Record Rack : Way Out in the Cosmos With Rapper Kool Keith’s ‘Black Elvis’

*** KOOL KEITH

“Black Elvis/Lost in Space”

Ruffhouse/Columbia

This Bronx native’s albums are the closest thing in rap to the otherworldly visions the Beatles evoked in “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” In Keith’s latest album, robots, Oldsmobiles and evil forces find their way into his stream-of-consciousness raps, which are nonlinear and frequently non-rhyming. The collection, Keith’s first for a major label, is being widely watched in rap circles to see whether it can transform the influential underground cult hero (who’s scheduled to perform at the Key Club in West Hollywood on Sept. 28) into a full-fledged star.

The Black Elvis incarnation is far more relaxed than either Keith’s murderous Dr. Dooom character or his demented Dr. Octagon persona, but he’s equally bizarre and easily as entertaining. He raps about bringing a professional basketball team to Baldwin Hills and riding through space, and he makes it seem as if either could really happen. The beats backing Keith’s lyrical voyages sound as if they were lifted from a collection of grade-B science fiction films, a trademark of Keith’s more recent music.

There’s a sly I-know-something-you-don’t-know element to Keith’s delivery that makes his words seem even weirder than they actually are. Adding more mayhem to the mix is a dizzying amount of nonsensical verbiage that might confuse first-time listeners, but will be right up the alley of his loyal fans. Those fans, though, may be disappointed that he’s toned down his adventures, compared to his earlier, more extreme work. He still takes you to other worlds, but none are as warped as those on his other releases.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.