Kool Keith

Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has also recorded extensively both as a solo artist and under multiple aliases. After the release of Ultramagnetic MCs' debut album, Critical Beatdown, Thornton was reportedly institutionalized in Bellevue Hospital Center. However, he admitted later that the idea that he was institutionalized came from a fli... more

Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has also recorded extensively both as a solo artist and under multiple aliases. After the release of Ultramagnetic MCs' debut album, Critical Beatdown, Thornton was reportedly institutionalized in Bellevue Hospital Center. However, he admitted later that the idea that he was institutionalized came from a flippant remark made during a stressful interview and he never expected the story to become so well-known. Following the unsuccessful release of Ultramagnetic MCs' second and third albums, Thornton released his first notable solo single, "Earth People," in 1995, under the name Dr. Octagon, followed by the release of Dr. Octagonecologyst the following year. The album's production by Dan the Automator and scratching by DJ Qbert was acclaimed by critics, and the album was released nationally by DreamWorks Records, who also issued an instrumental... less