Daniel Dumile (/ˈduːmiːleɪ/DOO-mee-lay;[2] 9 January 1971 – 31 October 2020) was a British rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He performed and released music under several stage names, most notably MF Doom, which Dumile preferred to be stylized in all caps. Dumile debuted during hip hop's golden age of the late 1980s and became a major figure in underground hip hop of the early 21st century. Upon his death, Variety called him "[o]ne of the most celebrated, unpredictable and enigmatic figures in independent hip-hop".[3]
Born in London, Dumile moved with his family to Long Island, New York at a young age. He began his musical career in 1988 as a member of the trio KMD, at which time he performed under the name Zev Love X. KMD disbanded in 1993 following the death of Dumile's brother, DJ Subroc. After taking a hiatus from the music scene, Dumile reemerged in 1998, when he began performing at open mic events while wearing a mask. He adopted the MF Doom persona and rarely made unmasked public appearances from that time onward. His metal mask resembles that of Marvel Comics super-villain Doctor Doom, who is depicted rapping on the cover of his 1999 debut solo album Operation: Doomsday. In the early 2000s, Dumile also released solo albums under the pseudonyms King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn.
Onyx the Birthstone Kid soon replaced Rodan, who left the group in order to finish high school. MC Serch, a native of nearby Far Rockaway, met the group at community functions and recruited them for a guest spot on "The Gas Face," a single off 3rd Bass' The Cactus Album. The guest appearance caught the attention of A&R executive Dante Ross, who signed KMD to Elektra Records.
KMD released their debut album Mr. Hood in 1991. Its songs focus on racism and black empowerment in a comical manner. Subroc heavily sampled old children's television shows and recordings, including drops of Sesame Street character Bert on the singles "Who Me?" and "Humrush." Skits featuring KMD interacting with "Mr. Hood" (a series of samples from a language instruction tape) tie the album together. Stimulated Dummies co-produced Mr. Hood; the album also featured fellow Five Percenters, Brand Nubian appearing on "Nitty Gritty."
The group recorded their follow up, Black Bastards, in 1993. The album was a departure from their lighthearted previous release with songs celebrating sex ("Plumskinnz"), drugs ("Smokin' That S*#%", "Contact Blitt", "Suspended Animation") and drinking ("Sweet Premium Wine"). Onyx left the group during the recording sessions. His verse was removed from "Plumskinnz" (the B-side to the "Nitty Gritty" single off Mr. Hood), which was included on Black Bastards as two separate tracks, "Plumskinnz (Loose Hoe, God & Cupid)" (Zev Love X's verse) and "Plumskinnz (Oh No I Don'T Believe It!)" (Subroc's verse). Zev Love X created the cover art, a Sambocaricature being hanged in a game of hangman.
Shortly before Black Bastards scheduled release date Subroc was killed while attempting to cross the 878 Nassau Expressway. Elektra Records dropped KMD later the same week. The album's title and cover art proved too controversial for Elektra's management, who instructed Dante Ross to give Zev Love X the Black Bastards master tapes and $20,000 as incentive to leave the label. The album was heavily bootlegged until it was formally released on Bobbito Garcia's Fondle 'Em Records in 1998. Zev Love X dropped out of the New York hip hop scene until 1997 when he reemerged as MF Doom.
On August 16, 2017, MF DOOM premiered the first new KMD track in ten years, "True Lightyears", on NPR Music. The release also featured Jay Electronica. It was the first single from the still to be released album, 'Crack In Time
REMEMBER: The time DJ Muggs and MF Doom Assassinated Kanye West
