Dr. Octagon – The Return of Dr. Octagon (OCD International, 2006)
Sporadically surfacing, Keith Thornton (a.k.a. Kool Keith) releases an album with a bizarre title or concept, receives his praise and then soon after disappears for a time. The impetus for the Dr. Octagon character, only one of Thornton’s many guises which also includes the Black Elvis, may well be somehow tied to a traumatic childhood experience – and that conjecture is really just as crazy as the character. Dr. Octagon himself is a less than savory sort, but oddly enough on his second recorded effort decides to include a track about the environment being destroyed and an explanation of how human beings are very similar to ants. Regardless of the eco-friendly subject matter being broached, Doc Oc is accompanied by production from three German minds that make up One Watt Sun. The raps lean against robotic, eighties beats that occasionally incorporate a bit of strings or a dusty jazz sample. Musical setting aside, Doc Oc continues unleashing his share of surprising and warped lyrics. He mocks those who aim to emulate Al Green or Tracy Chapman, then shifts focus and begins a short narrative about obtaining a truck to make some obscure delivery. The Return of Dr. Octagon is everything that one might expect from the mind of Kool Keith and also probably a bit more than what is expected from most hip-hop that currently passes for creative.
01 – Our Operators Are Masturbating
02 – Trees
03 – Aliens
04 – Ants (w/ DJ Dexter)
05 – Don’t Worry MZ Pop Music
06 – Perfect World
07 – The Turtle Skit
08 – Al Green
09 – A Gorilla Driving A Pickup Truck
10 – Got Any Kids?
11 – Doctor Octagon
12 – It’s the Morning
13 – Jumpstart
14 – Eat It (w/ Princess Supastar)
