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Legendary rapper MF DOOM's catalog suffered a major blow yesterday, July 24, 2024, after Spotify deleted most of the records included on his fifth studio album. Many news outlets are reporting unlicensed samples were a key factor behind the streaming platforms decision to delete songs from MM..FOOD.
The album was released almost two decades ago and originally included 15 full-length records as part of its official tracklist. The project was a commercial and critical success, with MM..FOOD peaking at No.17 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart.
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The only songs that were still available for streaming were One Beer and Potholderz (Feat. Count Bass D). Almost 24 hours after Spotify deleted a majority of the album, the rest of the LP was restored and re-uploaded on the streaming platform. The complete tracklist for MF DOOM's MM..FOOD has been provided below:
- Beef Rap
- Hoe Cakes
- Potholderz (Feat. Count Bass D)
- One Beer
- Deep Fried Frenz
- Poo-Putt Platter
- Fillet-O-Rapper
- Gumbo
- Fig Leaf Bi-Carbonate
- Kon Karne
- Guinnesses (Feat. Angelika x 4ize)
- Kon Queso
- Rapp Snitch Knishes (Feat. Mr. Fantastik)
- Vomitspit
- Kookies
In 2021 the album made its first appearance on Billboard's 200 chart, about 17 years after its original release, entering at No.199 after seeing an 870% surge in streaming numbers.
Revisiting MF DOOM's impact on hip-hop
MF DOOM, famously known as The Illest Villain, was a British-American rapper who was credited for pioneering the alternative change in hip-hop that helped several artists find their footing in the early 2000s growing rap scene.
Doom dropped his debut album back in 1999, titled Operation: Doomsday, which introduced the world to the polarizing alter-ego of Daniel Dumile. This project also marked his return to rap after the rapper disappeared from the rap game in 1993.
It was later reported that he had taken a 6-year hiatus from music after his hip-hop collective K.M.D. (Kausing Much Damage) was disbanded because of Dumile's brother's passing. The group comprised Dingilizwe Dumile (DJ Subroc), Onyx the Birthstone Kid, and Zev Love X, which was Doom's first rap pseudonym.
KMD would generate significant buzz in the underground rap scene, which led to them signing to Elektra Records, before releasing their 1991 debut studio album Mr. Hood. Two years later, before the release of their second album, Black Bastards, DJ Subroc was killed in a car accident.
Losing his brother had a severe impact on Dumile's mental health as the rapper disbanded K.M.D. and officially quit rapping. There were even reports of him living on public benches for three years.
He would later re-emerge in the underground rap scene with more mature lyricism and wordplay, donning his now iconic mask under the alias of MF DOOM. The rapper later confirmed during an interview with Fact Magazine that his pseudonym wasn't inspired by Marvel supervillain Doctor Doom but was a name given by his mother.
"Yeah and for the record I didn’t get the idea from [Doctor Doom]… I been Doom ever since I was born, my momma call me Doom so…"
After the release of his debut studio album, Operations: Doomsday, in 1999, the rapper released several projects that introduced his fanbase to different sides of the rapper.
Each version of the rapper brought forward a fresh style of lyrical wordplay and depth, with Doom also introducing the monikers of King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn.
In 2004, MF DOOM released MM..FOOD before collaborating with producer Madlib on the iconic and critically acclaimed project titled Madvillainy.
Fans and hip-hop legends praised this album for its ability to transcend modern rap. The collaboration album is currently rated 93/100 on Metacritic, with many critics calling Madvillainy one of the best rap albums of all time.
"I love collaborating, I’m a team player. I love it when I’m working with other artists and see how they get down and exchanging ideas, it’s fun" - MF Doom stated during an interview with Fact Magazine.
In May 2015, MF DOOM sat down for an exclusive interview with Red Bull Music Academy where he discussed his studio LPs, which at the time also included projects Live from Planet X (2005), BORN LIKE THIS (2009), Unexpected Guests (2009), Doom! (2010), Gazzillion Ear (2010), and Expektoration... Live (2010).
The rapper also discussed his various stage names, which had increased in number over the years. Doom explains how he believes that artists in hip-hop get "pigeonholed" into playing a single character for their entire career.
He cites that story evolution and creative freedom played a defining factor in creating his alter-egos, explaining how the thought of speaking from a single perspective for the rest of his career sounded "boring". He also breaks down who he believes "MF DOOM" is as an individual when he states,
"He’s more like the old-school, OG, old-timer villain. He’s the typical villain you’d have in any story. A lot of people misunderstand him, but he’s always looked at as the bad guy, but really he’s got a heart of gold. He’s for the children. He’s like a Robin Hood kind of character."
MF DOOM would then release two more projects titled The Missing Notebook Rhymes and BORN LIKE THIS (Redux), in 2017 and 2019, respectively, as the last additions to his professional catalog.
The enigmatic rapper's untimely death in 2020, was later revealed by his wife, Jasmine Dumile, to be because of a side-effect caused by the ACE inhibitors that were prescribed to deal with his high blood pressure.
As per a report from Billboard, the side effect caused a rare skin condition called angioedema, which led to a hive-like swelling under the rapper's skin. In a post announcing MF DOOM's passing, his wife took to Instagram to state,
"Thank you for all the things you have shown, taught and given to me, our children and our family. Thank you for teaching me how to forgive beings and give another chance, not to be so quick to judge and write off. Thank you for showing how not to be afraid to love and be the best person I could ever be. My world will never be the same without you."
DOOM has been praised by some of the biggest musicians of current-day hip-hop, including Frank Ocean, Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Drake, Childish Gambino, and more, for being a major influence on their careers.
