Existing for a long time as one of the names that always pop up on my radar as every rap enthusiast’s “must hear”, I finally took up a task that I’ve be putting off for a while and listened to the mysterious MF Doom. My first encounter with one of hip hop’s darkest characters was a few nonchalant listens to his collab album with Madlib, “Madvillainy”. I spent most of those listens picking out pieces of that project that weren’t too far detached from my regular rap taste palate. I caught a glimpse of what all of these hip hop hipsters and historians love about Doom; the smooth rhymes that just glide of his tongue, crazy word compositions and left-side beat choice that somehow make sense. I still didn’t understand why Madvillainy was so critically acclaimed, I made it my mission to make myself understand. There are those artists who you just give that chance, whether it’s the first time you hear them or your first listen of their long anticipated album, you just give them the benefit of the doubt. I checked out what was next on Daniel Dumile’s menu and found “Mm…food”.
Of course the album title, the album art, food related tracklisting and the first sample before the beat drops show you exactly what’s in store but it’s the first couple of lines from the first song, “Beef Rap”, that set the tone for the rest of the album:
“Beef rap, could lead to getting teeth capped
Or even a wreath for ma dukes on some grief crap
I can lead to high blood pressure if you fry it
Or even a stroke, heart attack, heart disease
It ain’t no starting back once arteries start to squeeze”
My mouth watered at this extended metaphor about the deadly possibilities of beef rap or a red meat diet. Fewer things satisfy my music appetite more than a well put together concept album. I also later learnt that when MF Doom toured the album fans were met with a drive-thru themed experience also with different delights served from themed food trucks. MF Doom went fully into this mostly self-produced project and earned my respect.
The first half of the album is not feature heavy with just an appearance from Count Bass D on one of the album’s standout songs “Potholderz”. Doom serves Count Bass D with the spotlight by giving him two verses that sandwich his only verse on the song, and Count Bass D did not disappoint.
The album is split into two parts by four consecutive sample tracks in the middle. At first, my less enlightened self thought that having four skits slap bang in the middle of an album was just a lazy excuse to extend an album length. The sonic example of changing styles in the near climax of intercourse to prolong a round; in short I found it very annoying. All of this begins as the song “Deep Fried Frenz” ends, the song draws to a close with a skit explaining Doom’s origin. Doom’s forbidden experiments [with foreign sounds to mainstream hip hop] led to a deadly accident which saw him travel the world searching for a cure for his disfigured face [read as "pride"].
It then clicked three months after listening to the album for the first time, Doom takes us with him on this journey to exotic lands in search of a cure. On this voyage we’re met by weird samples talking about food platters that double as dandy fly swats, foot prints of flying monkey men, edible [w]rappers, bi-carbonate of fig leaf. Strange samples from strangle lands which I’d imagine makes up only a small percentage of Doom’s sample armoury. Before MF Doom became the hip hop villain that we vaguely know and love today, Doom was dropped by his record label. He was faced with no choice but to add different dimensions to his skillset and become the supervillain who rules with an iron mask and razor sharp rhymes.
Who would have known that what seemed like a pause in climatic action was just a reminder of where he comes from?
MF Doom comes back from the intermission with a strong return for the second half of the album led by my personal favourite “Kon Karne”. Ah man just a bar feast, if someone asked me for a quick glimpse into what MF Doom is about, I’d direct them straight to “Kon Karne”.
“As I reminisce never forgot when I was very broke
Shot the Henny straight, couldn’t afford to cop the cherry coke
Or should I say broke with wealth?
To know enough to give them just rope to yoke they self”
What’s most impressive about this project is how Doom manages to use food metaphors to paint vivid experiences. At a playback length that’s just shy of an hour, Doom does not exhaust the play on food words to the point where you start to roll your eyes but leaves enough for you to foam at your mouth for more. It might not be an easy album to get into for folks not familiar with this kind of rap, Earl Sweatshirt fans may have a softer cushion; for rap enthusiasts it may end up being a staple on your menu.