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".
Guinnesses
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Met a brother from the drill that gave my spine chills
All thirty three nerves
Controlling my curves
Common sense just swerved every time I got served
Stress, frustration, empty rhetoric
Cold as winter in Connecticut
Compassion lacking deficit
You not a soul-mate
More ways and actions of a primate
Who by low and census coming faker than extensions
Pissed away all good intentions
Outta here sister was missin'
Intuition
Maybe it was me
I couldn't see
Holdin' onto fantasy
Getting bitten by reality
War wound, purple heart, love veteran
Morphine, pain killers, drugs and medicine
Anything just to forget the hurt, incoming!
Take cover, hit the dirt
On the front-line, there's casualties in the mind
And the POW's get left behind
Mentally scarred for life, love is war
And some chicks are just too hard to wife
I shoulda deaded it from Genesis
Instead of hitting these Guinnesses
Now I'm free falling
Cursing at the street, bawling
He ceased calling
No appetite for feast darling
So deep, all in, I bet he never stop balling women
Forsake God for the scent of a man
Sacrifice a whole life for a slice, overstand?
Maybe it's a lack of pigment
Loneliness imagine figment
Only got the car tinted to pull extra G's in it
Damn Jody, comin with the okie doke, pokie poke
Steady rockin' boats, got me aimin' for ya throats
Sniper scope
Weren't we supposed to elope?
Propose then ya froze, I don't think that I can cope
War wound, purple heart, love veteran
Morphine, pain killers, drugs and medicine
Anything just to forget the hurt, incoming!
Take cover, hit the dirt
On the front-line, there's casualties in the mind
And the POW's get left behind
Mentally scarred for life, love is war
And some chicks are just too hard to wife
Constant frustration, stemming from a no win situation
Rushing lust and fornication
Adding to the complication
Patience is a virtue
Pain run deep when love desert you
Listenin' to whisperin'
Choosing chaos over discipline
Simpleton, life should really be a piece of intimance
Relationships strengthening
Flower essence: Penstemon
Gentlemen, my favorite shit, so I've never forsaken it
I persevere, make it fit, sculpting and reshaping it
Taking sips off a fifth of it
Passionate, intense
Incense candles lit, scandalous
Emotional bandages, why would he abandon this?
Guess he couldn't handle it, the boss is magnanimous
War wound, purple heart, love veteran
Morphine, pain killers, drugs and medicine
Anything just to forget the hurt, incoming!
Take cover, hit the dirt
On the front-line, there's casualties in the mind
And the POW's get left behind
Mentally scarred for life, love is war
And some chicks are just too hard to wife
The lyrics of MF DOOM's song Guinnesses describe the pain and frustration that comes with failed relationships. The song's verses paint a vivid picture of the emotional turmoil that comes with being in such situations. In the first verse, DOOM describes feeling stress and frustration every time he gets served, making him feel like common sense has swerved. He talks about feeling like love was sent from above, only to find out that the person he loved was faker than extensions, ultimately leading him to be bitten by reality. The war imagery used in the chorus further accentuates the mental toll love and relationships can take on one's psyche, with POWs of the mind getting left behind.
In the second verse, DOOM describes himself as a love veteran, using war metaphors to explain the pain he has experienced. He describes using morphine, painkillers, and drugs to forget the hurt, much like soldiers would use medicines to forget their injuries. DOOM talks about how physically and mentally scarred people can be after failed relationships, likening love to war. He then describes regretting the choices he made and how he should have ended things sooner. The final verse talks about the complications of love and relationships, the patience required, and the consequences of choosing chaos over discipline. The song ends with DOOM reflecting on the abandonment, magnanimousness, and scandalousness that come with such situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Sheitan never came so ill, he got skill
The singer met a skilled person who was not evil.
Met a brother from the drill that gave my spine chills
The person he met was impressive and gave him a feeling of awe.
All thirty three nerves
Referring to the nervous system.
Controlling my curves
Causing the person's body to move the way it does.
Common sense just swerved every time I got served
The artist lost common sense whenever someone served him.
Stress, frustration, empty rhetoric
The singer was experiencing stress and frustration as a result of meaningless speech.
Cold as winter in Connecticut
Referring to the coldness of the people in Connecticut.
Compassion lacking deficit
People were not compassionate as there was a lack of it.
Thought it was love like, sent from above
The person thought it was true love sent from a divine power.
You not a soul-mate
Referring to the fact that the person was not the true soulmate.
More ways and actions of a primate
The person's behavior was similar to that of a primate.
Who by low and census coming faker than extensions
The person was fake and came across as unauthentic.
Pissed away all good intentions
All the good intentions were wasted.
Outta here sister was missin'
The sister was not around.
Intuition
Following one's intuition.
Maybe it was me
The person questions whether it was their fault.
I couldn't see
The person was blind to the truth.
Holdin' onto fantasy
The person was holding onto a fantasy.
Getting bitten by reality
Eventually one is brought back to reality.
War wound, purple heart, love veteran
The person had been hurt in love before.
Morphine, pain killers, drugs and medicine
The person took drugs to escape from the pain of love.
Anything just to forget the hurt, incoming!
The person would do anything to forget the pain.
Take cover, hit the dirt
The person is trying to avoid love and its consequences.
On the front-line, there's casualties in the mind
The person is referring to the mental scars caused by love.
And the POW's get left behind
Some people never recover from the pain of love.
Mentally scarred for life, love is war
The person believes that love is like a war that leaves mental scars.
And some chicks are just too hard to wife
Some women are not meant to be wives.
I shoulda deaded it from Genesis
The person should have ended the relationship from the beginning.
Instead of hitting these Guinnesses
The person should have avoided alcohol and its consequence.
Now I'm free falling
The person is spiraling out of control.
Cursing at the street, bawling
The person is angry and upset in the street.
He ceased calling
The person they were interested in stopped calling them.
No appetite for feast darling
Not really interested in anything romantic anymore.
So deep, all in, I bet he never stop balling women
The person is suggesting that the other person is a womanizer.
Forsake God for the scent of a man
The person prioritizes lust over faith.
Sacrifice a whole life for a slice, overstand?
The person is questioning the validity of the sacrifices that we make for love.
Maybe it's a lack of pigment
The person is questioning what went wrong- the lack of something aesthetic.
Loneliness imagine figment
The idea/feeling of loneliness might not be real but imagined.
Only got the car tinted to pull extra G's in it
Getting their car tinted just to look cool and get attention.
Damn Jody, comin with the okie doke, pokie poke
The artist is using metaphorical language to describe being deceived.
Steady rockin' boats, got me aimin' for ya throats
The person made the other person angry- they want to physically hurt them.
Sniper scope
Referring to targeting someone from a distance.
Weren't we supposed to elope?
Referring to the fact that they were supposed to get married and run away together.
Propose then ya froze, I don't think that I can cope
The other person froze when proposed to, disappointing the artist who is struggling to handle everything.
Constant frustration, stemming from a no win situation
The artist is endlessly frustrated due to a no-winning situation.
Rushing lust and fornication
The urge to indulge in lust and promiscuity without considering the outcome.
Adding to the complication
These actions make the situation more complex.
Patience is a virtue
Having patience is an admirable trait.
Pain run deep when love desert you
The pain from lost love is profound.
Listenin' to whisperin'
The person is paying attention to whispers, in this case, rumors about their love interest or their own situation.
Choosing chaos over discipline
The singer is choosing chaos over order, making the situation more challenging.
Simpleton, life should really be a piece of intimance
The person is confused and thinks that things should be simpler.
Relationships strengthening
Referring to how relationships are supposed to build strength over time.
Flower essence: Penstemon
Referring to a specific type of flower essence, known to help with relationships.
Gentlemen, my favorite shit, so I've never forsaken it
The singer values good manners in a man above all else; something they refuse to compromise on.
I persevere, make it fit, sculpting and reshaping it
Referring to the artist's dedication to making things work in their relationship, changing themselves or their partner to make it happen.
Taking sips off a fifth of it
Drinking alcohol to cope with their current situation.
Passionate, intense
Referring to the type of relationship the artist wants.
Incense candles lit, scandalous
Setting a mood, but the situation is controversial or questionable.
Emotional bandages, why would he abandon this?
The artist is questioning why their partner left them, given how much effort they put into their relationship.
Guess he couldn't handle it, the boss is magnanimous
Referring to how the singer has come to terms with their partner leaving, implying that they are the bigger person in this situation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Dumile
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind