MF DOOM's 20 Greatest Songs
"A one-man Hanna-Barbera of the hip-hop world, the genre's Stan Lee, a self-proclaimed Doctor Doom - but just as much a master engineer as superhero Tony Stark."
Words by Georgia Mulraine, Rough Trade's Marketing and Content Manager
I can't really remember not knowing MF DOOM. The comforting sense of nostalgia of debut album track Doomsday. Those simple lo-fi chords meeting that Sade sample. True bliss.
A world of monsters, monikers, metal masks and pure wordsmithery - there is no hip-hop fan in the world who doesn't know the masked iconoclast, real name Daniel Dumile. Releasing six studio albums, two live albums, three compilation albums, 10 instrumental albums, seven collaborative albums, 14 singles, and 32 music videos before an untimely death aged just 49 on 31st October 2020, DOOM leaves behind an authoritative body of work. It's a catalogue for fans to really pour over, boasting music ripe for discovery, irrespective of generation.
More than just music, DOOM's legacy is inextricably tied to his masked aesthetic, inspired by Marvel comic book villain, Doctor Doom. The rapper's sound is wholly built around stories with characters, largely fiction but somehow definitely informed by autobiography. Some of DOOM's smartest sampling is of course the cartoon audio and sound effects which help build his persona as hip hop's illest supervillain. A one-man Hanna-Barbera of the hip-hop world, the genre's Stan Lee, a self-proclaimed Doctor Doom but just as much a master engineer as superhero Tony Stark. Despite his tragic and uncanny early passing, DOOM leaves behind an expansive discography, building a never-ending, complex universe with plenty of gems to revisit time and time again.
20 years of MM..FOOD
In celebration of its 20th anniversary in 2024, MF DOOM's MM..FOOD is repackaged with all-new artwork by Sam Rodriguez. A classic hip-hop album ushering listeners into a bizarre world of food-related metaphors.
Now pre-ordering on Rough Trade Exclusive orange vinyl.
Traversing a range of projects, personas and experimental prowess, I have selected my personal favourite MF DOOM tracks, ones which exemplify the world-building skill and moving power of his music. Rest in beats, the greatest to ever do it.
Constipated Monkey
Before there was DOOM there was KMD. And their second and final studio album Bl_ck B_st_rds. Formed in Long Beach, New York, in 1988, KMD were brothers Daniel 'Zev Love X' Dumile, Dingilizwe 'DJ Subroc" Dumile and Jade 1, practising a pro-Black consciousness which characterised 90s golden age hip hop at the time. Constipated Monkey epitomises the group's off-beat humour and skill in bouncing off each other. This true camaraderie came to an end after Subroc was tragically killed in a road accident and the group cut ties with their label (Elektra Records) over their 'controversial' album artwork. (The album was heavily bootlegged until it was officially released on ReadyRock Records in 2000). Zev Love disappeared from the music world altogether until...cue his rebirth as the masked enigma: MF DOOM.
Doomsday
On Doomsday, ever since the womb / 'Til I'm back where my brother went, that's what my tomb will say / Right above my government; Dumile / Either unmarked or engraved; hey, who's to say?
It may not look this way lyrically, but this song really creates an overwhelming sense of peace for me. In some ways, DOOM is prophecising his legacy, contemplating the final days and what he's amounted to. The perfect blend of drums with Sade's heavenly vocals. One of his most popular and renowned songs for a very good reason.
Fancy Clown
Madvillainy (Madlib, MF DOOM)
Maybe my favourite sample in an MF DOOM song. I may even like this more than Doomsday! Z.Z. Hill's lovelorn That Ain't the Way You Make Love loops behind DOOM and guest feature Viktor Vaughn's most introspective flows (yes he is rapping from two different perspectives/personas on the same track - Viktor is talking about his girlfriend cheating on him with DOOM). A real heartbreak track on one of the best albums of all time, Madvilliany - the ultimate collaboration with elite beatmaker Madlib.
LIGHTWORKS
DOOM's sixth and final studio album, released by British independent label Lex Records, a trusted destination for experimental hip-hop and electronic music. I bought this album on vinyl before I started working at Rough Trade, I remember thinking it was pretty essential, featuring collaboration tracks between two of the greatest hip-hop artists to ever exist: MF DOOM and J Dilla.
DOOM described working with Dilla as 'telepathy', and it's true, this album features some of the artist's brightest production work full stop. Lightworks is a slight reworking of a song J Dilla released on his classic Donuts. The opening sample is drawn from a song of the same name, an electronic commercial jingle composed for Lightworks cosmetics in the 1960 by band composer and early electronic pioneer Raymond Scott. The buoyant 60s jazz vocals of singer-actress Dorothy Collins are like nothing you've ever heard before in a hip hop song, but somehow it just works so well.
Hoe Cakes
An album which showcases DOOM's strength in satire and sampling ability, drawing on food analogies to illustrate and embellish its stories. Hoe Cakes is a go-to from this project, sampling the sparkling piano and big funk band arrangement of Anita Baker's Sweet Love. Chef's kiss.
Next Levels
Take Me To Your Leader (King Geedorah)
This one has a similar effect as Doomsday on me. DOOM samples himself under his King Geedorah alias, using the beat from Special Herbs 1 track Arrow Root. Featuring a number of solo rap artists and groups the voices of Take Me To Your Leader are varied but the overarching concept embodies the idea of King Ghidorah, a three-headed fictional monster who appears as Godzilla's enemy in the Godzilla films. Except King Geedorah is coming down from outer space to give us an alien view on our world and hip-hop.
Licorice
Metal Fingers Presents: Special Herbs, Vol.7 and 8
This could be a surprising one to make this list but this song must have found its way into my on-repeat lists after an in-depth MF DOOM binge years ago. It holds a special place in my heart as I used it for a film project at university. This is one of DOOM's many hallmarks, a boom-bap beat with sparkling instrumentation and real flow even without lyrics. DOOM samples a small section of All I Ask by The Blackbyrds, a jazz-funk fusion band DOOM took great inspiration from in his imaginative production.
Rapp Snitch Knishes
Rap snitches, telling all their business! DOOM really found the recipe with this one, that guitar riff sample (the guitar break from David Matthew’s Space Odyssey) really speaks for itself. Assisted by the mysterious Mr Fantastik who also appears on Take Me To Your Leader, the duo spit some of their sharpest bars calling out the snitches of the rap world.
Means the Most
NEHRUVIANDOOM (Bishop Nehru, MF DOOM)
Aged just 16, Bishop Nehru performed his first show outside of the US (also his first trip outside the US ever) at London’s renowned 100 Club, supporting his heroes; a co-headline of MF DOOM and Ghostface Killah. The rest is history, Bishop Nehru became DOOM's protege and young sidekick, and so NEHRUVIANDOOM was born.
DOOM was known for his power in collaborating and this album doesn't come up short for me - although these songs may not be common favourites for real DOOM purists. Means The Most showcases a softer sound for DOOM, Nehru's tone and lyricism a call back to the positive energy of 90s boom bap with its story-driven verses and warm analogue sounds.
One Beer
A sample heavy number featuring snippets from The New Fantastic Four (TV show), the Spider Man TV show, The Late Show With David Letterman and more. The sample which really stands out is of course French jazz band Cortex's Huit Octobre 1971 a skilful mesh of jazz, funk, soul, and rock with warbling vocals. DOOM is responsible for introducing many hip-hop heads and music lovers to this band, a key example of his unparalleled ear and love for music.
Accordion
Madvillainy (Madlib, MF DOOM)
Living off borrowed time, the clock tick faster. A chilling opening which feels fitting to DOOM's story. A simple beat, melancholy sample, it's with this Madlib production DOOM really gets to flex his nonchalant but hard-hitting street talk. A track that really demonstrates the musical impact of DOOM's collaboration with Madlib.
All Caps
Another Madvilliany special. The tumbling piano, the purposeful flow, the building trumpets and layers of instruments. Alongside more cartoon or superhero TV samples All Caps builds to be an epic world building outing for the supervillain, an instructional message to respect the supervillain - ALL CAPS when you spell the man's name!
GAZILLION EAR
BORN LIKE THIS
A further example of DOOM and Dilla's alchemy. This track features some of DOOM's most memorable beat switches and memorable wordplay. The Thom Yorke remix is also definitely worth checking out.
Break in the Action
Super What? (CZARFACE, MF DOOM)
The wordplay and pop culture references are off the chain in this one. Last name Lannister, call me Kingslayer, None this ill since Kareem was a Laker or Sick of playing optimistic like I'm in Thom Yorke's band, You lost your mystique and leaked on 4chan for your four fans. Amidst interjections of zany sounds and vinyl scratches Czarface and DOOM just bounce off each other with clarity and a playful energy you can just keep coming back to.
Can I Watch?
Vaudeville Villain (Viktor Vaughn)
A play on a shortened version of Dr. Doom’s alter ego, Victor Von Doom, Can I Watch? is a track off DOOM's album written entirely as his Viktor Vaughn alias. This one also features the voice of Apani B. Fly, portraying both sides of a budding but maybe troubled romance. It's an eerie and dark atmosphere where DOOM's narrative power really shines.
Anti-Matter
Take Me To Your Leader (King Geedorah)
Another assist from Mr Fantastik. Impeccable rhymes with purposeful sound precision, the opening slant rhyme sounds especially crisp: Expeditiously I be on my grizzly. DOOM manipulates sound to make the rhyme structure more complex but always accessible, suited to the immersive production and the many sound effects: Warfare in your ear CLAK CLAK CLAK CLAK CLAK / What's that you're hearing things TAT TAT TAT TAT TAT.
Great Things
NEHRUVIANDOOM
Bishop Nehru and DOOM trade verses, fluent poly-syllable rhyme flows coasting over punchy drum beats and a sunshiney jazz-funk sample (Zoraia by Waltel Branco). It's golden age NYC hip-hop, effortlessly cool and timeless sounds.
Red and Gold
Featuring multiple string samples, coral sitar, both intricate percussion and huge-sounding drums. Red and Gold is another first-class example of the sparking soundscapes DOOM could build for his narratives. This song makes lots of references to King Geedorah and supposedly features a variation of the character's name: King Ghidra. Maybe this is because the song reflects on DOOM's Godzilla-inspired alter-ego but the name variation remains mysterious.
Gas Drawls
A fire track from DOOM's debut. Steely Dan's Black Cow pops up repeatedly as a sample (You Were Very High!) DOOM's punchy vocals here, reminiscent of the style in the early days with KMD, a real head-nodding flow - MF on the beat.
Hey!
What's that dog yelp you hear? True to form, DOOM masterfully chops and screws the first 15 seconds of the Scooby-Doo theme song, with sinister chords running underneath. This one really indulges MF DOOM's boundless imagination, a key part of the epic ride that is Operation Doomsday.
The Man Behind The Mask...
For the real DOOM purists and fanatics. Read on for a selection of recommended reading, ephemera and further listening - to explore all that is known about the mysterious hip-hop legend.
S. H. Fernando - The Chronicles of Doom
The definitive biography of MF DOOM, charting the reclusive and revered hip-hop artist’s life, career, and eventual immortality. Packed with behind-the-scenes content. Including exclusive interviews with those who worked closely with him. Signed copies pre-ordering at Rough Trade.
MF DOOM ReAction Figures Wave 2 MF DOOM (Mm..Food)
MF DOOM knew that you should start the day off right with a delicious, nutritious bowl of the finest beats and rhymes! The new MF DOOM ReAction Figure Cereal Bowl Set is inspired by the album cover for DOOM’s fifth studio album, MM..FOOD, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2024.
Further Listening...
DOOM's collaborative projects as JJ DOOM (Jneiro Jarel and MF DOOM), Rock Co.Kane Flow with De La Soul, Belize from the Danger Mouse and Black Thought album Cheat Codes, Sonnyjim and the Purist's Barz Simpson, a track featuring a verses from MF DOOM and Jay Electronica or his DangerDoom project: The Mouse and the Mask, produced with Lex super-producer Danger Mouse.