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".
Quite Buttery
MF DOOM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Congratulations to the Count and the
Countess on the new seed it's a blessin'
You're messin' with a real pro
The flow is a heel, the beat is a steel toe
Give 'em what they feel to put
They hands up real slow
Out in the streets this be
Knew he ‘bout to blow ever since hearing Beno
Villain known to flip scripts like Tarantino
MCs need Aveeno, OK the fun's over
One time, while I give the track a once over
Word, quite buttery
Number one answer, did I st-st-stutter, G?
It's all ugly, they found a new discovery
Brand new spankin' way to G off lovely
Not unlike off a high noon druggy
Who on the moon in the fly new dune buggy?
Bass D, is this thing on?
Any thing we do, never on no sing song
Always from the heart no matter
Who got no bling on dOOM keep it movin' back
And forth like ping-pong
It's so strong and linger on
Leave 'em itchy like the index
Finger the trigger on
Go on, get your swigga on
Before he bring the liquor out
Just make sure the nigga gone
In MF DOOM's song "Quite Buttery," the lyrics depict a celebration and recognition of the Count and the Countess on the birth of their child. The singer acknowledges their status as professionals in their craft, emphasizing the smoothness and skill in their delivery ("You're messin' with a real pro, The flow is a heel, the beat is a steel toe"). The audience is captivated by their performance, responding by raising their hands slowly, indicating their appreciation.
The lyrics also reference Cee-Lo, a notorious figure in the streets, implying that the singer's reputation and talent are on par with Cee-Lo's. The mention of Beno suggests that the singer knew he was destined for success upon hearing or witnessing something groundbreaking, much like the feeling when first encountering the works of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino.
The lyrics continue with the assertion that other rappers need Aveeno, a popular skincare brand, potentially hinting at their need for relief from the singer's lyrical prowess. The song maintains a gritty and raw flow without conforming to mainstream expectations, as highlighted by the line "Any thing we do, never on no sing song."
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long time, true indeed
It's been a significant amount of time, that's for sure
Congratulations to the Count and the Countess on the new seed it's a blessin'
Congratulations to the Count and the Countess on their new baby, it's a blessing
You're messin' with a real pro
You're dealing with a highly skilled individual
The flow is a heel, the beat is a steel toe
The flow is powerful, the beat is forceful
Give 'em what they feel to put
They hands up real slow
Deliver what they desire to make them raise their hands slowly
Out in the streets this be
The roll ass Cee-Lo
Out in the streets, this is the impressive Cee-Lo
Knew he ‘bout to blow ever since hearing Beno
Knew he was about to become successful since hearing Beno
Villain known to flip scripts like Tarantino
Villain known for changing scripts like Tarantino
MCs need Aveeno, OK the fun's over
Rappers need Aveeno for their skin, alright the fun is finished
One time, while I give the track a once over
One time, while I give the track a careful examination
Word, quite buttery
Indeed, very smooth and enjoyable
Number one answer, did I st-st-stutter, G?
Correct response, did I stutter, my friend?
It's all ugly, they found a new discovery
It's all unpleasant, they discovered something new
Brand new spankin' way to G off lovely
Brand new and exciting method to relax and enjoy
Not unlike off a high noon druggy
Similar to a person under the influence of drugs at high noon
Who on the moon in the fly new dune buggy?
Who is on the moon driving a cool new off-road vehicle?
Bass D, is this thing on?
Bass D, is this microphone working properly?
Any thing we do, never on no sing song
Anything we do is never about singing happily
Always from the heart no matter
Who got no bling on dOOM keep it movin' back
And forth like ping-pong
Always sincerely expressed regardless of lacking material possessions, MF DOOM keeps it moving back and forth like a ping-pong game
It's so strong and linger on
It's powerful and remains in one's memory
Leave 'em itchy like the index
Finger the trigger on
Leave them restless like scratching the trigger with the index finger
Go on, get your swigga on
Go ahead, drink and enjoy yourself
Before he bring the liquor out
Just make sure the nigga gone
Before he brings the alcohol, just make sure the person is no longer present
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Dumile Thompson, Dwight Farrell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind