Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
1996
Album Summary
Dr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo studio album by American rapper and Ultramagnetic MCs member Kool Keith, released under the alias Dr. Octagon. Originally titled Dr. Octagon, it was released on May 7, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom. The album was later reissued with a different track listing by DreamWorks Records in 1997 under the title Dr. Octagonecologyst. The album was produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura and featured the work of turntablist DJ Qbert. KutMasta Kurt provided additional production work. The artwork for Dr. Octagonecologyst was drawn by Brian "Pushead" Schroeder. Dr. Octagonecologyst introduces the character of Dr. Octagon, a homicidal, extraterrestrial, time-traveling gynecologist and surgeon. The album's distinctive sound fuses genres such as psychedelic music, trip hop and electronic music. Thornton's lyrics are often abstract, absurd, and avant-garde, using surrealism, non-sequiturs, hallucinatory psychedelia, and horror and science-fiction imagery, as well as sexual humor, absurdist/surrealistic humor, and juvenile humor. The unique sound and lyrics of Dr. Octagonecologyst inspired a wave of alternative music by underground hip hop artists such as Company Flow, Black Star and Jurassic 5.Kool Keith's lyrics and Nakamura's production were highly praised, as was DJ Qbert's innovative scratching. Dr. Octagonecologyst has since been ranked as one of the best hip hop albums of the 1990s. The character of Dr. Octagon has also appeared in Kool Keith projects like First Come, First Served (1999) and Dr. Dooom 2 (2008), both of which contain tracks in which Octagon is murdered by Dr. Dooom, The Return of Dr. Octagon, Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation and Space Goretex. Kool Keith later stated that the album sold around 200,000 copies without any major promotion or marketing budget.
WikipediaThis contains some of the most remarkable hip hop I've ever heard. It's uneven for sure, and it's yet another rap album that seems to have a duration of two weeks, but these quibbles pale when held up against the sheer weirdness herein. Full of eccentric sci-fi and kooky non sequiturs, I found myself straining to hear what the next oddball lyric would be. Finally, 'Earth People' is a hell of a bop, that synth is fucking sick!
Album literally opens by playing audio from a porn scene with a low-effort beat playing over it. Don't know how this is on the list. "Earth People, New York to California, Earth People, I was born on Jupiter" is a line that gets repeated over and over in a song, like it's just not good. I'll give it a point for the fact that he's trying to rap about science, so at least it's something a bit different, but still really juvenile stuff. I'm Destructive was actually pretty good.
I actually bought this album around the time it came out and I 100% guarantee it was mostly due to that Pushead art work. I’m trying to think now of where I would have even heard a song off of this thing at the time. They weren’t playing it on the radio and there was no internet. I must’ve read about it in Alternative Press or some shit. Who knows. But, man, my instincts were right! This is still a ton of fun and super listenable. Now excuse me, I have to go call 1-800-PEEPEE5-1-DOODOO.
Funny and it's got that stream of consciousness lyric flow, what's going on with the sampling is very interesting. I might have an upper limit on butt jokes.
Cool cover. The creepy Intro beat caught my attention, then the whole "F*ck my p*ssy, Doctor" part started and ruined it. His speaking voice sounds like Tracy Jordan. Cool background beats, but the lyrics and theme make it feel like a spoof from 30Rock.
Musically interesting in parts but the gimmicky rap is just as dull and soulless as virtually every other rap album.
Flow's out of control, writing's weird as fuck but funny and pretty smart at times - did someone say non sequitur? Production is big trip hop/avalanches sound. Compellingly off putting, upsetting and unsettling. Can't stop listening. Have I been possessed? What a disturbingly intriguing experience. Don't mind me I'm diving in for a second listen, if I'm not back in 1hr 5min send a search party
My favorite kind of hip hop is weird, off-center hip hop that sounds great which is the perfect way to describe this. Kool Keith, Dan the Automator and DJ Qbert really hit my sweet spot. I'm giving it 5 stars notwithstanding the very creepy "A Visit To The Gynecologist"
Damn, this was an amazing album! First thing that I must talk about is the production, since its probably the best part about it. Shit like the violin and the small peddling beats on "Blue Flower" is just amazing to hear. The vinyl scratches are also a great touch, and I'm noticing that most rap albums from the 90s had them. The theme of this album is also cool, since you can hear Dr. Octagon talks about operating people in the tracks and skits. Shit like him saying that they should grab the wires under the water sounds like something a crazy scientist would say, and "halfalligatorsharkhalfman" sounds like the name of a cheesy B-Movie. The cover art of this album is also great. It looks like something that you'd see from a Marvel comic in the 90s and the fact that he is holding a skull, clipper (I forgot the name) and microphone is a great touch. It makes you really get what the entire album is about. Dr. Octagon does also have an amazing design. With the sunglasses, gloves and face mask on, you can't really tell that he is a skeleton. The black doctor outfit is also amazing, since it shows that he isn’t a regular doctor. Favourite track would have to be "Blue Flower". Not only does it have the best production on the entire album, but it's also just fun to listen to. Worst track would have to be "Intro". I just hate when rappers feel the need to put a sound clip of them having sex or something, but thankfully it's really short. 10/10
4.5/5 Really liked the ‘old school’ rap Just misses a little to make me listen to it again and have favorite songs
Seeing this pop up gave me moosebumps. A little overlong, I tend to skip a couple of the repetitive songs. But a true classic nonetheless.
I love a good dirty story now and again. Would not listen to in the car with kids, but was right for the time
Well I have to add myself to the list of white people pissing Kool Keith off by loving this album... I knew the big cuts from this album, but essentially you're getting DOOM before DOOM, which I'm happy with. Earth People, Bear Witness, Blue Flowers are all great. The crazy lyricism is what I miss most from hip hop today...
Before listening to this album I hadn't heard of Dr. Octagon before, but this has made me interested in listening to more of Kool Keith's personas. I enjoyed the overall theme of the album, although I can't pick a stand-out song.
This album is such a wild ride, as most Kool Keith albums are. The lyrics are absurdist and sometimes just straight-up silly, but the production is killer. 4/5 stars
Another hip hop gem. Fun, bizarre, ingenious and unique. Is it hip hop? Is it trip hop? Whatever it is, it is eminently listenable. 4 🌟
Juvenile lyrics and concept stays a little too long, but otherwise subject matter is a fun and unique divergence from typical gangsta or political topics. Tracks are solid and skits are a lot of fun. Great to have another underground artist doing something new and interesting, and apparently he was influential to the likes of Dr Doom.
Holy Schneikies, this is a FANTASTIC album. I was drawn in and mesmerized the whole way through. Again, love this whole 1001 Albums thing -- must remember to hug my dear friend who introduced it to me (good excuse to finally see him after far too long!) -- because here it goes again, sharing with me an artist and an album I otherwise would almost certainly never had heard. I'm coming back to this album. I lost myself so much in the music I didn't always pay attention to the lyrics, and I'd like to focus on those.
Raunchy but Dan the Automator makes for a unique and futuristic sound that gives "Blue Flowers" and "Earth People" classic status. Also what a crazy and creative idea for a concept album. A departure from Ultramagnetic MC's but you could draw some lines for Kool Keith between those albums and this one.
Such a great album. I’ve been an Octo fan for many years. Pro tip: read the lyrics while listening.
Heard "Blue Flowers" on a CMJ CD sampler and was captivated at 15. Bought the album on CD and it was a cult hit amongst me and my friends in high school. I put these songs on more than a few mix tapes. It was a perfect blend of elements for me at that time in my life. The absurd and often immature sense of humor had a lot to do with it, but really, the main things that appealed to me were Kool Keith's sheer willingness to embrace his eccentricity, and Dan The Automator's gorgeous genre bending beats. Both of them dared to defy the mainstream sound of the time, both sonically and lyrically. Their bravery in willing to be themselves paid off, and inspired more to follow, not the least of which was MF Doom.
Another unknown to me. Another diamond discovery. I defo wanna revisit this one. Top Hip Hopping!
Pee pee and doo doo are funny, beats are great, flow is smooth. Don't... *love* the porn samplings but I get it. Happy to have discovered it!
This is a cool cover, hoping it's not just rap lol. It has to be though. Or something like gorillaz. Ok it's rap. Surprisingly badly produced given the awesome cover art. Songs are pretty good though, it's catchy enough in its amateur way. 3/5.
Dark, minor key, lazy beats. Lots of scratching and sampling. Fast rolling rapping, almost like a percussion instrument itself. Reminds me of The Ziggurat/ The Constructus Corporation, in that its a sci-fi themed concept hip-hop album. Some of the teenage humour is annoying.
Sadly this concept album project with Kool Keith has never been a hit for me. It's a perfectly fine hip hop concept album but it does suffer tremendously from it's run time which makes it feel far too meandering as a whole. None of the beats or production scream breaking boundaries though it is fun to hear Kool Keith embrace some of the more relaxed West coast style. It's never bad except for a few of the skits (what hip hop albums from this era don't have terrible skits tho right?), but also never reaches the heights other Kool Keith projects or concept albums of the era get to.
I'm not going to act like I didn't enjoy some of this, because I did, but it sounds like somebody quickly explained what a concept album was to a 15-year-old, who then came back an hour and a half later with 65 minutes of content. Best track: Waiting List
Brought to mind Bakhtin's theory of the grotesque body where social power is reclaimed through engagement with bodily functions. Case in point 'a visit to the gynecologist'
I'm a big fan of MF DOOM so this was right up my alley. A cool and unique projects, really fun skits and transitions between songs.
Okay, so I'll describe the most recent narrative that I discovered from LET'S GET EDGY CINEMA. It's about a mad scientist. An up-to-date theme, right? And he's a doctor. A gynecologist and a surgeon specifically. He specifies in intestine surgery, rectal rebuilding, relocated saliva glands, chimpanzee acne, and moose bumps. But that's not all. He's an extraterrestrial from Jupiter. And a time traveller as well. His phone number is 1-800-PP-51-DOODOO. And and he is also horny and homicidal. And at the top of that, he is named after a freaking polygon. At first, I thought that this is a pretentious narrative trying hard to be "scientific" or whatever. Throwing slick bass and technical words here and there. But it's (probably) not. I think it's a parody, a circle jerk for... medical or science fiction stuff? Awesome synth-y and scratchy sound effects. Love the horror-ish vibes. The lyrics seems comical most of the time, but the delivery is sometimes repetitive and weak. With a length of more than an hour, this little science fiction horror thing gets weary and boring after a while, whether it is a genuine attempt to make a horror sci fi narrative or a self parody doctor story.
Decent beats. Voice took a while to warm up to. Not really into the content too much though.
Could see myself throwing this album on from time to time. Runs a little too long for my liking though.
9th March 2022 Listened on the way in to and at the office. Went bowling in the evening. This surprised me given the album artwork. Liked it a lot, creative and dark imagery with a dash of humour.
Un album rap/elctro? Assez weird mais serieux ca secoute bien quand meme et c'est pas mauvais. Un peu long .3.25
It is a hip hop album. Overall it is pretty good. There were a couple of songs that were a little weird. I would probably listen to it again and I would check out other work by the artist.
Not totally my vibe but not bad, decent to work to in the background. Bear witness is decent
I was missing some hip hop on the list since this album is the first in some days. It's not the best on lyrics (I like the themes, but here I feel it is a bit exaggerated), but it is very well produced. I liked to know a good release, but it's probably not remarkable enough to take me back to it soon.
I was a little disappointed in this one. I expected to like it more. It sounded like it would be fun but was just pretty plain.
3.9 - This is a lot of goofy fun. Lots of medical imagery and nonsense scientific language. The flow is a little inconsistent but among the funniest and most different hip hop I’ve listened to thus far.
This is the style of hip hop I like best, runs a little long though. You know I like em 40-50 minutes
If this list has one criticism, it's at times too tasteful. Not something that can be levelled at this completely-new-to-me slice of 90s hip-hop. It is absolutely mental, chiefly based around an alter ego who is an alien sex-obsessed gynacologist from Saturn, the eponymous Doctor. The beats are fantastic, sparse, melodic and spooky in an early Wu-Tang way. The rhymes are ridiculously misogynistic, pornographic (one track appears to be a sampled soundtrack to a porn film) but so lurid and OTT it's difficult to be outraged. Is it any good? I don't know, but glad it's on the list and three stars.
I have to imagine this was originally a script submitted to Troma Studios. Cool sound, love to see prior work for Gorillaz and Deltron 3000.
This gets points for trying out a theme and for having semi-interesting (at times) beats/hooks. Lyrically, I wasn't into it and the skits were honestly giving me secondhand embarrassment.
Some interesting bits where the songs are a mash of alternative and hip hop, but also some cheesy bad taste bits and weird skits
I don't get it. Why make a rap concept album about going to the gynaecologist? Beats all pretty basic, didn't pay huge attention to the words.
It's fine, a bit juvenile, but better than the all "fur 'n bling, I'm so hard, look at my gun" gangsta nonsense
pretty disappointing overall. clinical backbeats and off-tempo medical themed lyrics simulate a creative and entertaining album. would prefer something like Deltron 3030 or MM..Food
Not really into eight-sided, extraterrestrial, psychopathic, pornagraphic gynecologists; but the music on its own is ok.
While its production is well deserving of the album’s popularity, Dr. Octagon’s boring flow fails to maintain engagement.
It's... some kind of hip hop. Unconventional, I'll give it that. It's unashamedly immature. Like, really immature. Maybe if I was younger I would have liked it? But then I wouldn't have been allowed to listen to it, so I'm not sure who the intended audience is. He doesn't have a great voice, but I guess that's not necessary to enjoy, or try to enjoy, this album. It's just that at times he sounds disinterested, which kills any excitement I might have had. Ultimately, I had to sign off early. It just felt like boring, uninterested rambling after a while.
I appreciatte the idea of doing something artistically original. However, I dont like the result.
Damn this album is long as hell. Although most of the tracks are short, it sure feels like it drags for me. Not totally into it. Definitely hate the skits.
2.5- after the start of 3000 the rest of the album devolves into too many doctor sex songs then completely loosing my at the song about the shark alligator man
Listened Before? N This album feels ahead of it's time. The styles are cool and it flows nicely. HOWEVER, the overarching sexual themes are just 'meh' for me. I think I'm jaded. Oh well. Added to Library? N Songs added to Playlist: Earth People
Pretty chilled, seems to be one long groove and some jokes I'm not really listening hard enough to get. Juvenile Funky but not my thing
I have no idea what this is doing here. Some beats are all right but I don't think it's particularly interesting or groundbreaking. Very low effort, just a lame excuse to use curse words.
It's certainly of a time. My overriding view is it's no Gran Central records production.
Welcome to the first album I did not finish. I liked some of the music at first, but the lyrics and content quickly sent this listening experience in to the trash heap. No thanks.
Honestly, this isn't the worst rap we've had from this list so far. Not by a long shot. So I guess it merits at least 1.5 stars. However, I'm still rounding it down. I really don't like rap and this album isn't doing anything to change my mind about that.
une pochette horrible, un thème écoeurant, un album interminable : tout y est, bravo docteur❤️
I tend to normally vibe with this weird type of rap. But man, I won't lie it feels like there is supposed to be a certain shock factor to it, But it's just corny as fuck. The corny ass beats with some decent flows honestly. The artwork was real cool. However, I think I hated this one.
It’s fair to say that these doctor’s orders weren’t meant for me. Neither is the humor - if you can actually call it that. The production is solid and there’s some interesting scratching. Not that impressed by most of the rap in itself… And the record itself is just way, way too long! This would’ve gotten an extra star if not for the non-stop jokes and skits.
When I first heard this record a while ago, I thought that maybe there was something I was missing. Now I am sure. I am not missing anything, it's too long and just not that good.