Ultramagnetic MCs

Ultramagnetic MCs (rendered as Ultramagnetic MC's) are an American hip hop group based in the Bronx, New York City. Founded by Kool Keith, the group also includes Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Big D was brought into the group by his cousin Kool Keith as a hype man in 1988. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as a road manager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney Roon, was fired following an assault arrest. Beat-boxer Rahzel was a roadie for the group early in its career. The group's work was associated with unorthodox sampling, polysyllabic rhymes, and bizarre lyrical imagery.

History

The Ultramagnetic MCs formed in 1984. Their first single was "To Give You Love" (1985) on the Diamond International label. The group released "Ego Trippin'", their first 12-inch single, on Next Plateau Records in 1986. It was the first hip hop song to feature the "Synthetic Substitution" drum break sample, composed by Melvin Bliss and one of the most sampled songs of all time. The group's next single was "Travelling at the Speed of Thought (Original)"/"M.C.'s Ultra (Part Two)" followed by "Funky"/"Mentally Mad", one of their most sought-after 12-inch singles. "Travelling" used extensive sampling from "Louie Louie" by the Kingsmen while "Funky" was based on a Joe Cocker piano sample later used as the basis for 2Pac's "California Love". The single was released in 1987, and led to the release of the group's first album.

The Ultramagnetic MCs released a new school classic in 1988, Critical Beatdown, introducing many new sampling techniques. Many believe that without the group's primary producer, Ced Gee, the golden era of sampling may have looked very different. Ced, while uncredited, also produced the majority of Boogie Down Productions' seminal Criminal Minded. which became a modest hit and is credited with helping to spark the East coast/West coast feud of the mid 1990s.

The group went on a hiatus for several years, breaking up temporarily in 1990. They returned on Mercury Records in 1992, with the album Funk Your Head Up. Kool Keith confirmed rumours that the Ultramagnetic MC's had reformed and recorded a new album. Founding Ultramagnetic MC's member Ced Gee has set up Factshen Records. A new Ultramagnetic MC's LP, Back to the Future—The Bronx Kings Are Back, was scheduled to be released in 2006 but was later named The Best Kept Secret and released in January 2007. Although the album's cover features the original line-up of Kool Keith, Ced Gee, Moe Love and TR Love, TR (along with Tim Dog) were absent. Instead, guest verses are provided by newcomers like Grafiq Malachi Sebek. However, Tim Dog and TR Love have each recently released songs featuring Ultramagnetic under their own names. The group also released a new song after the album's release called "We About Chix", the video can be seen on YouTube.

The group performed live at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festival curated by ATP & Portishead in September 2011 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:23em;" | Album details

! scope="col" colspan="5" | Peak chart positions

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US R&B /HH

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Heat.

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK R&B /HH

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK Ind.

Label: Black Pegasus
Formats: CD, LP

| —

! scope="row" | Ced Gee X Kool Keith

Released: April 1, 2022
Label: Ruffnation
Formats: LP

| —

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Collaborations

2019 – The Foundation

Compilation albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of compilation albums

! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:11em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="1" style="width:16em;" | Album details

! scope="row" | The Basement Tapes 1984–1990

Released: 1994
Label: Tuff City
Formats: CD, LP, Cassette

! scope="row" | New York What Is Funky

Released: April 4, 1996
Label: Ol' Skool Flava/Tuff City
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

! scope="row" | Mo Love's Basement Tapes

Released: 1996
Label: Ol' Skool Flava
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

! scope="row" | The B-Sides Companion

Released: October 7, 1997
Label: Next Plateau
Formats: CD, LP, Cassette

! scope="row" | Smack My Bitch Up

Released: 1998
Label: Tuff City
Formats: CD, LP, digital download

Singles

As lead artist

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK

|rowspan="2"|1986

|align="center"| —

! scope="row"| "Ego Trippin'"

|align="center"| —

|rowspan="6"|Critical Beatdown

! scope="row"|"Travelling at the Speed of Thought"

|rowspan="2"|1987

|align="center"| —

! scope="row"|"Funky"

|align="center"| —

! scope="row"|"Give the Drummer Some"

|1989

|align="center"| 95

! scope="row"|"Make it Happen"

|1991

|align="center"| —

|rowspan="2"|Funk Your Head Up

! scope="row"|"Poppa Large"

|rowspan="2"|1992

|align="center"| —

! scope="row"| "Two Brothers with Checks (San Francisco, Harvey)"

|align="center"| —

|rowspan="2"|The Four Horsemen

! scope="row"|"Raise it Up" (featuring Godfather Don)