Introduction
In 1996, the extraterrestrial Dr. Octagon came out of nowhere. His music was just as unconventional as his character. A retrospective.
Dr. Octagon
After the rap crew Ultramagnetic MC’s disbanded, the compilation album The Basement Tapes 1984–1990 was released in 1994. That album included a demo for an unreleased track, Smoking Dust, which mentioned the character Dr. Octagon for the first time. Ultramagnetic MC’s member Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton teamed up with producer Kurt “KutMasta Kurt” Matlin to record two tracks under the alias Dr. Octagon. The songs Dr. Octagon and Technical Difficulties were sent to various radio stations, which quickly resulted in a hype. Contact with producer and writer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura soon led to a follow-up. By the end of 1995, the Dr. Octagon debut single Earth People was released, which turned into a major underground success.
The character Dr. Octagon is an extraterrestrial surgeon who uses space-age technology and primitive tools to perform medical procedures, which often result in the death of his patients. Dr. Octagon also is a gynecologist who seduces his female patients and nurses. On the debut album, he is physically described as a being with yellow eyes and green-silver skin that can change into blue and brown. He has a pink-and-white afro. His brain lights up in the colors yellow, black, red, green, and purple. He offers various services, including treatment for chimpanzee acne, moosebumps, rectal reconstruction surgery, and the relocation of saliva glands.
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst (Mo’Wax & DreamWorks releases)
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Following the success of the debut single, the trio recorded the debut album Dr. Octagon in the basement of Dan “The Automator” Nakamura’s parental home. The album also received an instrumental version under the name Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats).
In April 1996, the album was released on the Bulk Recordings label, followed by a May 7, 1996, release on the UK-based Mo’Wax label, which also released the instrumental version. The success of the release eventually led to a deal with DreamWorks in 1997, who expanded the album with several bonus tracks and renamed it to Dr. Octagonecologyst.
Given the “weirdness” of the album, its music, and its subject matter, it is remarkable that the album became a success at all. It is one of the most beloved and influential underground hip-hop albums of all time. Within hip-hop circles, the album has since attained a mythical status. In 2012, Kool Keith claimed that Dr. Octagonecologyst had sold approximately 200,000 copies to date.
Dr. Octagon – Instrumentalyst (Mo’Wax & DreamWorks releases)
Review
Dr. Octagonecologyst is a strange album, especially lyrically. At times outright juvenile, distasteful, and silly, but (much) more often original, exciting, and rhythmically engaging. Sonically, the album seems to hark back to the first golden era of hip-hop (1987–1989), but translated into its contemporary context at the time, even though it bears no real resemblance to what was then considered the norm.
As with p-funk characters, a completely unique world is constructed, but a dark one, in which themes such as horror, perversion, and cannibalism play a role. Absolutely unique.
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst – Singles
Singles
In 1995 and 1996, three singles were released from the album.
- Earth People
- 3000
- Blue Flowers
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst – Insert
Songs
All songs written by Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton and Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, unless stated otherwise.
- Intro (Dan “The Automator” Nakamura)
- 3000
- I Got To Tell You
- Earth People
- No Awareness (Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, William “Sir Menelik” Collington)
- Technical Difficulties (Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton, Kurt Matlin) ‡
- Real Raw (#)
- General Hospital (Dan “The Automator” Nakamura)
- Blue Flowers
- Technical Difficulties (Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton, Kurt Matlin) #
- A Visit To The Gynecologyst (Dan “The Automator” Nakamura)
- Bear Witness
- Dr. Octagon (Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton, Kurt Matlin, William “Sir Menelik” Collington)
- Girl Let Me Touch You
- I’m Destructive
- Wild And Crazy
- Elective Surgery
- halfsharalligatorhalfman (#)
- On Production (Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, William “Sir Menelik” Collington) ‡
- Biology 101 (Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, William “Sir Menelik” Collington) ‡
- Earth People (Earth Planet Mix) ‡
- Blue Flowers Revisited
- Waiting List (DJ Shadow/Automator Mix)
- halfsharalligatorhalfman (hidden)(‡)
- 1977 (#)
‡ only available on the Mo’Wax release
# only available on the DreamWorks release
Dr. Octagon 2018
Musicians
- Keith “Kool Keith” Thornton aka Dr. Octagon – vocals/rap; bass on Blue Flowers, I’m Destructive, Wild And Crazy, Biology 101
- Dan “The Automator” Nakamura – violin, keyboards
- Andy Boy – guitar on I’m Destructive
- Phil Bright – guitar on Earth People; bass on Girl Let Me Touch You
- Ramon Garcia – flute on Blue Flowers
- William “Sir Menelik” Collington – rap on No Awareness, Dr. Octagon
- C-Note – additional vocals on Earth People
- Whoolio E Glacias – additional vocals on Technical Difficulties
- Miss G, Sweet “P” – additional vocals on Blue Flowers
- Joe Des Cee, Miss G – additional vocals on Girl Let Me Touch You
- DJ Q-Bert – scratches
The Return Of Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom 2 & Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation
After Dr. Octagonecologyst
Kool Keith went on a promotional tour as Dr. Octagon. In 2002, Kool Keith announced The Resurrection of Dr. Octagon, a follow-up to Dr. Octagonecologyst, which he would record with producer Fanatik J. A contract was signed and the release date was set for February 2003. However, a dispute arose between the two. Others became involved in the album, followed by Kool Keith falling out with the label. In order to recoup some of the investments, The Return Of Dr. Octagon was released. Kool Keith was dissatisfied and refused to participate in promoting the album.
In 2008, the Kool Keith album Dr. Dooom 2 was released, in response to the release of The Return Of Dr. Octagon. In the track R.I.P. Dr. Octagon, the character Dr. Octagon is killed by Dr. Dooom. The murder proves difficult, after drowning and 17 stab wounds, the goal was ultimately achieved with an electric razor.
Despite the death of Dr. Octagon, the character reappeared in 2013 as a guest on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs track Buried Alive. In 2018, the Dr. Octagon project was revived. This resulted in the album Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation. There was even a tour under the name Dr. Octagon.
In closing
What do you think of Dr. Octagon and Dr. Octagonecologyst? Let us know!
Video/Spotify
This story contains an accompanying video. Click on the following link to see it: Video: Dr. Octagon. The A Pop Life playlist on Spotify has been updated as well.
