Kool Keith Says a Few Words
By Adam Makeyenko

January 6, 2005. Kool Keith phoned in because he wanted to set everything straight with his fans. He wants everybody to know the real deal from the man himself. I asked him a few questions.

Adam: What's up with Ultramagnetic MC's?

Kool Keith: I am quite sure they were trying to do some type of album, but I don't know what Ultramagnetic is doing. I know I haven't even spoken with Ultramagnetic in three or four years now. As a group sitting down for an actual meeting? I haven't had a meeting with Ultra in maybe five or six years.

Ok. So, why would anyone be talking about reunions or a concert in Europe ?

You know as much as I know. I don't even know anything about an Ultramagnetic reunion in Europe . Its probably someone booking a phony show or something. I had no idea Ultramagnetic would do a show. Last I heard, everybody quit and said they were doing their own thing. I am quite sure their must be a new Ultramagnetic out there that I don't even know about. Unless it's the Ultra Twins Activate or something. There is no such thing as Ultramagnetic doing a show in Europe . Only if they are under some phony booking agent that is booking shows. I've heard stories of people trying to book shows in Europe , but they were under fraud pretenses. I spoke to a lady in Europe , while I was in Amsterdam with Evil E, and she said that a promoter got beat because about forty grand was stolen. Their were some shows booked under signed signatures from Eric B. and Rakim, EPMD, Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, Pete Rock, Nice and Smooth, etc. She said those shows didn't go through and a lot of promoters were mad. I got the paper from Evil E and I saw my named signed on some papers that I never signed. I didn't know anything about those shows at all. They had a lot of forged signatures. Eric B., Rakim, and everybody. Its probably a person that needs money, I guess.

Ok. Well, supposedly Tim Dog is on the Kool Keith forum saying that Darrick, Jeremy, and Kurt have been fucking up all your shit and making you not want to do an Ultramagnetic album.

Well, I haven't spoke to Tim in over a year now. I don't know what Tim has going on. So, anything going on, I wouldn't know about. I guess that Tim's thing. That is a surprise to me.

It seems like people have just been coming on the forum to bitch about Darrick. Nobody likes Darrick.

Nobody likes Darrick. Well, Marc Davis was trying to do some contracts. Which I burnt up as you know. I burnt his contracts because Marc is an old Ultra fan from back in the days that can't get ‘Critical Beatdown' out of his mind. He's stuck in time. I think he is booking gigs for Ced and stuff, but he doesn't have any idea about the business. He was calling my house, harassing me everyday and trying to do an album. He was the main energy to try to get me to do an album. I didn't even participate. I did six tracks with them and Marc wasn't satisfied because he was trying to make Critical Beatdown 2. He was trying to make the exact Critical Beatdown record. So, instead of having brand new beats, they came with old beats from back in time. Nothing was up to date. So, I kind of pulled out of the project and Marc Davis was persistently calling and calling and calling. Being a pest. This guy was trying to be a spokesman for Ultramagnetic and I think he was living a fantasy of Ultramagnetic getting back together. I see no talent in Ultramagnetic getting back together. In my right mind, I know Ultramagnetic is not getting back together. Ced is in his own house, playing basketball everyday in Harlem . Trev is working. Moe is out in Philly I think, with his wife. I think a lot of people have an imaginary Ultramagnetic going on. So, I don't want people in Europe to get misconceptions because I am not going out there for any Ultramagnetic things that I don't even know about. I think it's a lot of fraud and different things. I have no insight of any Ultramagnetic stuff. None of the members of the group even have my phone number.

Oh yeah, they had a rumor. Let's get this rumor finished. They had a rumor that Interpol was looking for me. The police in Europe were saying that I took an advance of show money. I got some things straight. I spoke to the guy and we straightened it out and everything is ok. What happened was a misinterpretation of money exchanges for some shows that me and Kutmasta Kurt cancelled. I mean, I cancelled. It was a disagreement on my contract for doing the shows. I just asked for a certain amount of advance upfront. Jeremy was handling the business. I think the promoter got caught up in a misconception of the exchange of the money. Because as he sent the advance, Jeremy said if you don't send the right advance, I am keeping the money because it is a breach of contract. Then people misinterpreted me to be involved with that party. I told Kurt that I don't go to Europe without a first class ticket and a certain amount of money in advance before I leave. All of the parties waited until the last minute to make these decisions and everything got twisted up. These things are going to be solved and worked out properly. Then people made a big thing about it. Marc Live and other people were telling H-Bomb that I was in trouble and people were looking for me. That's not true because I didn't do anything. We straightened this thing out with the people over in Europe .

Other than that, I think a lot of people are jealous of me because I am still doing shows. Some people are still trying to do shows and lie and use fake names. Use my name to book shows all over the country. At the end of the day, nobody wants to go out and pay to see an imaginary show. Honestly, I don't see Ultra going out and doing any shows because I haven't even talked to Ultra. Plus, those guys haven't rehearsed a show in like 15 years. I'd love to sit in the audience and see an Ultramagnetic show myself. It's a shame I can't be there, but I would love to see the imaginary Ultramagnetic.

Alright. You got any albums coming out? Legends of the Boogie Down?

I am working on Lost Masters 2 and H-Bomb's 7 th Veil. Any other thing that is happening at weird and unobvious times, there is nothing I can do about it. I don't know anything about it. I want the fans to pass the word along. I want promoters around the world to get in touch with me because I am tired of people trying to use the Ultramagnetic credit card.

Did you sell all of the Personal Albums?

We still have a few. We have about 30 albums left. That is the last of the Personal Albums. The Secret Album is coming up next. Those Personal Albums sold like hotcakes. This time I am not going to run it through Darrick. I am just going to do straight orders.

Anything else you want to say?

I love when people talk about me. It makes me feel famous.