Ultramagnetic MCs
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| Ultramagnetic MCs | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | New York City, New York, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Hip-Hop | |
| Years active | 1984–2001 2006 - present |
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| Label(s) | Next Plateau | |
| Members | ||
| Kool Keith Ced Gee TR Love Moe Love |
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The Ultramagnetic MC's are a rap group whose members included Kool Keith, Ced Gee, TR Love, Moe Love and later Tim Dog. Their work was associated with unorthodox sampling, polysyllabic rhymes, and bizarre lyrical imagery.
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[edit] History
The group formed in 1984. Their worldwide buzz started with "Ego Trippin'", their 12" single on Next Plateau Records in 1986 which featured the infamous "Synthetic Substitution" drum break sample, but their break-out single was "Funky/Mentally Mad", one of the most sought 12" singles of their career. It was released in 1987. This led to the release of the album, Critical Beatdown.
The Ultramagnetic MC's released a new school classic in 1988, Critical Beatdown, with typical James Brown samples. Many believe that without the group's primary producer, Ced Gee, the sound and samples, mostly James Brown, would not have been as prominent.[citation needed] However, the group disappeared after that for several years. They returned on Mercury Records in 1992, with the album Funk Your Head Up. 1993's The Four Horsemen was considered extremely strange though still brilliant. It was the last album the Ultramagnetic MC's released.
There were several semi-legitimate and compilation albums to follow, many with outtakes or older material not released (such as The B-Sides Companion). In 2001, they released a single, "Make It Rain/Mix It Down" which whetted fans' appetites for a reunion album.
The Ultramagnetic MC's launched the career of self-proclaimed "Bronx Nigga" Tim Dog who brought out the very successful single "Fuck Compton". Kool Keith and Tim Dog reunited on the Ultramagnetic MC's semi-reunion album Big Time. Kool Keith went on to record many solo CDs, including one as Dr. Octagon. His abstract rhymes influenced many rappers, including Pharoahe Monch from Organized Konfusion.
In a December 9, 2005 interview on Houston's Late Nite Snax radio show, Kool Keith confirmed rumours that the Ultramagnetic MC's had reformed and recorded a new album. Founding Ultramagnetic MCs member Ced Gee has set up Factshen Records. A new Ultramagnetic MCs LP, Back To The Future—The Bronx Kings Are Back, was scheduled to be released in 2006 but this has now been confirmed to be named The Best Kept Secret and is due out January 2007. It features the original line-up of Kool Keith, Ced Gee, Moe Love, TR Love, plus Tim Dog and newcomer Grafiq Malachi Sebek.
[edit] Trivia
- In 2004 Critical Beatdown appeared on popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on Classic hip hop radio station Playback FM.
- "Poppa Large" from "Funk Your Head Up" is featured in EA Games "Def Jam: Fight For NY."
- Two tracks have been sampled by The Prodigy. These were Critical Beatdown for the song Out Of Space and Give The Drummer Some for the song Smack My Bitch Up. Interestingly, Kool Keith supplied the lyrics for the song 'Diesel Power' on the Prodigy album Fat of the Land. He later sued them for failing to clear the sample for Smack My Bitch Up claiming he no longer used mysogynistic lyrics in his work.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- 1988 - Critical Beatdown
- 1992 - Funk Your Head Up
- 1993 - The Four Horsemen
- 1994 - The Basement Tapes 1984–1990
- 1996 - New York What Is Funky
- 1996 - Big Time (Ultra)
- 1996 - Mo Love's Basement Tapes
- 1997 - The B-Sides Companion
- 1998 - Smack My Bitch Up
- 2007 - The Best Kept Secret
[edit] Singles
- 1985 - "To Give You Love"/"Make You Shake"
- 1986 - "Ego Trippin'"/"Ego Bits"/"Funky Potion"
- 1987 - "Traveling At The Speed of Thought (Original)"/"M.C.'s Ultra (Part Two)"
- 1987 - "Mentally Mad"/"Funky"
- 1988 - "Watch Me Now"/"Feelin' It"
- 1988 - "Ease Back"/"Kool Keith Housing Things"
- 1989 - "Give The Drummer Some"/"Moe Luv Theme"
- 1989 - "Traveling At The Speed Of Thought (Remixes/LP Version)"/"A Chorus Line" (featuring Tim Dog)
- 1991 - "Make It Happen"/"A Chorus Line (Pt. II)"
- 1992 - "Poppa Large (East Coast Remix)/(West Coast Remix)"
- 1993 - "Two Brothers With Checks (San Francisco Harvey)"/"One Two,One Two"
- 1993 - "Raise It Up (featuring Godfather Don)"/"The Saga Of Dandy,The Devil And Day (Black Baseball)"
- 1994 - "I'm F**kin' Flippin"
- 1997 - "Watch Your Back"
- 2001 - "Make It Rain"/"Mix It Down"
- 2006 - "Mechanism Nice (Born Twice)"/"Nottz"
