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".
Kookies
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One little evening alone, home
End up with carpal tunnel syndrome
And here I am, known for giving heavy back aches
Grown and living off of Little Debbie snack cakes
Supposed to be checking e-mails
All I got is messages from ass naked females
And that's the last time I saw her
But thousands of more horrors on online Gomorrah
And Sodom
They got 'em with they curls out
And they got a better sales pitch than the Girl Scouts
I wonder what I owe her
For a whole box of caramel coconut Samoa
Uh, ok honey, sweet dreams! Now it's time to get serious like Peek Freans
A metal hand full, wipe it on the quilt
Wife wake up and I'm kill't over spilt milk
Locked in, looking at your picture
Fully clothed winter and I right there wit cha
Thinking about the last time I split your wishbone
A man could only wish you could do the same 'til he get home
Fat chance
At least he get snacks
That will have to do 'til a brother get back
Until then, smack One-Eyed Jack
And hope one of his peoples can hook him with a tri-pack
That's three different flavors
Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry wafers
Acting all hard, 'bout to get beat up
I'll show him what time it is once I get this sheet up
Soon as he fell off the beat down, all I hear is
"Thirteenth cell get the sheet down!"
Damn C.O.
What the hell do she know
Besides the fact she wanna get dug out on the d-low
A workaholic with a fountain in the ink pen
Out in the mountains and I stopped drinking again
In the wee hours he's gotten farther
Needing three showers, being hot and bothered
The whiz with her legs bent, pregnant
God bless the day she wondered where her egg went
I need a L, it's hard to drink without it
And could use some cookies but trying not to think about it
Watching "BET" on jazz for knowledge on file
Every other commercial, college hoes gone wild
Soft batch, I prefer the other bunch, like we got for lunch
Chocolate fudge butter crunch
He don't mess with the Ritz Bits, Wheat Thins, Saltines, or Triscuits
Matzos, or Cheez-Its
Catch sugar fits every time that he sees
Chips Ahoy, double chocolate chunk
Something with the bubble and the junk in the trunk
Even the Oreos
No matter what weather
Always kept 'em dipped in milk and stuck together
In the game he's shameless, even uses a code name Famous Amos
It's cheaper than a short stay at the day's inn and good like 25 cent oatmeal raisin
Give a hand to who invented the camera
Skip past the graham animals and grandmas
Shh, make sure she don't wake from her dream chill
Or get caught with a handful of cream fill
"Oh, honey! What are you doing? That's so nasty!"
It might seem ill
"Ew! Go wash your hands!"
Cookies
The lyrics to MF DOOM's "Kookies" describe a night alone at home that gets consumed by endless hours on the internet. The rapper starts off with complaining about aching hands from checking e-mails, but ends up getting lost in online Gomorrah and Sodom, two references to biblical cities associated with sexual immorality. The song then segues into a series of humorous and insightful observations about human desire, specifically related to snacks and sweets, and their relationship with addiction. In the final verse, he is caught by his wife enjoying a cookie in bed, prompting her to scold him like a child.
The song mocks our cultural obsession with instant gratification, which is often fueled by the internet and social media. MF DOOM portrays himself as a character who is completely consumed by his online activities, to the point where he neglects his work and relationships. Through metaphorical references of Little Debbie snack cakes and Girl Scouts, he criticizes our tendency to satisfy our cravings with cheap and artificial substitutes, rather than striving for something more substantial and fulfilling. His humorous and sarcastic tone is punctuated by his unique flow and beat, which mixes old-school jazz with modern electronic sound designs.
Line by Line Meaning
It's horrible
MF DOOM expresses his disgust at the situation he finds himself in
One little evening alone, home
MF DOOM is alone at home for the evening
End up with carpal tunnel syndrome
MF DOOM has been masturbating and now has wrist pain from carpal tunnel syndrome
And here I am, known for giving heavy back aches
MF DOOM is known for his sexual prowess, which sometimes causes his partner to experience back pain
Grown and living off of Little Debbie snack cakes
MF DOOM is living off of unhealthy snack foods like Little Debbie cakes
Supposed to be checking e-mails
MF DOOM was supposed to be checking his email but got sidetracked
All I got is messages from ass naked females
MF DOOM has received sexual messages from women in various states of undress
I don't know a Jenny, she said it's free and I won't owe her a penny
MF DOOM received a message from a woman named Jenny offering a free sexual service
And that's the last time I saw her
MF DOOM had a sexual encounter with Jenny but hasn't seen her since
But thousands of more horrors on online Gomorrah
MF DOOM is referring to the immoral activities and content found on the internet
And Sodom
MF DOOM is referencing the biblical city of Sodom, which was destroyed due to its wickedness
They got 'em with they curls out
MF DOOM is referring to men who have sexual encounters with other men and have their hair in curls
And they got a better sales pitch than the Girl Scouts
MF DOOM is making a joke about how men who solicit sex from other men have a better sales pitch than the Girl Scouts (who sell cookies)
I wonder what I owe her
MF DOOM is wondering what he owes Jenny for her sexual services
For a whole box of caramel coconut Samoa
MF DOOM compares Jenny's sexual services to a box of Girl Scout cookies
Uh, ok honey, sweet dreams! Now it's time to get serious like Peek Freans
MF DOOM is finishing his sexual encounter and is now going to focus on more serious matters
A metal hand full, wipe it on the quilt
MF DOOM is wiping his hand on a quilt after masturbating
Wife wake up and I'm kill't over spilt milk
MF DOOM's wife wakes up and catches him masturbating, causing him embarrassment
Locked in, looking at your picture
MF DOOM is looking at a picture of his love interest
Fully clothed winter and I right there wit cha
MF DOOM is fantasizing about spending the winter with his love interest
Thinking about the last time I split your wishbone
MF DOOM is thinking about the last time he had sexual intercourse with his love interest
A man could only wish you could do the same 'til he get home
MF DOOM is longing for his love interest to have sexual desires for him while he's away
Fat chance
MF DOOM is acknowledging that his wish is unlikely to come true
At least he get snacks
MF DOOM is consoling himself by eating snacks
That will have to do 'til a brother get back
MF DOOM will have to make do with snacks until he can have sex with his love interest again
Until then, smack One-Eyed Jack
MF DOOM is referring to a fictional character as he vents his frustration
And hope one of his peoples can hook him with a tri-pack
MF DOOM hopes someone can provide him with a variety of snack flavors
That's three different flavors
MF DOOM is specifying that he wants three different flavors of snacks
Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry wafers
MF DOOM lists the specific flavors of snacks he desires
Acting all hard, 'bout to get beat up
MF DOOM is criticizing someone for acting tough
I'll show him what time it is once I get this sheet up
MF DOOM is threatening to teach the tough guy a lesson
Soon as he fell off the beat down, all I hear is
After MF DOOM has beaten up the tough guy, he hears someone calling for a sheet
"Thirteenth cell get the sheet down!"
MF DOOM is referencing a prison cell and someone calling for a sheet
Damn C.O.
MF DOOM is cursing a police officer
What the hell do she know
MF DOOM is questioning the police officer's knowledge or authority
Besides the fact she wanna get dug out on the d-low
MF DOOM is suggesting that the police officer wants to have a sexual encounter with someone secretly
A workaholic with a fountain in the ink pen
MF DOOM is describing himself as a prolific writer
Out in the mountains and I stopped drinking again
MF DOOM has stopped drinking alcohol, presumably to focus on his writing
In the wee hours he's gotten farther
MF DOOM has been writing for a long time and has made progress
Needing three showers, being hot and bothered
MF DOOM has been writing for so long that he's sweaty and turned on
The whiz with her legs bent, pregnant
MF DOOM is describing a pregnant woman urinating with her legs bent
God bless the day she wondered where her egg went
MF DOOM is expressing gratitude for the day the pregnant woman became pregnant
I need a L, it's hard to drink without it
MF DOOM needs a cigarette (often referred to as an L) in order to enjoy drinking
And could use some cookies but trying not to think about it
MF DOOM wants cookies but is trying to resist the urge to eat them
Watching "BET" on jazz for knowledge on file
MF DOOM is watching BET (Black Entertainment Television) to gain knowledge about jazz music
Every other commercial, college hoes gone wild
MF DOOM is commenting on the number of commercials for adult films featuring college-aged women
Soft batch, I prefer the other bunch, like we got for lunch
MF DOOM prefers a specific type of cookie and compares them to ones he ate for lunch
Chocolate fudge butter crunch
MF DOOM is describing the specific type of cookie he prefers
He don't mess with the Ritz Bits, Wheat Thins, Saltines, or Triscuits
MF DOOM doesn't like certain types of crackers
Matzos, or Cheez-Its
MF DOOM lists more types of crackers he doesn't like
Catch sugar fits every time that he sees
MF DOOM craves sugary snacks when he sees them
Chips Ahoy, double chocolate chunk
MF DOOM is describing another specific type of cookie he likes
Something with the bubble and the junk in the trunk
MF DOOM is referring to the texture of the cookie
Even the Oreos
MF DOOM likes even the most popular type of cookie
No matter what weather
MF DOOM likes Oreos regardless of the weather or season
Always kept 'em dipped in milk and stuck together
MF DOOM likes to dip his Oreos in milk and eat them when they're stuck together
In the game he's shameless, even uses a code name Famous Amos
MF DOOM is referencing the Famous Amos cookie brand and how he has no shame when it comes to eating cookies
It's cheaper than a short stay at the day's inn and good like 25 cent oatmeal raisin
MF DOOM describes the low cost and quality of cookies compared to staying at a hotel
Give a hand to who invented the camera
MF DOOM acknowledges and thanks the inventor of the camera
Skip past the graham animals and grandmas
MF DOOM doesn't like certain types of cookies shaped like animal crackers or given to him by grandmothers
Shh, make sure she don't wake from her dream chill
MF DOOM is attempting to be quiet so he doesn't wake up someone who is asleep and having a good dream
Or get caught with a handful of cream fill
MF DOOM is referencing the cream filling inside certain cookies and how he doesn't want to get caught with it
"Oh, honey! What are you doing? That's so nasty!"
MF DOOM is imagining someone catching him with his hand in the cookie jar
It might seem ill
MF DOOM knows that indulging in snacks and sexual activities to excess could be considered unhealthy
"Ew! Go wash your hands!"
MF DOOM is imagining someone telling him to clean up after indulging in self-pleasure and snacks
Cookies
MF DOOM loves cookies and references them repeatedly throughout the song
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Thompson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind