Kool Keith's 2001 album, released on
Esham's
Overcore Records. Keith is both in front of the
mic and behind the boards on this one. Although Keith's
minimalist electronic style of production is unlike anything else in
hip-hop, it's not up to the high standards set by his lyrical
creativity, and the
disparity in quality between the vocals and beats causes this album to suffer. Keith can be an amazing producer when he wants to –
Black Elvis is proof of that – but here the simple song structures and
eccentric backdrops aren't up to par. It's not a bad album, but compare it to his work with
the Automator,
Kutmasta Kurt,
DJ Mighty Mi,
Prince Paul,
DJ Spooky and other top-notch producers and it invariably falls short. It's no coincidence that the best tracks on
Spankmaster are the ones featuring guest producers Esham and
Santos.
The album does feel funkier and more danceable than anything Keith's put out before. There's a definite 70's vibe behind hilarious tracks such as "I Wanna Play", "Drugs" and "Jealous", whereas "Jewelry Shine" and "Girls in Jail" apporach dance music at times. "Girls Would U Fuck Tonight" is notable for perhaps being the most obscene KK track ever. Unfortunately, Jacky Jasper is the only one of Keith's old pals to make a guest appearance here, as the Spankmaster has burned most of his other bridges. I shouldn't have to mention that despite the production concerns, Keith's rapping is as mind-boggling as ever, and Spankmaster is still a must-have for fans of eccentric rap.
- Concert Intro
- I Wanna Play
- I'm A Tell U
- Mack Trucks
- Drugs
- Yes Yes Y'all
- Haters
- N.B.A.
- Jewelry Shine
- Eldaradoe's
- Maxin In The Shade
- Big Frank
- Jealous
- Girls Would U Fuck Tonight
- Stoney Jackson
- Girls In Jail
- Blackula
- Dark Vader
- Captain Save Em
- Spankmaster (Take off Your Clothes)