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".
The M.I.C.
MF Doom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Growin in stronger and stronger (The mic)
Why don't we do it (The mic)
I was in a case out of state
She was thirteen and good we had a hotter date
It was just a number she never told she was knocked up
By the end of the summer chick almost had me locked up
We bounce to the yeti and I'm ready to rock
With no attachments feelin a little loose
Blowin up in every spot we had a little juice
Probably the dime on the Afghani ?
We played the stage standin by the speaker and suddenly
Who tapped me I'm bout to get real ill
Already ripped the whole club with metal face's steel wheel (The mic)
What a sweet surprise her with the fly eyes
And fine she pulled me to the sidelines
The mystery shot up with strong words
She was an intelligent wisdom and a song bird
I met her last week at the same place
She stepped to me the same way at a no shame pace
I'm off guard her game had me choked up
Checkin me play testin me (The mic) till I spoked up
Seven whole days and nights and not a word from you (Not a word)
I was worried I thought I woulda heard from
Stranger you know I never get enough of you
How you be comin through (The mic)
Myself and two a alikes had ran through this crew of three
In my earlier days they showed me things new to me
So we knew mad brothers who they had hit off
They even used to watch each other just to rock they shit off
When slovenly two smile and I'm scopin her
Switchin off three times a night made them more opener
So you could love Allah or leave him the hell alone
Message from my god father aside a gold telephone
Many of my men went up in smoke
While trickin with these chickens I ended up broke
You find out who's ya mans when you broke
Like a bad joke it's funny when you on you got mad folk
I played the middle man in every little scam
Some as complex as a hip hop album riddle jam
I find it's quite intriguing as I think about rappers
Walk upon me speaking with stinkin mouth (About what?)
About this and that from sneakers to hats to gats
Freak chicks with the cooty cat raps
And it's that ?
I'm at a black tie affair with a diva with the fatty fat
I play the back steady on the humble
But be right up front when we get ready to rumble
I gave her breath control ask her who she learned off
Coulda took her back to the crib somehow was turned off
Me and you was overdue
From gettin together baby
I always knew our love was meant to be (The Mic)
Feel the magnetism (The Mic) between us (The Mic)
Growing stronger and stronger (The Mic)
Why don't we do it
(The mic)
In MF DOOM's song "The M.I.C.," he uses the symbol of the microphone (The Mic) as a representation of the magnetism between two people. He begins by telling a story about a young girl he was involved with as a teenager, but while their relationship started out hot, it quickly fizzled out. He then transitions to talking about his encounters with various women throughout his life, both in the hip hop industry and in his personal life. Finally, he brings it back around to The Mic, using it as a metaphor for the strong connection he feels to the woman he's addressing in the song.
The lyrics are complex and multifaceted, showcasing DOOM's thoughtful storytelling and expert wordplay. He switches between past and present tense, switching up the pacing to keep the listener engaged. The way he weaves together different stories and metaphors is truly masterful, creating a rich and evocative picture of his experiences as a rapper and a lover.
Overall, "The M.I.C." is a deeply introspective and engaging song that showcases DOOM's skill as a lyricist and storyteller. By using The Mic as a symbol of connection, he's able to paint a picture of his various experiences and the ways in which he's been drawn to different people throughout his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel the magnetism between us (The mic)
Sensing the strong connection between the rapper and the microphone.
Growing stronger and stronger (The mic)
The rapper's bond with the microphone becoming more intense with each passing moment.
Why don't we do it (The mic)
Asking why the rapper and the microphone haven't joined forces yet to create great music.
I was in a case out of state
The rapper was involved in a legal situation in a different location.
She was thirteen and good we had a hotter date
The rapper had sexual relations with someone who was underage and lied about their age.
It was just a number she never told she was knocked up
The underage girl became pregnant and didn't inform the rapper.
By the end of the summer chick almost had me locked up
The girl almost got the rapper in trouble with the law due to their relationship and age difference.
My aunt came and got and steadied the block
The rapper's aunt came to help him out and stabilize the situation.
We bounce to the yeti and I'm ready to rock
The rapper and his aunt went to a venue and he was prepared to give a performance.
With no attachments feelin a little loose
The rapper was unattached and feeling carefree.
Blowin up in every spot we had a little juice
The rapper was getting famous and gaining popularity in many locations.
We played the stage standin by the speaker and suddenly
The rapper was performing on stage, next to the artists when something unexpected happened.
Who tapped me I'm bout to get real ill
Someone touched the rapper and he was about to get angry.
Already ripped the whole club with metal face's steel wheel (The mic)
The rapper had already given an amazing performance, utilizing his microphone skillfully.
What a sweet surprise her with the fly eyes
The rapper was thrilled to see an attractive woman with captivating eyes.
And fine she pulled me to the sidelines
The woman took the rapper aside.
The mystery shot up with strong words
The woman began speaking cryptically with forceful language.
She was an intelligent wisdom and a song bird
The woman was smart and talented, with a beautiful voice.
I met her last week at the same place
The rapper had previously met this woman at the same location.
She stepped to me the same way at a no shame pace
The woman approached the rapper with the same boldness as before.
I'm off guard her game had me choked up
The rapper was caught off guard by the woman's advances and was left speechless.
Checkin me play testin me (The mic) till I spoked up
The woman was observing the rapper's musical abilities, testing them until he spoke up.
Seven whole days and nights and not a word from you (Not a word)
The rapper went an entire week without hearing from a certain person.
I was worried I thought I woulda heard from
The rapper was concerned and expected to hear from this person.
Stranger you know I never get enough of you
The rapper expressed that he enjoyed spending time with this stranger.
How you be comin through (The mic)
Asking how this stranger always seems to come through in a meaningful way, like a microphone.
Myself and two a alikes had ran through this crew of three
The rapper and two of his friends had sexual relations with three women.
In my earlier days they showed me things new to me
The rapper learned new things from these women when he was younger.
So we knew mad brothers who they had hit off
The women had also been with other men who the rapper and his friends knew.
They even used to watch each other just to rock they shit off
The couples would watch each other have sex for pleasure.
When slovenly two smile and I'm scopin her
The rapper noticed a woman who was smiling in a flirtatious manner.
Switchin off three times a night made them more opener
Having sex three times in one night made the couples more open to trying new things.
So you could love Allah or leave him the hell alone
The rapper was expressing that a person could either worship Allah or not, but should not pretend to in order to fit in.
Message from my god father aside a gold telephone
The rapper received a message from his godfather through a fancy telephone.
Many of my men went up in smoke
Many of the rapper's associates died.
While trickin with these chickens I ended up broke
The rapper spent all his money on women while he was playing around with them.
You find out who's ya mans when you broke
The rapper realized who his true friends were when he was broke.
Like a bad joke it's funny when you on you got mad folk
When everything is going well, people tend to flock to those who are successful, but it's a different story when things aren't so great.
I played the middle man in every little scam
The rapper was involved in many schemes, acting as the middleman.
Some as complex as a hip hop album riddle jam
Some of the schemes he was involved in were as complex as a hip hop album with intricate lyrics.
I find it's quite intriguing as I think about rappers
The rapper was reflecting on how many rappers are involved in shady activities.
Walk upon me speaking with stinkin mouth (About what?)
People approached the rapper talking about negative things.
About this and that from sneakers to hats to gats
People talked about superficial things such as shoes, hats, and guns.
Freak chicks with the cooty cat raps
Women who rap about their vaginas were also a topic of discussion.
And it's that ?
Asking why people are always talking about these superficial things.
I'm at a black tie affair with a diva with the fatty fat
The rapper was at a formal event with an attractive and curvy woman.
I play the back steady on the humble
The rapper stays in the background and remains humble.
But be right up front when we get ready to rumble
He steps up to the front when it's time to perform.
I gave her breath control ask her who she learned off
The rapper taught the woman how to control her breathing, possibly for a singing or rapping performance.
Coulda took her back to the crib somehow was turned off
Although he could have taken the woman home with him, he was no longer interested for some reason.
Me and you was overdue
The rapper and someone else were long overdue for a meeting or collaboration.
From gettin together baby
This meeting is long overdue.
I always knew our love was meant to be (The Mic)
The rapper always knew he was meant to create great music with his microphone.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DANIEL DUMILE THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind