that he is the top dog, and everyone else is just trying to look and act like him. He boasts about his luxurious lifestyle, loaded with furs, diamonds, and pearls on coats, and broads by his side.

Overall, the song is a representation of the pimp culture and how it is glorified in some societies, although it is shrouded in misogyny and abuse.

Line by Line Meaning

Girls, I'm slappin 'em up
I am pimping women by physically abusing them.

Pimp smackin 'em up, anger management
I'm giving them a pimp slap because it's cathartic for my anger issues.

President, better than ediment{?}
I'm the president of my own world and better than most people who are insignificant to me.

Sweetness by slickness you with this
I'm charming and slick with my approach to attract and seduce women.

You witness the lonely the misfits
You are seeing the vulnerable and marginalized women in my company who are dependent on me for emotional and financial support.

On them place and table servin 'em biscuits
I'm treating them badly by treating them like servants and providing them with low-quality food to assert my superiority.

But kisses delicious
However, I am using my seductive techniques to lure them into liking me.

My swiftness fills statistics linguistics
My ability to speak quickly and convincingly makes me successful in my profession and proves me as a dominant figure in the world.

You think I'm Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone Bone
You may think I'm like other pimps who are less successful than me.

How many, comin at me
How many people are trying to challenge me?

Startin G, ladies excuse me
I'm starting to feel upset, but I'm still polite to women around me.

Player I beg your pardon G
I am confident in my position and apologize to no one for it.

I'm harder G, astrology dodgin me when I'm rum pum pum pum..
I'm a stronger pimp and don't believe in astrology or fate.

Make me the sergeant see
I want to be the leader, the one in charge, and given the power.

From the coast, and pot roast, I load furs
I am on top of things and have beautiful and valuable things at my disposal.

And them diamonds and them pearls on them coats, I will boast
I will brag about the luxuries that I own and the power that they give me.

Be braggin, not draggin
I'm a proud leader and not a follower.

Flowin on the spoon like Daggen-Hanz
I am smoothly manipulating women to benefit myself, similar to how a chef stirs a pot with a spoon.

The Nova is comin over, I'm Cas'
I am confident and in control of my environment, and women are drawn to me.

See the pimp of nature under the table
I am dominant in every aspect of life and hold power over everything around me, including women.

With broads by the side I will hate'cha
With women by my side, I will intimidate and threaten anyone who challenges or questions my authority.

From Singapore and Malaysia
I have women from all over the world under my control, showing my strength in the international pimp hierarchy.

When the last time you pulled your fuck out
When was the last time you had sex with a woman?

The other players claimin pimp that wanna trick off
Other pimps are claiming to be successful but are actually wasting money on women to maintain their status.

What they assssk, me, ask Whitefolk and Pimpin' Ken
If you want to know who the successful pimps are, ask the people who know best.

I bring it around and let you taste it
I am confident in my abilities and will allow you to experience my pimping firsthand.

We comin up big doggy, we playin it big homey
We are becoming more successful and wealthy and have no time for small-minded thinking.

No niggaz just chicks around me all we want is ass and money
We surround ourselves with women and desire only sex and money.

We combin the streets, droppin our work all day and night
We work hard and tirelessly in the streets to make money and maintain our dominance.

They know we pimps cause the chicks always play us tight
Our dominance and power over women is undeniable, and they will always obey and gravitate towards us.

'Bout comin up pickin up paper, it's the H you know it's me
I'm focused on making money and am identified as H-Bomb in this pursuit.

You soakin up game, but you lame, shame on he not me
You are trying to learn how to be successful but are not cut out for it, and it is no fault of my own.

Peepin on what we wear and, steppin on checks we clearin
You are envious of our success and trying to bring us down by criticizing our style and questioning the legality of our earnings.

Tryin to look and act like us so his cash we start sharin
You are trying to emulate us in order to gain access to our money and success.

You movin too slow man, you fallin in love man
You are not working quickly enough or efficiently enough, and are becoming too attached to the women which will hinder your success.

You don't know pimpin is the only thing to know man
The only thing worth knowing is how to pimp, and anything else is irrelevant.

Double back double up on the paper that I'm musclin
I will continue to make money and increase my wealth by working harder and more effectively.

Put it out doin my dirt checkin my work, paper keep comin in
I am focused on doing the hard work to maintain my success, and the money will continue to flow in as a result.

Don't be so mad homey, you too uptight nigga
You need to relax and not be so angry and tense when it comes to pimping.

I know the pimps and pushers strippin up pickin up dollars
I am aware of my competition and am better than them at making money.

I'm holdin on to my dough, I'm plannin to stick yo' flow
I am keeping my money and planning to disrupt your flow of income, making me more successful in the long run.

I'm lookin to ho through pimpin choose I'm keepin up all her dough
I am looking for women to pimp and profit from, taking all of their earnings for myself.

You know the chicks go, out watch the chips fall
Women are attracted to successful and dominant men, and they will gravitate towards me to capitalize on their desires.

The money I bank it I don't give a fuck 'bout none of y'all
I am not concerned with anyone else's opinions or welfare, as long as I am making money and succeeding in my mission to dominate.

Contributed by Brayden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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