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".
Hero v.s. Villain feat. E. Mason
MF Doom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And how did you manage to stop him?
Simple, I rearranged the circuits
Once he threw the switch
My ability to attack is faster than the cobra
Very helpful
And I will be certain, not to make the same mistakes as Doom
(Doom) What's the hero, who's the villain?
Dead or livin' (Doom), killed or killin'
Who the fuck should remain chillin'?
(Doom) Webster says, Wicked and evil but yo who's Webster?
Nihilation and outcast, equals freedom that's so fast
Culture in chains, that be the rolls villain plays
All these are just metaphors, they describe symbols in folklore
But who knows why it's like this?
Hero? Hit or old miss? Maybe it's all good
Really of God, but who should, determine the real
Evil, what's the deal?
Fools rush in, they don't know the Yin, from the Yang
And are ashamed to deviate, or act sane
From the norm, they are slaves, forced to conform
To really find your essence, take this as a lesson
Break away from the rest of them
Get from the form ending, like the villain in the song (Doom)
Find truth, who determines wrong
From right, without a fistfight
Different from day than from night (Operation Doomsday)
It's just a simple play on words
Delete all these punks ass herbs
Who's the hero, what's the villain?
The question still remains chillin'
Listen to the music, try very hard to use it
Open up and research, and that's the end of this verse (so like)
But y'all niggas keep y'all minds open out there
So like fuck you, fuck the newspaper, fuck all that shit man
I'm leavin' (good evening)
Yo, why you want to be leaving man?
Man don't worry about that sucker, yo man listen
Yo, I'm not gonna finish my piece man, not with this lady around man
Yo, what the fuck is this shit man?
I don't like that shit man
I don't want no fuckin pictures taken of my shit man
Yo, relax
Nah man, that shit is fucked up man, that shit can get us busted over here man
Relax man it's for the paper
Nah, nah I'm not gonna relax, I'm gettin' the fuck out of here
Look, we got a car, she's got a car parked right over there man
Let's get the fuck out of here then
Well come on let's go then
Doom wears body armor
To conceal his own mangled form, right? (Yeah)
So like fuck you
Do yourself a favor, do yourself, trust me you wouldn't believe it
The lyrics of MF DOOM's song "Hero v.s. Villain" address the age-old question of who is the hero and who is the villain. The song explores the complexity of the roles and how they are often interchangeable. The first verse describes the hero stopping Doom from destroying the world, but it is revealed that the hero did so by rearranging the circuits, suggesting that the line between hero and villain is thin, and it is determined by the actions of the parties involved. The chorus poses the question of who is the hero and who is the villain, and Webster's definition is presented, but it is ultimately left up to interpretation.
The second verse continues the exploration of the blurred lines between hero and villain, and how they are described through symbols and metaphors in folklore. DOOM suggests that it is tough to determine who is evil and who is good, and it is the role we play in society that determines this classification. He urges listeners to break away from conformity and find their essence to determine what is right and wrong. The song concludes with a conversation between two individuals who feel uncomfortable with the pictures being taken and want to leave to avoid being caught. This segment highlights the paranoia that exists in society and how we often see people through a lens of suspicion.
Line by Line Meaning
And that ended Doom's plans for world destruction
Doom's plans for world destruction were stopped
And how did you manage to stop him?
A question about how Doom was stopped
Simple, I rearranged the circuits
The method of how Doom was stopped
Once he threw the switch
The point at which the circuits were rearranged
My ability to attack is faster than the cobra
A statement about the artist's agility and ability to attack quickly
And I will be certain, not to make the same mistakes as Doom
An assurance that the singer will not replicate Doom's mistakes
What's the hero, who's the villain?
An inquiry into the concept of hero and villain
Dead or livin', killed or killin'
A contrast between those who are dead or alive, and those who have killed or are killing
Who the fuck should remain chillin'?
An assertion that the question of who is deserving of rest is complicated
Webster says, Wicked and evil but yo who's Webster?
A challenge of the authority of the term 'wicked and evil'
Nihilation and outcast, equals freedom that's so fast
The idea that destruction and exclusion can lead to freedom quickly
Culture in chains, that be the rolls villain plays
The role of the villain is to confine culture
All these are just metaphors, they describe symbols in folklore
The previous lines are meant to be understood symbolically through story and tradition
But who knows why it's like this?
An acknowledgment of the confusion about such symbolic references
Hero? Hit or old miss? Maybe it's all good
An uncertainty about the role of the hero and whether they always succeed
Really of God, but who should, determine the real
A suggestion that the role of the divine should determine what is 'real'
Evil, what's the deal?
A rhetorical question about the nature of evil
Fools rush in, they don't know the Yin, from the Yang
Those who act hastily do not understand balance
And are ashamed to deviate, or act sane
They are hesitant to think differently or act rationally
From the norm, they are slaves, forced to conform
Those who don't conform are viewed as slaves
To really find your essence, take this as a lesson
An instruction to discover oneself
Break away from the rest of them
One must separate themselves from the crowd
Get from the form ending, like the villain in the song (Doom)
One must escape from what is expected, like the villain in this song
Find truth, who determines wrong
The search for truth is paired with the question of what is 'wrong'
From right, without a fistfight
One should discover the truth without conflict
Different from day than from night (Operation Doomsday)
The contrast between lightness and darkness is emphasized
It's just a simple play on words
This is all just a simple linguistic trick
Delete all these punks ass herbs
An insult directed at a group of people
The question still remains chillin'
The initial question about hero and villain still has not been fully answered
Listen to the music, try very hard to use it
A suggestion to listen to the music and interpret it intensely
Open up and research, and that's the end of this verse (so like)
A suggestion to explore and that's all there is to this verse
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Daniel Dumile Thompson, E. Mason
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind