RIP MF DOOM

Rest in peace to your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper, MF DOOM. 

Daniel Dumile (MF Doom) 1/9/1971 — 10/31/2020

Hours before counting down the last moments of 2020, MF DOOM’s wife, Jasmine, announced his passing on DOOM’s Instagram account. Just like most of the year that we had endured, this news sucked – and everyone was devastated. 

At age 49, MF DOOM passed away and we lost one of the most influential names in rap. 

He actually died on Halloween and it was kept private for two months, making it even more shocking. The cause of death has not been revealed. 

Dumile was born in London in 1971 and he moved to New York when he was very young. As a teen, he started the hip-hop trio KMD under the name Zen Love X with his brother, DJ Subroc. In 1991, KMD released their debut album, Mr. Hood. This album did not have much commercial success, but it paved the way for MF DOOM to become such a highly respected artist. 

KMD’s second album was set to release two years later, but his brother was tragically hit by a car and died. After a five year hiatus from the public, Dumile returned as Metal Face Doom, wearing his signature mask modeled after the Marvel villain Dr. Doom. He released his solo record Operation: Doomsday in 1999. 

In an interview with the New Yorker, Dumile shared, "I wanted to get onstage and orate, without people thinking about the normal things people think about. Like girls being like, 'Oh, he's sexy,' or 'I don't want him, he's ugly,' and then other dudes sizing you up. But if there's going to be a first impression I might as well use it to control the story. So why not do something like throw a mask on?"

Dumile’s collab with Madlib in 2004 holds some of the most intricate, influential bars in the rap industry. The duo named Madvillain released Madvillainy, and MF Doom independently released MM...FOOD in the same year. 

MM...FOOD was a follow-up to Operation: Doomsday, where he attempts to save rap’s innocence as the culture was quickly changing into the early 2000s. 

MF DOOM released a number of solo albums and collaborations throughout his career. His impact on music will be remembered far beyond just his songs; he was a highly respected producer and lyricist, inspiring young rappers to defy America’s perceptions of Blackness and rap culture. 

An abundance of artists across genres have been impacted by DOOM’s influence, and many took to social media to pay homage including Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Flying Lotus, Questlove, and Steve Aoki.

Alongside other legends like Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., and Nipsey, MF DOOM shaped what rap is today, and he will be known as one of the best of all time.

Just remember ALL CAPS when you spell the man name.

Written by Stevie Kane, Edited by Emma Barsky