What's the deal peeps?! Can I frank for a minute? I'm LOVING these salutes to albums that are celebrating the golden age of twenty. Not just any regular albums, but albums that were impactful and highly touted. One of the more highly touted albums oif that year was also among the most creative and original hip-hop albums ever crafted. Who else could it have come from an enigmatic emcee that is actually among the true unsung heroes of the game in terms of reinvention and creativity, if not for anything else, his sexual overtures.
We became familiar with Kool Keith as part of the Ultramagnetic MCs, and the EXTREMELY under appreciated monument that was Critical Beatdown. Why that album is JUST NOW getting the respect it deserved back in the late eighties? I have no idea. However since then, Keith dropped another two other albums with them that weren't nearly as acclaimed, thus the beginning of Keith's solo career. This marked a career turn for Keith Thorton, as he became this sexual deviant whose perversions with sex were so out there, they actually became intriguing, if not for nothing to see how far he could go. The start of these ventures originated with him becoming Dr. Octagon. This identity of Keith was as half insane as it was brilliant. Dr. Octagon was a time traveling surgeon that was half sexual, half demented. He often killed patients he was operating on, then would turn right around and would seduce other female patients, as he also doubled as a gynecologist. Wait, it gets stranger.
Apparently Octagon is from Jupiter and how he described his skin and physical attributes is...well...WEIRD. Octagon is clearly a bizarre, twisted, perverted being, and it made for some very enjoyable listens. Crafted by Kutmaster Kurt and the Gorillaz' producer Dan The Automator (who also did another sci-fi hip-hop classic, Deltron 3030 with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien), this is a fascinating piece of work that must be heard to be digested. Literally, this needs to be heard quite a few times before you really get to the core of the matter about Keith's genius. Cuts like "Girl Let Me Touch You", "Halfsharkalligatorhalfman"", and "Earth People" are all rides in the extra-terrestrial operating room that are part deranged, half entertaining. He describes his skin as orange and green with green eyes and a multi-colored Afro. The bizarre nature of this album is what defines this epic piece of music. Other tracks like "3000" and "Real Raw" show off lyrical skills that BRIEFLY have people reminiscing of the more normal (if you can really call him that) Kool Keith. Moments like this are few and far between, and frankly, that's just fine with us. A doctor that specializes in "rectal rebuilding" and "saliva gland relocation" among several other practices, Dr. Octagon was a hip-hop original.
This album stands as a true staple and flag bearer of alternative hip-hop, as there has been nothing quite like it since. Since the emergence of Dr. Octagonecologyst, Kool Keith has dropped twenty other albums. While others like Black Elvis, Sex Style, First Come First Served, and the most recent L'Astonishing with producer extraordinaire L'Orange, Kool Keith has garnered a big cult following, especially with the release of this seminal release. Considered too "out there" by most of his hip-hop contemporaries, the album found itself in the homes of most alternative and underground fans due to how grossly unconventional the album is to this day. One of the most influential albums in all of music, Dr. Octagonecologyst is an original to say the least. You'll be disgusted just as much as amused. Shocked as much as in gut-busting hysterics. Wouldn't it be insane if Dr. Octagon or his other alias Dr. Doom did a track with MF Doom?? God, the possibilities (although Octagon got killed by Dr. Doom by the end of the album, he resurfaced years later with Return of Dr. Octagon). In any event, this album is an undisputed classic in underground and alternative circles, and best believe, there will never be another quite like this, because there will never be another Kool Keith.
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