3 Ways MF Doom Changed Hip Hop
MF DOOM’s legacy was cemented far before his death was announced in January of this year (his wife would later confirm actual passing was Oct. 31).
Born Daniel Dumile, the 49-year-old United Kingdom native acquired the reputation of being ‘your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper’ with artists like Childish Gambino, Drake and Freddie Gibbs constantly paying homage. MF Doom is known for piecing together a near-flawless discography laced with soul samples, intricate rhyme schemes and storytelling.
Songs like “All Caps” and “Accordion”, which are fresh and different, allowed DOOM to garner a cult following while still remaining largely unknown by mainstream audiences.
The long-time New Yorker wore a mysterious mask, rapped about comics, and was spitting punchline bars way before the likes of Lil Wayne and Lloyd Banks, painting him in a very specific corner that those who appreciated him, loved.
From his start in KMD to his debut in 1999 and the influences thereafter, DOOM’s career has impacted hip hop far more than what meets the eye. Ahead of this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards 2021, here’s a look at all the ways he left his mark.
Anonymity
Before MF DOOM was MF DOOM, he went by Zev Love X as a member of the rap group KMD with his brother Dingilizwe. It wasn’t until after his brother was struck by a car and killed in 1993 and leaving the industry shortly after, however, that he began wearing the mask and bearing the Marvel character moniker.
This was circa 1999. Now, ambiguity is the wave. Pop artist Sia is known for hiding her face, no matter the stage, with her bangs. H.E.R. wears shades everywhere she goes in order to protect her anonymity.
In a genre known for vibrato and showmanship, DOOM showed you can have a meaningful career with your art and your art alone.
Creativity
Artistic integrity, individuality, and authenticity are all elements of MF DOOM’s music and persona that permeated beyond him and through the culture. He was a mystifying rapper who’d mash up comic-book aesthetics with 70s and 80s pop samples, all of which have influenced those after him.
DOOM would go as far as to produce records under different characters he created to supplement the developing storylines he’d incorporate in his music, most famously working with Madlib on Madvillainy.
Nowadays Soulja Boy has a ‘Superman’ dance move. And there’s Chief Keef with songs like “Superheroes” and Childish Gambino has been saying he’s Spiderman for almost a decade now.
Comic book inspired or not, his originality was ahead of its time where, during the ‘bling-era’ of the 2000s, he kept it simple and himself. We can see that a lot more in artists today.
Technique
Doom’s creativity even shows in his technique. He, unquestionably, has one of the most unique flows of all time and does things in ways you haven’t heard. Check his record, “Vomspit”. On the track, he not only drops multi-syllable internal and external rhymes (“external” meaning they come at the end of the sentence) but does it for the entire song. In fact, he’s been measured to have the all-time highest rate of rhymes per bar.
One technique he employs is rhyming an entire line with the next — a style which can be seen in many rappers, like Earl Sweatshirt, Open Mike Eagle, and Joey Bada$.
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