Kool Keith: Dr. Dooom vs. Dr. Octagon with Omaur Bliss WHEN: April 16, 8 p.m. WHERE: The Whole Music Club, Coffman Union TICKETS: $10 – $15 www.indietickets.com New York experimental M.C. Kool KeithâÄòs status as a patriarch of underground hip-hop may seem unchallenged, yet his multiple aliases seem to have conflicts of their own. âÄúDr. Dooom vs. Dr. Octagon,âÄù the title of KeithâÄôs latest tour, is a continuation of an ongoing battle between two of his hip-hop personalities: the hellbent for destruction Dr. Dooom and the hilariously absurd Dr. Octagon. Keith Thornton a.k.a Kool Keith, a member of the legendary Ultramagnetic MCs, goes by a number of stage names including Black Elvis, as well as Dr. Octagon and Dr. Doom. The lyricist has been tirelessly plugging away in hip-hop since Ultramagnetic MCâÄôs was formed back in 1984. The group was incredibly influential to hip-hop and, although underappreciated, stayed active on the scene until 2001. After a six-year hiatus, the group re-emerged to release 2007âÄôs âÄúThe Best Kept Secret,âÄù which was widely panned as a flop by fans and critics alike. KeithâÄôs subsequent success as a solo artist builds on his unique style and preternatural ability with rhyme. Marked by syncopated delivery of lyrics, assonance and complex polysyllabic rhyme structures, KeithâÄôs skill as an MC is mixed with uniquely absurd subject matter and bizarre avante-garde beats. The world of Dr. Octagon, Black Elvis and Dr. Doom is a strange one, made up of fantasy, space travel, wanton women and abstract desire. âÄúDr. Octagonecologyst,âÄù KeithâÄôs 1996 solo debut, was the worldâÄôs introduction to Dr. Octagon. Produced by Dan The Automator and featuring the turntable stylings of DJ QBert, the album is a dark and eccentric series of auditory vignettes complete with introductions and intermittent dialogue from the doc himself in between tracks. In a time when commercial hip-hop was becoming more and more redundant, âÄúDr. OctagonecologystâÄù stood out as a borderline antithesis: an album completely asymmetrical in sound and void of pop appeal or singalong. Keith has released a plethora of albums since then, chronicling the exploits of his comic book-like anti-hero aliases. 2006âÄôs âÄúThe Return of Dr. OctagonâÄù was followed by âÄúDr. Dooom 2âÄù in âÄô08, the albumâÄôs single âÄúR.I.P. Dr. OctagonâÄù ushering in the now ongoing battle between KeithâÄôs multiple artistic personalities. With the talented lyrical stylings of Twin CitiesâÄô rapper Omaur Bliss as an opener, Kool KeithâÄôs visit to the University has the makings to be a memorable, highly original show. Rarely does one see a breakneck verbal battle between two unreal MCs embodied within the same person. If youâÄôre confused, youâÄôre ready.