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".
Anti-Gravity
MF Doom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The same corner that smells of St ides
Simply staying alive
We see the world through the same eyes
The daily question’s what we got
Have or have not
If you ain’t out to get mines
Then I’m out to get ours use no
Used to be power, quick with a fist
Now who cowers? See po-po every
Hour they know the spot
Like, "Who doesn’t?" Over my
Block, steady buzzing, and I know that
They know who runs it but they ain’t
There when the guns lift well, let me
Pack a steel weapon in leather
Coat when I’m stepping, and I get
Frisked down, patted
Slapped with fake charges and questioned
We’re here to live, we forget it
So all my kid beef got deaded i got no time
For who said it
Drive-by with TECs and jetted
Never been caught or arrested
So God-blessed plus repented
When evil thoughts was invented
Return to sender with vengeance in every
Ghetto and jungle, they keep
The wisdom that humbles, so Shaitan
May make me stumble
My foundation can’t crumble we ain’t
Racist but we ain’t-gravity
‘Cause these streets can’t hold
Me down, I’m carefree, and if
You ain’t trying to win, then it must be me
And there’s no place I’d rather be
Yeah, no limit edition
Life under condition, let it
Escape by morning shots, rhymes
Have risen our right to blossom
Charge the harvest I plot, accounts
Be dysentery, none of them
Ill ideologies sterile, don’t give
A care of how you bust it down
Or how you made your bail kemetic in origin
Thus highly advanced my psyche
Every direction, record label rap
Wrap more flavors than Nike so many
Different dues in this
I got a refund coming in
Flashing godbody members resembling powers
By birthright
Meticulous flows maintaining and kept
The verse tight, representing
Two-thousand bare-knuckle flavors taste mine
Animating air molecules through sounds
Like a bassline record labels waste time eye
Industrial, rocking Casbah, spitting
Plasma, verbally giving microphones asthma
Lyrical jabbing ya
Pugilistical rhyme cannibal swinging
A one-two piece
Cracking both of your mandibles we ain’t
Racist but we ain’t-gravity
‘Cause these streets can’t hold
Me down, I’m carefree, and if
You ain’t trying to win, then it must be me
And there’s no place I’d rather be
First, they be making excuses
Holding the knot to our nooses numb from our
Gins and our juices, proud to be
Wild like a deuce is, though inside
We be crying, weakness
Screw-facing and eyeing, staring at fear
At least trying, stereotypes multiplying
Creating
Surround-sound, sheep-cloning unleashed on
Every downtown
Uppercuts in the budget keep us
KO’d and knocked down
But still alive like our hopes and never
Drop like the soap ‘cause every
Champ had to struggle to get
Up off of these ropes
Give me a challenge, combo left-right
Balance keep him on his toes with flows
Erupt violent
Volcano hot-molten, twenty-four karat golden
With different techniques passed
Down from the
Olden days and times take a hit, they not
Fazing mines he came with
These most amazing rhymes
Look like he got hit by a razorback see
This is no
Player’s trade like playing freeze tag
Stuck with a razorblade we ain’t
Racist but we ain’t-gravity
‘Cause these streets can’t hold
Me down, I’m carefree, and if
You ain’t trying to win, then it must be me
And there’s no place I’d rather be
In MF DOOM's song Anti-Gravity, the lyrics address the daily struggles faced by Black Americans living in poverty, dealing with police brutality, and trying to survive. MF DOOM goes on to describe how the system is rigged against them, referring to the "daily question" being about having or not having, and how the police are always present in the streets, "over my block, steady buzzing." Despite this oppression, he refuses to be held down by it, saying "these streets can't hold me down" and that he is "carefree." He does acknowledge the struggles that come with it, such as "weakness" and "fear" and references the stereotype of being "wild like a deuce" but ultimately, standing up and fighting back.
The lyrics in Anti-Gravity are a commentary on the state of society and how Black Americans are marginalized by it. He speaks on the challenges that they face at every turn, describing how the police are always present, but only as an oppressor, and not to protect and serve. He also highlights the effects of poverty and how it creates a narrative of "have" and "have nots," a system that only benefits those in power. Despite this, MF DOOM makes it clear that he will not be held down by these systemic barriers and that he's free to live his life without fear.
One interesting fact about Anti-Gravity is that it's one of many songs that MF DOOM has produced under different monikers. In this particular case, he performs under the name King Geedorah. Another interesting fact is that the song has a distinct sci-fi feel to it, not least because of the name King Geedorah, which is a reference to a monster in a Japanese film. MF DOOM has described himself as a fan of sci-fi and often incorporates elements of the genre into his music. Additionally, Anti-Gravity features a sample from the film, They Live, which MF DOOM uses to emphasize the oppression felt by Black Americans.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day, we walk the same street
We lead our lives in a repetitive manner with no novelty.
The same corner that smells of St ides
The area is characterized by blatant poverty.
Simply staying alive
Survival is the main objective in this oppressive environment.
We see the world through the same eyes
We share a collective sense of despair that taints our perception of the world.
The daily question’s what we got
We must constantly question what we have and what is taken from us.
Have or have not
Everything is a question of access and possession in this scenario.
If you ain’t out to get mines
If you are not seeking your own interests, I will compete for our collective interests.
Then I’m out to get ours use no
I will use any means to seize opportunities and resources.
Excuse to be sour black people
There is a pervasive sense of bitterness and resentment among black people due to their oppression.
Used to be power, quick with a fist
Black people were once formidable and assertive, but in their current context, they are reduced to vulnerability.
Now who cowers?
Black people are now forced to fear their oppressors (police) and the general situation they are in.
See po-po every Hour they know the spot
The police are always present in this environment and know the area well.
Like, "Who doesn’t?" Over my Block, steady buzzing, and I know that
The police presence is expected and constant, everyone is aware of it.
They know who runs it but they ain’t There when the guns lift
Police presence is ostensibly to prevent violence, but when violence breaks out, their presence is not so helpful.
Well, let me Pack a steel weapon in leather
To ensure personal safety, one must arm oneself.
Coat when I’m stepping, and I get Frisked
Despite being armed, people in this environment are still harassed and victimized by the police.
Down, patted Slapped with fake charges and questioned
Police are not just harassing, but also making false accusations against people.
We’re here to live, we forget it
The harshness of the environment leads to people forget their purpose in life.
So all my kid beef got deaded i got no time
The struggles of life leave little to no time to waste on petty conflicts.
For who said it Drive-by with TECs and jetted Never been caught or arrested So God-blessed plus repented
People resort to violence as a means of survival, but avoid getting caught and repent their actions.
When evil thoughts was invented Return to sender with vengeance in every
The harshness of the environment encourages violent responses to evil deeds.
Ghetto and jungle, they keep The wisdom that humbles, so Shaitan May make me stumble
The adversity of the environment molds people into having a deep sense of humility, but this also makes them vulnerable to temptation.
My foundation can’t crumble we ain’t Racist but we ain’t-gravity
The community may be vulnerable, but they are resilient to collapse. They do not discriminate, but they do not conform to society's norms either.
'Cause these streets can’t hold Me down, I’m carefree and if You ain’t trying to win, then it must be me And there’s no place I’d rather be
Despite the harsh environment, people are still persevering with a carefree attitude, competing for meager resources.
Life under condition, let it Escape by morning shots, rhymes Have risen our right to blossom Charge the harvest I plot
Art and creativity serve as a means of escape and liberation in such an oppressive environment.
Accounts Be dysentery, none of them Ill ideologies sterile, don’t give A care of how you bust it down Or how you made your bail kemetic in origin
The system is corrupt and illness is rampant. The ideologies are empty of substance, but despite this, people remain steadfast to their culture.
Thus highly advanced my psyche Every direction, record label rap Wrap more flavors than Nike so many Different dues in this I got a refund coming in
Despite the odds, people in this community are highly creative and skilled. Art is their means of protest and expression, even if they are rejected from mainstream platforms.
Flashing godbody members resembling powers By birthright Meticulous flows maintaining and kept The verse tight, representing Two-thousand bare-knuckle flavors taste mine
The Afrocentric spirituality of the community is unfazed by oppression and they take pride in their talent and skills.
Animating air molecules through sounds Like a bassline record labels waste time eye Industrial, rocking Casbah, spitting Plasma, verbally giving microphones asthma Lyrical jabbing ya Pugilistical rhyme cannibal swinging A one-two piece Cracking both of your mandibles
Despite being rejected by the record label industry, the talent and creativity of the community cannot be contained. Their lyrics are sharp and cutting, leaving no room for dissent.
We ain’t First, they be making excuses Holding the knot to our nooses numb from our Gins and our juices, proud to be Wild like a deuce is, though inside We be crying, weakness Screw-facing and eyeing, staring at fear At least trying, stereotypes multiplying Creating Surround-sound, sheep-cloning unleashed on Every downtown Uppercuts in the budget keep us KO’d and knocked down But still alive like our hopes and never Drop like the soap
The community has endured experiences of oppression, stereotypes, and violence but they remain defiant. Although they are physically weak, they are not defeated in spirit.
‘Cause every Champ had to struggle to get Up off of these ropes Give me a challenge, combo left-right Balance keep him on his toes with flows Erupt violent
The adversity makes the community more resilient and their artistic talents sharper. The harshness of the environment hones their skills, resulting in truly formidable talent.
Volcano hot-molten, twenty-four karat golden With different techniques passed Down from the Olden days and times take a hit, they not Fazing mines he came with These most amazing rhymes Look like he got hit by a razorback
Despite being rejected by the mainstream, the talent of the community is pure and valuable.
See This is no Player’s trade like playing freeze tag Stuck with a razorblade we ain’t
The stakes are much higher for this community. It is not a game, it is life and death.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@beerus7697
Give me a challenge, combo, left, right, balance, keep him on his toes with flows that rub violent... RIP MF DOOM
@soulintent777
Nice find, this track changed my life. M.I.C FOREVER SHININ
@wearfannypacks
i can't have enough of this
@CrushinSatelites
This shit is beautiful
@gcubedfwp
fuck this is so good
@jetjaguar5200
Damn Tommy Gunn would have been so great on this.
@viktorvondoom9119
Hey does anyone have the song "New Beginning" by MF DOOM and Scott Free? It's form the same album as this. The current video on YouTube is blocked for my country
@azrael80304
Use Nola VPN on your phone and it will change the country you are viewing from and you can watch any video that is blocked in the US ;)
@squelchyman
Just uploaded it onto my channel if you're still interested
@viktorvondoom9119
@Squelchy Man My man