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".
Arrow Root
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bishop Nehru
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My thoughts, are like a bright symphony
I'm simply, changing everything that I begin to see
Mentally, but physically I plan to change history
With a pen, note pad and a distant dream
I'm closer than you think to the stars, nigga look up
Seeing adolescent with impressive rhymes, chasin' dimes
Not the kind that want cash, but the ones that's inside
Of my pocket, while I pocket some of these profits
Nigga's watch it and try to stop it, but all I do is block it
Straight lock it up, my cash started risin' up
Now everybody and they best friend try to ride with us
Never had a team, just a couple friends
Too many people around will hurt you in the end
Don't pretend you niggas would never kin, you tryna step in the circle but ain't allowed to get in
I'm getting more attention than I'm wishing
A bitch ain't just a prize and did I mention, when I'm sentencing, people listening
Cause my songs go harder than crack interventions
Uh, living life like a menace
Tryna get in this game and leave with some riches
No need for bitches, but I'm down for pictures
As long as they ain't girls that got no figures
Uh, Jordan 7's on my feet
Don't ask to come chill, girl I'm busy making beats
When I was in the hall you would never even speak
Now your tryna come through every day of the week
Shits crazy, you living real shady
And don't send me text messages calling me baby
I thought you were a lady, didn't give it up daily
And only your joy, boys who didn't like mainstream
Well I do, and this is nothing new
But looks like this life fine living for you
I know that you in love, but baby that sounds through
When the size don't fit, so why would I wear the shoe?
This ain't a love song so I'mma skip bars, rip hard, grip stars then dip off
Peace!
The lyrics of MF Doom's Arrow Root features Bishop Nehru and Elder Blossoms. The song talks about the artist's desire to change history through his music, and how he plans to do it with just a pen, note pad, and a distant dream. He also alludes to the fact that distance is not an obstacle in achieving his goals, and he is closer to his dreams than he appears. He mentions that he is getting more attention than he wished for, and he doesn't need distractions in his path towards success. He reiterates that he is not into women who have no figures, and his focus is on making beats.
A major theme of the song is the artist's relentless pursuit of his dreams, despite the many obstacles he may face along the line. MF Doom shows this through his use of imagery and figurative language, like "changing everything he begins to see," and "living life like a menace." He also talks about blocking out distractions and staying focused on his goals.
Interestingly, the song features a rising artist, Bishop Nehru, who MF Doom promotes on the track, and the song seems to have inspired him as he went on to release many songs of his own. Arrow Root has a unique sound and style that makes it stand out in the rap world, and the song's title refers to the arrowroot plant used for various medicinal and culinary purposes.
The song is known for its samples from various sources, including a sample of "We Almost Lost Detroit" by Gil Scott-Heron, and "Flashbacks" by Lee Oskar. Additionally, it is hailed as one of the most underrated tracks on MF Doom's "Born Like This" album, and is widely regarded as one of the best songs in the artist's collection.
Chords: Not Available
Line by Line Meaning
My thoughts, are like a bright symphony
My thoughts are complex and beautiful, like a musical masterpiece.
I'm simply, changing everything that I begin to see
I have a habit of improving everything I encounter.
Mentally, but physically I plan to change history
I'm going to make a big impact on the world, both mentally and physically.
With a pen, note pad and a distant dream
I have nothing but my ideas and ambition to make a difference.
But distance ain't a obstacle, that's too much
Distance is never an obstacle that is too great for me to overcome.
I'm closer than you think to the stars, nigga look up
I'm on my way to greatness and I'm closer than people might expect.
Seeing adolescent with impressive rhymes, chasin' dimes
I see young rappers with potential focusing more on money than the craft.
Not the kind that want cash, but the ones that's inside
I'm interested in the more valuable, internal things in life and music.
Of my pocket, while I pocket some of these profits
While I keep some of the money I make, I also value personal growth and artistic development.
Nigga's watch it and try to stop it, but all I do is block it
People try to hold me back, but I won't let them deter me.
Straight lock it up, my cash started risin' up
I'm strategic in how I handle my money, and it's paying off.
Now everybody and they best friend try to ride with us
I'm now successful and surrounded by people who only want to associate with me for my success.
Never had a team, just a couple friends
I've never had a large group of people helping me, just a few close friends.
Too many people around will hurt you in the end
Having too many people around you can ultimately lead to negative consequences.
Don't pretend you niggas would never kin, you tryna step in the circle but ain't allowed to get in
Don't act like you've always supported me when really you're trying to get close to me now that I'm successful.
I'm getting more attention than I'm wishing
I'm becoming more famous than I ever planned for or wanted.
A bitch ain't just a prize and did I mention, when I'm sentencing, people listening
Women are not objects or rewards, and people pay attention to my lyrics.
Cause my songs go harder than crack interventions
My music is powerful and impactful, like drug interventions.
Uh, living life like a menace
I live a wild and dangerous life.
Tryna get in this game and leave with some riches
My goal is to make a lot of money in the music industry.
No need for bitches, but I'm down for pictures
I don't need women in my life, but I'm happy to take photos with them.
As long as they ain't girls that got no figures
I'm only interested in attractive women.
Jordan 7's on my feet
I'm wearing a particular type of basketball shoe called Jordan 7's.
Don't ask to come chill, girl I'm busy making beats
Don't ask to hang out, I'm too busy making music.
When I was in the hall you would never even speak
You ignored me when I was less successful.
Now your tryna come through every day of the week
Now that I'm successful, you're trying to be around me all the time.
Shits crazy, you living real shady
Your behavior is unpredictable and untrustworthy.
And don't send me text messages calling me baby
I'm not interested in a romantic relationship with you.
I thought you were a lady, didn't give it up daily
I expected you to have more self-respect and not sleep around.
And only your joy, boys who didn't like mainstream
You only hung out with people who were outsiders and didn't follow the mainstream.
Well I do, and this is nothing new
I am part of the mainstream and have been for a while.
But looks like this life fine living for you
You seem to be happy with your less mainstream lifestyle.
I know that you in love, but baby that sounds through
I can tell that you are in love with me, but I don't feel the same way.
When the size don't fit, so why would I wear the shoe?
We're not meant to be together, so why force it?
This ain't a love song so I'mma skip bars, rip hard, grip stars then dip off
This isn't a love song, so I'll skip that topic and focus on my usual themes of success and tough living.
Writer(s): Daniel Dumile Thompson
Contributed by Riley G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.