The Hip Hop community received some shocking news on Thursday (December 31) when MF DOOM’s wife Jasmine revealed the legendary rapper has died. While the London-born MC actually passed away on October 31, his family chose to keep it under wraps due to the sensitive nature of the situation.
Naturally, people are skeptical about the authenticity of the announcement considering it wouldn’t be too off brand for DOOM to pull an outrageous stunt like this. But sources close to the Rhymesayers Entertainment camp assure HipHopDX there’s nothing fake about his death.
With heavy hearts, we share these words from MF DOOM’s family.https://t.co/g9TPQCsB15 pic.twitter.com/HKWQW9aIM2
— DOOM (@MFDOOM) December 31, 2020
Born Daniel Dumile on January 9, 1971 in London, DOOM moved to Long Island, New York as a child. It was there he discovered his love for Hip Hop and embarked on a path to lyrical greatness. In 1988, he formed KMD as Zev Love X with his younger brother DJ Subroc and another MC called Rodan.
After hearing about the group from 3rd Bass, A&R Dante Ross signed KMD to Elektra Records and their recording debut arrived on 3rd Bass’s song “The Gas Face” from The Cactus Album. Their debut album Mr. Hood was released in 1991 and attained modest success with the singles “Peachfuzz” and “Who Me?”
But tragedy struck in 1993 as they were plotting the release of their sophomore album Black Bastards. While attempting to cross the Nassau Expressway, Subroc was struck by a car and killed and that same week, KMD was dropped from their label.
That’s when DOOM took his career into his own hands and reinvented himself in the same vein as the Marvel Comics super villain Doctor Doom. In 1999, he reemerged with the underground Hip Hop classic Operation: Doomsday and followed up with Take Me To Your Leader in 2003.
Mm..Food, released in 2004, is often heralded as some of his best work with songs such as the Whodini-heavy “Deep Fried Frenz” and J.J. Fad-sampling “Hoe Cakes” leading the way. The project peaked at No. 17 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and No.9 on Heatseekers Albums chart.
DOOM also released a small arsenal of collaborative projects, including 2004’s Madvillainy album with Madlib, 2005’s The Mouse & The Mask with Danger Mouse, 2014’s NehruvianDoom with Bishop Nehru and 2018’s Czarface Meets MetalFace with Czarface.
In 2017, DOOM dropped the first KMD single in 24 years, “True Lightyears,” and revealed another full-length project under the KMD moniker titled Crack In Time was on its way, but it has yet to come to fruition.
Earlier this month, the company behind Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar Games, updated its playlists and included FlyLo FM, the fictional station programmed by Los Angeles-based producer Flying Lotus. The new mix included a track called “Lunch Break” featuring DOOM, bass virtuoso Thundercat and Austrian composer Dorian Concept.
Hip Hop is coming out in droves on Twitter to express their condolences. From fellow Rhymesayers artists Atmosphere, Blueprint and Evidence to Q-Tip, Thundercat and Tyler, The Creator, the news of DOOM’s death effortlessly illustrates the astronomical impact he had on the culture. RIP DOOM.
DANIEL DUMILE
MF DOOM FOREVER
— MASKMOSPHERE (@atmosphere) December 31, 2020
MF DOOM FOREVER ?
— Ev-Ah-Din-Sss (@Evidence) December 31, 2020
RIP to another Giant your favorite MC’s MC .. MF DOOM!!
crushing news…— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 31, 2020
safe travels villain
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) December 31, 2020
Rest in Peace to MF DOOM pic.twitter.com/Z09WM6t9wa
— BLUEPRINT (@printmatic) December 31, 2020
pic.twitter.com/uCldW41QoK
— ashy daddy (@Thundercat) December 31, 2020
May Allah be please w our Brother MF DOOM. ??
— J A Y E L E C T R O N I C A (@JayElectronica) December 31, 2020
One of the greatest comebacks/second act stories in hip hop history. RIP to the villain MF DOOM.
— Phonte (@phontigallo) December 31, 2020
Man… Rest In Peace MF DOOM. https://t.co/93E90WB7eC
— ? (@IDK) December 31, 2020
NOOOOOOOOO NOT MY IDOL REAL SHIT FUCK THIS YEAR
RIP MF DOOM
— wifisfuneral (@wifisfuneral) December 31, 2020
MF DOOM. MAN THIS YEAR IS ABSOLUTELY WICKED.
— JEAN DAWSON (@jeandawsn) December 31, 2020
MF DOOM forever – Lil B
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) December 31, 2020
What could be more MF Doom than us finding out that he died a full two months after he passed?!
— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) December 31, 2020
Rest In Peace to a true pioneer. i hate hearing this. RIP MF DOOM. I’m hurt rn.
— JPEGMAFIA (@darkskinmanson) December 31, 2020
rIP mF dOOM ! wTF
— ???♀️ (@playboicarti) December 31, 2020
I heard that some authors rewrote entire novels by the greats just to see how it felt
Denzel and I made UNLOCKED talking about DOOM every single day just trying to channel an ounce of the feeling
RIP MF DOOM
— kennybeats (@kennybeats) December 31, 2020
MF DOOM https://t.co/iiekFhygAO ? pic.twitter.com/zwgNB5J0qy
— Elliott Wilson (@ElliottWilson) December 31, 2020
MF DOOM FOREVER
— Travis Barker (@travisbarker) December 31, 2020
RIP MF DOOM
— Aminé (@heyamine) December 31, 2020
Rest In Peace Daniel Dumile aka MF DOOM. An all time influence, genius, innovator artist, icon, superhero & supervillain.. Thank you for everything. pic.twitter.com/zgBunSfSAE
— LAMBOLAMBO (@LAMBOLAMBO) December 31, 2020