Kool Keith has returned with Black Elvis 2, the long-awaited sequel to 1999’s original. The 16-track project dives into the mind of one of Kool Keith’s most famous alter egos, Black Elvis. One of the album highlights, “Kindergarten Adults,” came together following an off-night at a show. As Kool Keith explained, he and fellow Ultramagnetic MC Ced Gee had a show scheduled, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented Ced Gee from getting into the venue. Kool Keith was then tasked with putting a solo set together.
“I had to write it in the parking lot,” he told AllHipHop. “And I put ‘Sex Style’ in it. I was just trying to make the minutes count. I ended up performing a couple records and when I started ‘Sex Style,’ people were shocked. I thought it was just grown ups in the crowd, but there were kids. There were some people who started trying to be funny and stop me. There was a crowd in the front that tried to make noise and boo. It was a little section trying to say something real funny. I didn’t know there were kids there, and I certainly didn’t mean to offend.”
In a climate littered with explicit lyrics from artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B and Latto, Kool Keith was surprised by the perceived hypocrisy. He continued, "Those are just triple-X songs. But I get up there and do ‘Sex Style’ and they have a problem with it. It got to the point where I was just like, ‘OK.’ That’s what inspired me to make ‘Kindergarten Adults.’ They actin’ like children and wanting me to rhyme like a kindergartener like ‘cat, mat and bat’ rap.”
To celebrate the release of Black Elvis 2, Kool Keith will be anointed King Neptune for the 41st annual edition of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on Saturday (June 17). Find the Black Elvis 2 album on all DSPs or listen to the project below.
