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 East Coast hip-hop 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 supervillain 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.
MF DOOM appeared in several collaborative projects such as Madvillain (with Madlib), DANGERDOOM (with Danger Mouse), DOOMSTARKS (with Ghostface Killah), JJ DOOM (with Jneiro Jarel), NEHRUVIANDOOM (with Bishop Nehru), and Czarface Meets Metal Face (with CZARFACE).
Dumile was born on 9 January 1971 in London, England, the son of a Trinidadian mother and a Zimbabwean father. His family moved to Long Island, New York, when he was a child; Dumile remained a British citizen. Dumile grew up in Freeport, New York, and first started DJ'ing during the summer after third grade. Dumile had lived in London since 2009. Dumile was a follower of the Nuwaubian Nation.
Dumile created the MF DOOM character as an alter ego with a backstory he could reference in his music. The character combines elements from the Marvel Comics supervillain Doctor Doom, Destro, and the Phantom of the Opera; like Doctor Doom and Phantom, Dumile referred to himself in the third person while in character. His signature mask was similar to that of Doctor Doom, who is depicted rapping on the cover of Dumile's 1999 debut album Operation: Doomsday.
Dumile wore the mask while performing, and would not be photographed without it, except for short glimpses in videos and in earlier photos with KMD. Later versions of the mask were based on a prop from the 2000 film Gladiator. Academic Hershini Bhana Young argued that, by appropriating the Doctor Doom mask, Dumile "positions himself as enemy, not only of the music industry but also of dominant constructions of identity that relegate him as a black man to second-class citizenship".
Dumile's rap persona MF DOOM was known for his unique free-association rap style, challenging the conventional style of rhyming and flow. His interest in cartoons, comics and other pop culture realms as well as his distinct sampling/production inspired many contemporary artists today.
On December 31, 2020 it was announced on Dumile's Instagram and Facebook by his wife Jasmine, that the rapper had passed away on October 31 of that year at the age of 49.
After his death, Variety described him as one of the scene's "most celebrated, unpredictable and enigmatic figures". Dumile is considered one of the most celebrated and influential musicians in hip-hop. The English musician Thom Yorke, who collaborated with Dumile on two occasions, wrote: "He was a massive inspiration to so many of us, changed things... For me the way he put words was often shocking in its genius, using stream of consciousness in a way I'd never heard before." Stereogum, reviewing Operation: Doomsday on its 20th anniversary, noted Dumile's "formative" influence on younger rappers. El-P of Run the Jewels described him as a "writer's writer", while Q-Tip called him "your favorite rapper's favorite rapper".
A Word of Advice
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Live so that in that good time
There shall be no ugliness or
Death for yourself or for any
Life your life touches
Seek goodness everywhere, and when
It is found
Bring it out of the hiding place and
Place in matter and in flesh
The least of the values
For these are the things that
Hold death and must
Pass away discover in all
Things that which shines
And is beyond corruption encourage
Virtue in whatever
Heart it may have been driven into
Secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror
Of the world ignore the obvious
For it is unworthy of the clear
Eye and the kindly heart
Be the inferior of no man
Nor of any men be superior remember that
Every man is a variation of yourself
No man's guilt is not yours
Nor is any man's innocence a thing apart
Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men
Of ungodliness or evil these
Understand have no shame in being
Kindly and gentle but if the time comes in
The time of your life to kill
Kill and have no regret
In the time of your life
Live so that in that wondrous time
You shall not add to the misery
And sorrow of the world
But shall smile to the infinite
Delight and mystery of it"
― William Saroyan, The Time Of Your Life
The opening lines of MF DOOM's "A Word of Advice" are directly taken from a quote by William Saroyan, an Armenian American playwright, writer, and novelist. The lyrics direct one to live their life in an honorable way, so that in moments of reflection towards the end of their life, they will have no regrets. They advises to live life with the mindset of seeking good everywhere and bringing it out into the light. They also advise to see the beauty in everything, and to encourage kindness and righteousness wherever it may have been driven into secrecy and despair by the vastness and tragedy of the world.
Later, the song touches on the subject of death and killings. The lyrics mention that there may come a time in one's life where they may have to take another's life. In this situation, it advises the listener to have no regrets, and it frames the outcome as an opportunity to create a brighter, more positive world where there is less misery and sorrow.
Through Saroyan's words, DOOM is inspiring listeners to live their lives with intention, to seek out the good, and to not be afraid to take drastic action when necessary. It is a powerful, inspiring affirmation that reminds listeners to live bravely, generously and with compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
In the time of your life
During the period allotted for living
Live so that in that good time
Live in a way that ensures a positive experience
There shall be no ugliness or
There will be no unsightliness or malice
Death for yourself or for any
No loss of life that comes from your actions, or others'
Life your life touches
To all entities that your life affects
Seek goodness everywhere, and when
Search for good in all aspects of life
It is found
When good is identified
Bring it out of the hiding place and
Make it known and available
Let it be free and unashamed
Without restrictions or shame
Place in matter and in flesh
Fully embody the physical and the material
The least of the values
Humble oneself further still
For these are the things that
As these aspects are fleeting
Hold death and must
All must face death
Pass away discover in all
So uncover positivity in all aspects
Things that which shines
Glimmers of goodness
And is beyond corruption encourage
Encourage these incorruptible things
Virtue in whatever
Goodness found in any form
Heart it may have been driven into
No matter the degree that it is suppressed
Secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror
Pushed down and concealed by difficult emotions
Of the world ignore the obvious
To judge based on appearance is foolishness
For it is unworthy of the clear
It is a disservice to pure thought
Eye and the kindly heart
To the compassionate and introspective
Be the inferior of no man
Do not let oneself feel lesser than any other person
Nor of any men be superior remember that
Nor let oneself feel superior to any person, including oneself
Every man is a variation of yourself
We are all different manifestations of humanity
No man's guilt is not yours
We all share the blame of humankind
Nor is any man's innocence a thing apart
We all share the innocence of humankind
Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men
Evil actions are abhorrent, but not the people themselves
Of ungodliness or evil these
Of these characteristics
Understand have no shame in being
To know and not be dismayed by oneself
Kindly and gentle but if the time comes in
Showing kindness and gentleness unless the moment depreciates them
The time of your life to kill
When life necessitates lethal action
Kill and have no regret
Take action confidently and without obsession
In the time of your life
Between birth and death
Live so that in that wondrous time
Live so that you can cherish these unique moments
You shall not add to the misery
Do not add to the collective sadness
And sorrow of the world
Create happiness in the world
But shall smile to the infinite
Even if you cannot understand it, be happy to exist
Delight and mystery of it
The things we don't know are the source of wonder
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnSmith-we9mb
Rip DOOM this is the 1st thing I went to after hearing the news
@sunstruck
firs thing i thought of... like a self eulogy... I didn't make it here until now tho. PEACE
@kweenkvnt
I've decided to play / recite this for my baby the day it's born. First thing they'll hear after me and their father 💓💓💓 Rest Easy DOOM, I miss you. 😔🙏🏽
@ZeeshanMuhammadX
Beautiful reading of William Saroyan's classic quote.
@emptyfame7141
I had no idea!
@JustinG58
Looking behind, I am filled with gratitude.
Looking forward, I am filled with vision.
Looking upwards, I am filled with strength.
Looking within, I discover peace.
-Quero Apache Prayer
@ggardentracks2012
Play this at my funeral
@aziatic7ali83
R.I.P. .Lord, Appreciate Your Jewels Sun! Peace & Love (7)Supreme
@free_palestine_soon
DOOM will live through us always and forever RIP
@Peter-yg1hk
RIP. We will be mining your body of work for decades to come.