AHEAD OF HIS TIME, GONE TOO SOON. RIP MF DOOM
In the most 2020 fashion ever, it was reported, and confirmed, yesterday (Dec 31st) that the mysterious underground rapper and producer MF DOOM, Daniel Dumile, had passed away on October 31st, at the age of 49.
The sad news was first confirmed by DOOM’s wife, Jasmine Dumile, via Instagram:
Begin all things by giving thanks to THE ALL!
To Dumile
The greatest husband, father, teacher, student, business partner, lover and friend I could ever ask for. 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. Words will never express what you and Malachi mean to me, I love both and adore you always. May THE ALL continue to bless you, our family and the planet.
I got put on to DOOM around the Madvillainy and MM..FOOD albums in 2004, which is to say, I was mad late to the game. I remember being embarrassed at the time because to really be into DOOM before those albums, you were probably in an elevated class of hip-hop consumption. I was definitely not there, but I became a fan nonetheless. It was hard not to be. DOOM’s rhymes have a hypnotic quality.
It’s easy, and a little intellectually lazy, to say DOOM was ahead of his time (as I did with the title of this post – got to meet people where they are). DOOM wasn’t ahead of his time. He was just deeper and more intricate with his wordplay and rhymes than most of his peers. He had the ability to catch waves that others couldn’t even see, let alone spit over. He worked well with other musical geniuses that operated on his wavelength, like super-producers Madlib and Danger Mouse. The truth is, it was perfect for DOOM to begin his career in NYC, in the late 80s. And it was super-dope to see his resurgence and rise in the 2000s, and the legendary status he achieved over the last decade. It was all right on time. God’s time.
Since the news of his passing, a wide range of hip-hop heads, spanning several generations, have taken to social media to pay homage. Everyone from MC Search (3rd Base), Bobbito Garcia, Stretch Armstrong, Q-Tip, Run the Jewels, Ghostface Killah, Tyler the Creator, Flying Lotus, and Westside Gunn have posted about the reclusive emcee.
It’s impossible to get into all the music, but Tidal has a great MF DOOM Essentials playlist rocking right now. Here is the link (for Tidal subscribers only). Rolling Stone and NPR Music also have dope tributes online. Check them out.
RIP DOOM
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