This concert is part of The Freight’s Hip-Hop is Folk Music initiative, which seeks to illuminate connections between hip-hop and other folk/roots music traditions. Contact education@thefreight.org for more information.

Kool Keith is an American rapper and producer from The Bronx, New York. He first gained fame as a member of the pioneering hip-hop group Ultramagnetic MCs in the late 1980s, known for their innovative use of samples and dense, complex rhymes.

After leaving Ultramagnetic MCs in the early 1990s, Kool Keith embarked on a solo career that has spanned several decades and produced numerous critically acclaimed albums. He is known for his eccentric and often surreal lyrics, which often touch on themes of science fiction, sex, and violence, as well as his inventive use of language and wordplay.

Kool Keith is also known for his various aliases, including Dr. Octagon, Black Elvis, and Dr. Dooom. He has collaborated with a wide range of other artists, including Dan the Automator, Prince Paul, and MF DOOM, and has been cited as an influence by many other rappers and producers. Kool Keith continues to perform and record music to this day, and remains a beloved and influential figure in the world of hip-hop.

His newest album Black Elvis 2 is out June 16th on Mello Music Group.