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Review Jan 31 2025 Written by

Kool Keith – Sex Style (The Un-Released Archives) (2007) | Review

Kool Keith – Sex Style (The Un-Released Archives) (2007) | Review

Kool Keith has always been ahead of his time. From his days with Ultramagnetic MCs to his surreal solo experiments, his approach to Hip Hop is as unpredictable as it is inimitable. Sex Style: The Unreleased Archives pulls back the curtain on a period when Keith was at his sharpest—before his later career dips, before the inconsistencies, before the excesses started weighing down his music. This collection of tracks, recorded between 1993 and 1995, could have easily filled out Sex Style as a double album. Instead, they remained in the vault until 2007, when they emerged as a reminder of Keith’s prime.

The energy of these recordings matches anything from the Sex Style sessions. The production, handled by KutMasta Kurt, is thick with lo-fi grit and off-kilter funk. The beats knock with the same rawness as the original album, laced with eerie synths, distorted bass, and the kind of drums that sound like they were sampled straight from a dusty VHS tape. Keith moves through the tracks like a man possessed, spinning off bizarre sexual metaphors, industry jabs, and abstract imagery with an ease that makes it all sound second nature.

“You Know The Game” rides a bass-heavy groove, with Keith delivering a hypnotic, almost taunting cadence. The way he spaces out his bars adds to the unease, stretching syllables and cutting off words in ways that keep the listener guessing. “Rubba Love” sounds even more unhinged, with its warped keys and Keith muttering absurd bedroom boasts in between hard-hitting verses. The mood is sleazy, but it never feels forced—this is Kool Keith in his element, embracing the weird without overthinking it.

“From Da Back” could have easily been a standout on Sex Style. The track’s bounce, combined with Keith’s effortless flow, makes for one of the most immediately addictive cuts in the collection. “Big Eyes” slows things down, floating on a sinister loop while Keith twists his flow into something closer to a whisper, drawing the listener into his paranoia. “Droppin’ Seeds” and “Why You Frontin’?” push back toward the classic Keith style, where humor, confidence, and oddball brilliance blur into something singular.

There’s no hesitation in his delivery. Tracks like “Remember Me?” and “Freak It” carry the same blend of aggression and detachment that made Sex Style so compelling. Keith sounds completely uninterested in conforming to any industry standards, refusing to clean up his sound or sand down his rough edges. This isn’t about making hits—it’s about making music that exists in its own world.

Kool Keith – Sex Style (The Un-Released Archives)

On the production side, KutMasta Kurt keeps things tight. The beats are grimy and skeletal, leaving plenty of space for Keith to experiment. “Time For Business” loops a haunting, minimal melody over crisp drums, while “You Get Yours” plays with a funkier, head-nodding rhythm. Nothing feels overproduced or polished. It sounds exactly like what it is: underground Hip Hop from an era where that meant something.

The explicit skits and themes might be a bit much for some listeners, but that’s part of the package. Keith was never subtle about his obsessions, and Sex Style: The Unreleased Archives doubles down on the themes he explored in the original album. Some tracks blur the line between satire and sincerity, making it impossible to tell if Keith is playing a character or just speaking his mind. Either way, it works.

The back half of the album keeps up the same quality. “Spread ‘Em” is as wild as the title suggests, with Keith throwing out rapid-fire bars over a beat that sounds like it was lifted from a forgotten ’80s action movie. “Time For Sex” and “Erotic Ride” keep the raunchy vibe going, while “Wet You Up” closes things out with a slow, heavy groove that lingers long after the track ends.

Hearing these unreleased tracks now, it’s hard to understand why they didn’t make the original cut. The energy, humor, and sheer unpredictability of Kool Keith’s style are fully intact. While some artists leave their best work on the cutting room floor, these tracks don’t sound like scraps. They sound like a lost chapter in one of Hip Hop’s strangest and most brilliant catalogs.

For longtime Kool Keith fans, Sex Style: The Unreleased Archives is essential. It’s a reminder of what made Keith such a force in the first place. The beats hit hard, the lyrics are unpredictable, and the whole thing sounds like it could have been released in 1997 alongside Sex Style with no loss in impact. Even for those less familiar with his work, this is an example of Hip Hop at its rawest and most creative.

Kool Keith has had a long and unpredictable career, but this album takes listeners back to a time when he was truly unstoppable. It’s a time capsule from an era when he was making music entirely on his own terms, and it still sounds fresh today.

Also read: Top 30 Kool Keith Albums

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