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".
Doomsday feat. Pebbles The Invisible Girl
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(When I was led to you)
(I knew you were the one for me)
Come through, dig the sound
(I swear the whole world could feel you MC)
Crowd around
But never copped no drop
Hold mics like pony tails, tight, and bob a lot
Stop and stick around
Come through and dig the sound
Of the fly brown six-o sicko psycho who throws his dick around
Bound to go three-plat
Came to destroy rap
It's a intricate plot of a B-Boy strapped
Femstat cats get kidnapped
Then release a statement to the press, let the rest know who did that
Metal Fist terrorists claim responsibility
Broken household name usually said in hostility
Um what is MF? You silly
I'd like to take "Mens to the End" for two milli'
"Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" That's a audio daily double
Rappers need to fall off just to save me the trouble, yo
Watch your own back
Came in and go out alone, black
Stay in the zone turn H2O to Cognac
On Doomsday
Ever since the womb 'til I'm back where my brother went
That's what my tomb will say
Right above my government, Dumille
Either unmarked or engraved, hey, who's to say?
I wrote this one in B.C. D.C. O-section
If you don't believe me, go get bagged and check then
Cell number 17, up under the top bunk
I say this not to be mean, wish bad luck or pop junk
Pop the trunk on See-Cipher-Punk, leave him left scraped
God forbid, if there ain't no escape, blame MF tape
Definition "super-villain", a killer who love children
One who is well-skilled in destruction, as well as building
While Sidney Sheldon teaches the trife to be trifer
I'm trading science fiction with my man the live lifer
A pied piper holler a rhyme, a dollar and a dime
Do his thing, ring around the white collar crime
Get out my face, askin' 'bout my case, need toothpaste
Fresher mint, monkey-style nigga get dentadent
And dope fiends still in they teens, shook niggas turn witness
Real mens mind their own business
That's the difference between sissy-pissy rappers that's double-dutch
How come I hold the microphone double-clutch
C.O.'s make rounds, never have 'ox found
On shakedown, lock-down, wet dreams of Fox' Brown
On Doomsday
Ever since the womb 'til I'm back where my brother went
That's what my tomb will say
Right above my government, Dumile
Either unmarked or engraved, hey, who's to say?
Doomsday
Every since the womb 'til I'm back to the essence
Read it off the tomb
Either engraved or unmarked grave, who's to say?
Pass the mic like "Pass the peas like they used to say"
Some M-er F-ers don't like how Sally walk
I'll tell y'all fools it's hella cool how ladies from Cali talk
Never let her interfere with the Yeti ghetto slang
Nicknames off nipple and tip of nipples metal fang
Known amongst hoes for the bang-bang
Known amongst foes for flow with no talking orangutans
Only gin and Tang
Guzzled out a rusty tin can
Me and this mic is like yin and yang
Clang, crime don't pay, listen, youth
It's like me holding up the line at the kissing booth
I took her back to the truck, she was uncouth
Spittin' all out the sunroof, through her missing tooth
But then she has a sexy voice, sound like Jazzy Joyce
So I turned it up faster than a speeding knife
Strong enough to please a wife
Able to drop today's math in the 48 keys of life
Cut the crap far as rap
Touch the mic, get the same thing a Arab will do to you for stealing
What the devil? He's on another level
It's a word
No, a name
MF the super villain
Doomsday
Check the sound
Right around
(When I was led to you)
(I knew you were the one for me)
(I swear the whole world could feel you MC)
In "Doomsday", MF DOOM talks about his past drug use and how he used to "cop a lot" but never got caught. He compares his mic-holding to tying ponytails tightly before bobbing around. He then changes his tone and talks about his goal to make it in the rap industry, claiming he's "bound to go three-plat" and is there to destroy rap. DOOM then refers to the intricate plot of a b-boy strapped and mentions kidnapping "femstat cats", aka female rap artists. He then talks about the Metal Fist terrorists taking responsibility and claiming that MF is a broken household name usually said in hostility. DOOM claims he wants rappers to fall off, so he doesn't have to bother doing it himself. In this verse, he seems to be speaking more aggressively and is explicit about his plans to take rap by storm.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to cop a lot
I used to buy a lot of drugs
But never copped no drop
But I never got caught
Hold mics like pony tails, tight, and bob a lot
I hold the microphone tightly and move around a lot like a ponytail
Stop and stick around
Stop what you're doing and listen to me
Come through and dig the sound
Listen to the music and enjoy it
Of the fly brown six-o sicko psycho who throws his dick around
I am an amazing rapper who is confident and successful with women
Bound to go three-plat
My album is sure to sell three million copies
Came to destroy rap
I came to revolutionize and change the rap industry
It's a intricate plot of a b-boy strapped
There is a complex situation involving a rapper that is armed
Femstat cats get kidnapped
Female rappers get kidnapped
Then release a statement to the press - let the rest know who did that
I will kidnap female rappers and let the media know it was me
Metal Fist terrorists claim responsibility
I am part of a group named Metal Fist and we take responsibility for our actions
Broken household name usually said in hostility
My name is known but usually spoken with hatred
Um what is MF? You silly
MF is my name, don't be silly
I'd like to take "Mens to the End" for two milli'
I would like to win two million dollars on the TV show 'Mens to the End'
"Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo!" That's a audio daily double
The sound effect 'doo-doo-doo-doo-doo' means it's a daily double in a game show
Rappers need to fall off just to save me the trouble, yo
Other rappers just need to quit so I don't have to compete with them
Watch your own back
Be aware of your own surroundings and safety
Came in and go out alone, black
I enter and leave places alone
Stay in the zone turn H2O to Cognac
Stay focused and confident, turn water into cognac
Ever since the womb 'til I'm back where my brother went
From birth until I die and join my deceased brother
That's what my tomb will say
My tombstone will have this written on it
Right above my government, Dumille
My real name, Dumille, will be written above my government name on my tombstone
Either unmarked or engraved, hey, who's to say?
My tombstone might be unmarked or engraved, it's uncertain
If you don't believe me, go get bagged and check then
If you don't believe my story, go to prison and ask around
Cell number 17, up under the top bunk
My cell number was 17 and I slept under the top bunk
I say this not to be mean, wish bad luck or pop junk
I'm not trying to be disrespectful or wish harm on anyone
Pop the trunk on See-Cipher-Punk, leave him left scraped
Open the trunk and let out See-Cipher-Punk, leave him physically hurt
God forbid, if there ain't no escape, blame MF tape
If there's no way to escape, it's MF Doom's fault for making such great music
Definition "super-villain": a killer who love children
The meaning of being a 'super-villain' is someone who kills but also loves children
One who is well-skilled in destruction, as well as building
A 'super-villain' is skilled in both causing destruction and building things
While Sidney Sheldon teaches the trife to be trifer
While Sidney Sheldon writes books teaching criminals how to be even more criminal
I'm trading science fiction with my man the live lifer
I'm sharing science fiction stories with a friend who has experienced real-life situations
A pied piper holler a rhyme, a dollar and a dime
I am like a pied piper, leading people with my rhymes and charging a fee
Do his thing, ring around the white collar crime
I do my thing and look out for white collar crimes
Get out my face, askin' 'bout my case, need toothpaste
Leave me alone and stop asking me about my legal situation, you need a breath mint
Fresher mint, monkey-style nigga get dentadent
A fresher breath mint, you need it because you're a monkey who needs dental work
And dope fiends still in they teens, shook niggas turn witness
Drug addicts are still teenagers and scared people turn into witnesses
Real mens mind their own business
Real men don't get involved in other people's drama
That's the difference between sissy-pissy rappers that's double-dutch
The difference between weak rappers and skilled rappers
How come I hold the microphone double-clutch
Why do I have such great mic skills
C.O.'s make rounds, never have 'ox found
Correctional officers patrol but never find anything illegal
On shakedown, lock-down, wet dreams of Fox' Brown
During a random search, while in prison, I dream of having sex with Foxy Brown
Pass the mic like "Pass the peas like they used to say"
Pass the microphone like people used to pass food
Some M-er F-ers don't like how Sally walk
Some people don't like how women from California talk
I'll tell y'all fools it's hella cool how ladies from Cali talk
I think it's cool how women from California talk
Never let her interfere with the Yeti ghetto slang
Don't let someone from an unfamiliar place change the way you talk
Nicknames off nipple and tip of nipples metal fang
My nickname is a combination of 'nipple' and 'metal fang'
Known amongst hoes for the bang-bang
I am known amongst prostitutes for sexual encounters
Known amongst foes for flow with no talking orangutangs
I am known amongst my enemies for my rap skills and not being foolish
Only gin and Tang
I only drink gin and Tang juice
Guzzled out a rusty tin can
I drank the gin and Tang from a rusty can
Me and this mic is like yin and yang
The microphone and I work perfectly together
Clang! Crime don't pay, listen, youth
The sound effect 'clang' means crime does not pay and young people should listen
It's like me holding up the line at the kissing booth
It's like I'm holding up the line when I rap
I took her back to the truck, she was uncouth
I brought her back to my car and she was rude and unrefined
Spittin' all out the sunroof, through her missing tooth
She was spitting out of the sunroof of my car and her tooth was missing
But then she has a sexy voice, sound like Jazzy Joyce
Despite her appearance, she has a sexy voice like Jazzy Joyce
So I turned it up faster than a speeding knife
I turned up the volume very fast
Strong enough to please a wife
The volume is strong enough to impress a wife
Able to drop today's math in the 48 keys of life
I have the ability to teach life lessons through my music
Cut the crap far as rap
Let's get straight to the point with rap, no nonsense
Touch the mic, get the same thing a Arab will do to you for stealing
If you touch my microphone without permission, you'll get the same treatment as if you were caught stealing in Arab culture
What the devil? He's on another level
He's on another level, surpassing expectations
It's a word! No, a name! MF the super villain!
MF Doom is not just a word, it's a name that represents a super villain persona
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Dumile Thompson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Barersaturn287
unfortunately i discovered this amazing artist when he died...
RIP MF DOOM
@gangprucion6549
Same RIP lyric god
@GDMC07
pebbles the invisible girl gets the credit on the back of the album
@jaydonmanton5463
who is she coz spotify doesnt do her justice
@basedonme
@@jaydonmanton5463The one who made Boulder Music 🗣️🗣️🔥
@jaydonmanton5463
@@basedonme bro i was so confused when i saw that like wtf😂
@Itz2wice
@@basedonme no thats not her
@Cynsham
since the first time my friend showed me this song one lyric stuck in my head
What the devil, he's on another level! it's a word, no, a name. MF THE SUPERVILLAIN!
Rip DOOM man
@TafTabTah
Makes me sad to see so many not know of him until he passed
But at the same time I'm grateful for any knew fan of Doom
@TafTabTah
*new
I'm not sober