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".
Curls
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They just tryin′ to get a nut like squirrels in his mad world
Land of milk and honey with the swirls
Where reckless naked girls get necklaces of pearls
Compliments of the town jeweler
Left back now-schooler tryna sound cooler
On the microphone known as the crown ruler
Never lied to ma when we said we found the moolah
Huh, now let's try and get somethin' to eat
Then he turned four and started flowin′ to the poor
That′s about when he first started going raw
Kept the 'dro in the drawer
A rhymin′ klepto who couldn't go up in the store no more
His life is like a folklore legend
Why you so stiff, you need to smoke more, bredren
Instead of trying to riff with the broke war veteran
Spliff made him swore he saw heaven he was seven
Yup, you know it, growin′ up too fast
Showin' up to class with Moet in a flask
He ask the teacher if he leave will he pass
His girl is home alone, he tryin′ to get the...
If you want a sip get a paper water fountain glass
How I'm 'posed to know where your mouth been last?
Hands so fast he can out-spin Flash
Known to smoke a whole mountain of hash to the ash
Boom-bash, leave the room with the stash
Assume it′s in a smash, DOOM get the cash
The lyrics to MF DOOM's song Curls represent his journey towards becoming a rapper, starting from humble beginnings to becoming successful - as indicated in lines like "villain get the money like curls" and "never lied to ma when we said we found the moolah". He also touches on the struggles he faced as he progressed, like the temptation to try drugs and alcohol and peer pressure from those around him.
DOOM reminisces on his past and the environment he grew up in - "land of milk and honey with the swirls" - a place where people are just trying to survive and make money. He paints a picture of a world where "reckless naked girls get necklaces of pearls compliments of the town jeweler", which speaks to the power struggles and exploitation that exists within society.
Overall, the song speaks to the themes of success, temptation, struggle and the harsh realities of society. MF DOOM's unique style and lyrical depth make this song an essential in his discography.
Line by Line Meaning
Villain get the money like curls
Like a curling iron shapes hair, the villain shapes his life by getting money.
They just tryin' to get a nut like squirrels in his mad world
People are like squirrels, working hard to get what they need in this crazy world.
Land of milk and honey with the swirls
A luxurious world with swirls of pleasure and wealth, like milk and honey.
Where reckless naked girls get necklaces of pearls
Girls who are careless and promiscuous are rewarded with expensive jewelry.
Compliments of the town jeweler
The jeweler in town is responsible for giving out the jewelry to the girls.
Left back now-schooler tryna sound cooler
A student who was held back a grade is now trying to act cool to fit in.
On the microphone known as the crown ruler
The rapper is confident and in charge when performing on the microphone.
Never lied to ma when we said we found the moolah
The rapper was honest with his mother when he found money laying in the street.
Five-hundred somethin' dollars layin' right there in the street
A large sum of money was found on the street.
Huh, now let's try and get somethin' to eat
The rapper wants to use the found money to get food.
Then he turned four and started flowin' to the poor
Starting at a young age of four, he began rapping for those less fortunate.
That's about when he first started going raw
This is around the time the rapper began using explicit language in his raps.
Kept the 'dro in the drawer
He hid his marijuana stash in a drawer.
A rhymin' klepto who couldn't go up in the store no more
A rapper who steals rhymes, but can't go to the store without getting recognized.
His life is like a folklore legend
His life is so unique and interesting, it seems like it could be a legend passed down through generations.
Why you so stiff, you need to smoke more, bredren
Someone needs to relax and smoke some weed.
Instead of trying to riff with the broke war veteran
Rather than trying to argue with someone who has nothing to lose, it's better to walk away.
Spliff made him swore he saw heaven he was seven
Smoking weed at the age of seven made him feel like he saw heaven.
Yup, you know it, growin' up too fast
The rapper is growing up too fast and experiencing things he shouldn't be at his age.
Showin' up to class with Moet in a flask
Going to school with a flask of expensive champagne is showing off.
He ask the teacher if he leave will he pass
He asks the teacher if he can leave class early and still pass.
His girl is home alone, he tryin' to get the...
The rapper's girlfriend is alone at home and he's trying to go see her for a sexual encounter.
If you want a sip get a paper water fountain glass
If you want to share his champagne, you have to use a cheap paper cup from a water fountain.
How I'm 'posed to know where your mouth been last?
The rapper doesn't want to share a cup because he doesn't know where the other person's mouth has been.
Hands so fast he can out-spin Flash
The rapper is skilled and can spin records better than the superhero 'The Flash'.
Known to smoke a whole mountain of hash to the ash
The rapper is known for smoking a lot of hash until it's all burned away.
Boom-bash, leave the room with the stash
He leaves the room quickly with his secret stash.
Assume it's in a smash, DOOM get the cash
The stash may be destroyed or in bad condition, but DOOM still gets the money from it.
Writer(s): Thompson Daniel Dumile, Jackson Otis Lee
Contributed by Madelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.