London born but a true New Yorker, Daniel Dumile was once known as Zev Love X, a founder of the hip-hop group KMD. When his brother DJ Subroc was killed by a car whilst he was crossing the Long Island expressway and KMD were dropped by their record label and cancelled the released of their 1994 sophomore album Bl_ck B_st_rds, Dumille disappeared for three years.

When he returned to the music scene four years later, Dumile began freestyling at open-mic events at the Nuyorican Poets Café in Manhattan, wearing tights over his head to disguise his identity. He took on a new persona – MF DOOM, “against the industry that so badly deformed him” and about to embark on a streak of unbelievable creativity, releasing eight albums between 1999 and 2005, most of which are considered classics not just of “backpack rap” but of the entire genre.

The common consensus amongst critics and fans is that his 2004 collaboration with DJ and producer Madlib, Madvillainy, is the best of DOOM’s output during this era, but I’d like to highlight his other albums, and my favourite tracks and lyrics from each.

We start tonight with 1999’s Operation: Doomsday, DOOM’s debut studio album.

With samples lifted from the 1960s Hanna-Barbera Fantastic Four cartoon MF DOOM introduces himself as hip-hop’s newest supervillain with fantastic grimy rhymes and flow reflecting the low-budget audio mixing techniques he used to produce the album himself. It’s easy to find stunning reviews of the album’s genius in hindsight.

Favourite Track: Doomsday

Favourite Lyrics:

What a fella! Like Salt, Pepa, Spinderella
I came to spark the deaf, dumb and blind like Helen Keller
If I’m not with George of the Jungle, if he not with Stella
Or either Priscilla, I’m doing dips on Godzilla

(Operation: Greenbacks)

Take care of yourselves and have a grand night, Avocado!