Off The Tracks

Off The Tracks
  • Blog
    • Interviews
    • Miscellany
    • Special Guests
    • Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • The Vinyl Countdown
  • Back Catalogue
  • About
    • About
    • About the banner image
    • On Song
January 1, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

R.I.P. MF Doom

The rap visionary – one of the greatest MCs in the game – MF Doom has died. He was just 49. He passed away on October 31, his family grieving him in private before announcing the news just as 2021 started. Sad news for many of us waking up to a new year. In fact a very classy way for a family to mourn in private, to cope as best as can be with the bereavement while keeping the noise at bay. Sad news delivered belatedly.

MF Doom was one of my favourite rap vocalists; one of my favourites in hip-hop and in a lot of his work I believe he transcended the genre. Example: Madvillainy, the debut album by “Madvillain” a super-duo comprised of Doom and the producer Madlib is a cut’n’paste masterpiece that can be enjoyed as musical poetry, a new soul or jazz album as much as it is anything connected to rap. It’s simply great music for fans of great music – and one of my all time favourite records by anyone.

Doom, born Daniel Dumile, started his career in the late 80s and his first real success was in the early 90s as part of the group KMD. I would go back to learn about them after Doom’s real success – a run of stunning albums throughout the early/mid 00s. There were collaborations with Madlib and Dangermouse and there were solo albums. For a time it was a blur of brilliance – and to me the albums Madvillainy, MM..Food and The Mouse And The Mask (credited as Danger Doom – MF and Dangermouse) is an astonishing runof records; a trio of albums showcasing different sides and feels – but through a consistent voice and all in just a couple of years. I’m not sure anyone was better at the time. And to this day these albums are the ones I reach for as a way back in to hip-hop in general. If ever I’m feeling disconnected from the genre these are the albums that will take me right back.

There were other moments and albums – 2009’s Born Like This is superb and as late as 2018 another brilliant collaboration, Czarface Meets Metal Face still stands up to me as a towering achievement; another favourite.

Doom’s face hidden, morphing into the Marvel-inspired mask that he always wore, was part of the mystique, sure. It made a character for the words and beats to live inside – but the gimmick was forever transcended when you heard the work. And Doom turned up to do the work. Cameos, collaborations, DJing and production work as well as his awe-inspiring turns at the mic. To me he was so often a wizard.

And his lyrics – great spins, so funny, but complicated and surprising rhymes, deft wordplays…it is everything that makes hip-hop great as far as I’m concerned. And showcases the poetry of rap, the poetry in rap.


The saddest news here is for the family, his friends, those that knew him. But fans are now grieving. To me he was one of the absolute greatest. One of my favourites from the genre, and in fact from any genre – the very best of his music both embodying hip-hop and breaking down any barriers that the closed-minded and scared try to hide behind.
R.I.P. MF Doom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Blog, Miscellany and tagged with Czarface Meets Metal Face, Danger Doom, Dangermouse, Daniel Dumile, Doom, Eulogy, KMD, Madvillain, Madvilliany, Metal Face Doom, MF, MF Doom, MM..Food, R.I.P., R.I.P. MF Doom. RSS 2.0 feed.
« Poem: 2020 Becomes 2021
ML Buch: Skinned »

Popular

  • The Sad Story of Bob Welch: Fleetwood Mac’s Most Undervalued Member
  • Janna Lapidus Leblanc: Four Years In Pictures
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 8 – Mark Knopfler
  • The Beast: Revisiting John Bonham’s Glory
  • Going Back To Lou Reed: Time To Revisit His Strange, Wonderful, Weird Catalogue
  • Revisiting Live at Knebworth (1990)
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 11 – Lindsey Buckingham
  • Neil Peart Was The World’s Most Overrated Drummer
  • What A Good Score! – #17: Dead Man Walking by Various Artists
  • The Best Guitarist in The World: # 1 – Jeff Beck

Archives

Tags

Album Review Auckland Blog Book Book Review Chat Compilation DJ Drums DVD DVD Review EP Film Film Review Gig Gig Review Guest Blog Guitar Interview Jazz Live Live Gig LP Movie Music NZ Podcast Poem Poetry Record Records Simon Sweetman Soundtrack Spotify Stub Stubs Sweetman Podcast The Vinyl Countdown Vinyl Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron Wellington Wgtn Writing You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron [OST]

Categories

  • Back Catalogue
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • Miscellany
  • Mixtapes
  • Playlists
  • Podcasts
  • Reviews
  • Scene Of The Day
  • Special Guests
  • The Vinyl Countdown

Off The Tracks is the home of Sweetman Podcast, a weekly interview/chat-based pod. It's also home to my reviews across film, TV, music and books and some creative writing as well.

Off The Tracks aims to provide quality reviews and essays, regular blog updates about the shows, albums, books and movies you should be experiencing.

It's a passion project. Your support will help to keep Off The Tracks online.

All content © 2022 by Off The Tracks. WordPress Themes by Graph Paper Press