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".
Microwave Mayo
MF Doom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get back on his feet, work out and eat some Wheaties
Greedy for the cheese, please, most couldn't fathom
Had him in the cobra clutch, when he spat the mad hymn
Gems, collection of brrrats Timbs and hats
Had no time for the pitty-pat, I'll give him that
The rhythm hit him back with a right hook
Shook it off, caught a shiner, thought it was an aight look
The end of days fades, pretenders lay
In dazes on stages, DOO-Malaise
Eat it up, microphone, microwave mayonnaise
His own way was strange but it matters not
Tuned into a frequency tone that shattered rock
Hold it down like Shatner do Spock
Rapper jocks need to put a sock in they chatterbox
The block got light of Vioxx stock
Folks gather round, it's no joke like "Knock, knock"
It's them, they came home to roost y'all
And watch 'em transform the game to the rules of foosball
She's too small, any questions?
Him could squeeze blood from a penny in the recession
Keep guessing, it gets deeper than depression
The power of suggestion wake a sleeper, peep the lesson
Dig that beat
Ripped it with Metal Fingers and stomped it with big fat feet
And you know what they say, cut the hay
Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated, but today
It's all grey, metallic with a ruby stone
Rude like the type of dude you could write a movie on
Hardcore porn, did his own stunts
Writ his own rhymes and split his own blunts
Once, in a while, every other minute
Eyes pop out, Popeye, heavy on the spinach
Steady on his business and ready with a ill pitch
Keeps a bad bilznitch like Denny Kucinilznich
No hitch, just a shit-load of spit and sneeze
Strictly G stacking up off a rack of hidden fees
Rap is like the gay club strip tease
With hippies on the yip saying, "Hey bub, grip these"
They screaming for attention
Beaming at the mention of a scary demon convention
You could cut the tension with a switchblade
And serve it on the same plate of hors d'oeuvres a witch made
Filleted, persuaded the chambermaid
To bet her paycheck on a get-naked game of spades
Straight up, no chaser, no layaways
Caution, faint taste of microwave mayonnaise
DOOM has taken over every continent
The lyrics to MF DOOM's Microwave Mayo describe the unique persona and style of the rapper. The first stanza speaks to his work ethic and love for money, calling him "greedy for the cheese" and highlighting his ability to seamlessly flow between different rhythmic patterns. The second stanza delves deeper into his unique style, referencing his propensity for strange behavior and off-beat rhymes, comparing it to a frequency tone that can shatter rock. The third stanza explores his ability to maintain his level of proficiency, constantly honing his craft and staying focused on his goals. Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of an enigmatic and talented rapper who operates on his own terms.
The use of "Microwave Mayo" in the chorus is an excellent example of DOOM's irreverent style. The song's title doesn't have any obvious relationship to the lyrics, but it creates a memorable hook that brings the listener back to the central theme of the song: the MC's unique identity. DOOM's ability to weave disparate elements together in his lyrics is an essential part of his style, and it's part of what makes his music so compelling to fans.
One interesting aspect of Microwave Mayo is DOOM's use of wordplay throughout the song. He weaves together different meanings for words, creating a dense tapestry of imagery and meaning that rewards repeat listens. The final line of the chorus, "Taste of microwave mayonnaise," is a great example of this. The words seem completely disconnected from anything that's come before, but they create a vivid and memorable image that lingers long after the song has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Chain smokin' beedies 'til his brain's broken completely
He smokes a lot of beedies until his brain is completely fried.
Get back on his feet, work out and eat some Wheaties
He gets back on his feet and works out after doing a lot of drugs. He also eats healthy food to feel better.
Greedy for the cheese, please, most couldn't fathom
He's very greedy for money, which most people couldn't understand.
Had 'em in the cobra clutch, when he spat the mad hymn gems
He had his audience hooked with his great music and rhymes.
Collection of brats, timbs and hats
He has a collection of kids, boots, and hats.
Had no time for the pitty pat, I'll give 'em that
He's not interested in small talk or playing around, it's all business for him.
The rhythm hit em back with a right hook
His music was powerful and had a strong impact.
Shook it off, quarter shiner, thought it was a aight look
He wasn't affected by the negative reactions of others and remained confident.
Depends on the shades, the end of days fades
The end of the world will vary depending on perspective.
Pretenders lay in dazes on stages
Fake people are struggling to keep up with him.
Doom malaise
He's feeling a little down.
Eat it up, microphone, microwave mayonnaise
He's going to do some amazing things with the microphone and his rhymes.
His own way was strange but it matters not
He doesn't care what people think of him, he follows his own path.
Tuned into a frequency tone that shattered rock
His music was so powerful that it had an impact on the world.
Hold it down like Shatner do Spock
He kept everything under control, like William Shatner's character did with Spock.
Rapper jocks, need to put a sock in they chatter box
Other rappers need to stop talking so much and start making better music.
The block got lied to VIAC stock
People in his neighborhood were deceived about a certain stock.
Folks gather round it's no joke like knock knock
People are paying attention to him because he's serious, not because he's joking around.
It's them, they came home to roost ya'll
He and his crew are back and they're the ones in charge.
And watch em transform the game to the rules of foosball
They're going to change the game, just like the rules of foosball can change.
She's too small. Any questions?
The game isn't going to be able to keep up with them. Do people need more explanation than that?
Him could squeeze blood from a penny in a recession
He's good at making money, even in tough times.
Keep guessin'
He's not going to tell you everything, so people need to keep guessing.
It gets deeper than depression
Things get really serious and depressing.
The power of suggestion awake or sleep, peep the lesson
He has the power to influence people, even when they're sleeping.
Dig that beat
He really likes the beat he's hearing.
Ripped it with metal fingers and stomped it with big fat feet
He made the beat even better with his amazing rhymes and delivery.
And you know what they say: cut the hay
Some things need to be dealt with quickly.
Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated, but today it's all grey
There's no point in resisting, things are going to change no matter what, but today everything is unclear.
Metallic wood or ruby stone
There are different types of materials in the world.
Rude like the type of dude you could write a movie on
He's so bad that they could make a movie about him.
Hardcore porn, did his own stunts
Some of the things he's done are like doing stunts in a porn movie.
Read his own rhymes, and split his own blunts
He writes his own rhymes, and rolls his own joints.
Once, in a while, every other minute
He gets high a lot.
Eyes pop out, Popeye, heavy on the spinach
He gets really high and his eyes pop out like Popeye's after eating spinach.
Steady on his business, and ready with a ill pitch
He's always focused and has great ideas for his work.
Keep some bad bills niche like Denny Wills & Mill snitch
He has some bad bills on him, just like a guy named Denny Wills and a snitch named Mill.
No hitch, just a shitload of spit and sneeze
He doesn't have any problems -- just a lot of rhymes and creativity.
Strictly G's stackin up, off the rack the hidden fees
He is only working with gangsters and stacking his money, while also facing hidden fees.
Rappers like the gay club strip tease
Other rappers are like strippers in a gay club.
With hippies on the yip sayin 'hey bub grip these'
Hippies are offering him something to try.
They screamin' for attention
People are trying to get his attention.
Deemin' at the mention of a scary demon convention
People are scared of him and his crew.
You could cut the tension wit a switchblade
The tension is very high and could be cut with a switchblade.
And serve it on a same plate of hors d'oeuvres a witch made
He could make something out of the tense situation, like a witch making hors d'oeuvres.
Filleted, persuaded the chamber maid
He convinced someone to do something for him.
To bet her paycheck on a get naked game of spades
She bet her whole paycheck on a game of spades where the loser has to get naked.
Straight up, no chaser, no layaways
He's very straightforward and doesn't sugarcoat anything. No layaways -- everything is paid for upfront.
Coursin' fate, taste of microwave mayonnaise
He's taking chances with his life and career, but he's willing to take the risk.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jake Dutton, Daniel Thompson Dumile, Rob Mandell, Robert Mandell, Jacob Dutton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind