If you’ve ever thought “KISS is my favorite rock band” and/or “Man I wish I was someone else today,” then you have something in common with hip hop legend Kool Keith. Because Mr. Keith Matthew Thornton aka Dr. Octagon aka Dr. Doom aka Kool Keith aka Robbie Analog aka Clean Man aka Mr. Green aka Willie Large aka … well, we don’t have time or space to name 60 of the master rapper’s aliases. But he started out with the Ultramagnetic MC’s, a Bronx-based hip hop group that every head knows well.

When Kool Keith was in town to perform a show in San Francisco at 111 Minna, I called the promoter and was lucky enough to get the interview. This meeting was not the first time I met KK. My first introduction to him was in NYC in the fall of 1999 when he was on his Black Elvis tour. I also met his parents and helped him tie a cape around his neck and watched as he threw fried chicken at the audience.

Keith and I sat in his Marriot hotel room bed for an hour, so we had to cut the interview into two parts. Please enjoy Part One. In Part Two next week, we will cover Keith’s fashion and Dating Tips.

Episode links: Kool Keith, Dan the Automator