Tune of the Week: Dilla and DOOM

MF Doom was an independent hiphop force. He gained world wide fame and influence while staying on small labels. He helped popularize the marriage of comic book and hiphop cultures. While a great producer in his own right, DOOM’s most popular works came from rhyming on other’s beats. They were, in large part, made by some of the best of the best, including Dangermouse and Madlib. Here is a fantastic example of what DOOM could bring to an expertly crafted beat, this one by the late, great J Dilla. DOOM’s flow, timing and wit are all on shining display and his attention to what’s happening within the beat is something a lot of emcees never do. RIP the Madvillian!

EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT:

MF Doom was infamous for sending imposters to play at his shows. They would don the brand related mask and lip sync to a recording. How could someone get away with this time and time again, you ask? Here’s some documentation of just how energetic an actual DOOM show could be. Armed only with a self-prepared CD-R, DOOM rocks the show with a breakneck pace. The energy transfer between performer and audience is palpable. Seems worth the gamble to have a show like that!