After the sudden death of his brother and the dissolution of their group KMD, Daniel “Zev Love X” Dumile disappeared from the hip hop scene entirely, sleeping on the streets of Manhattan and eventually moving to Atlanta.
But Dumile would reappear several years later, incognito, first disguising himself with tights over his head and later donning a mask based on the Marvel supervillain Doctor Doom. As MF DOOM and other aliases, Dumille would release at least one masterpiece—Madvillainy, a collaboration with Madlib—and several other classic underground hip hop albums. He died in 2020. Rest in peace.
Dumile has far too many releases, under a variety of monikers and collaborations, for any but the most rabid fan to listen to at length. (And I must admit I haven’t listened to much of his work past what I’m chronicling here.) I’ve focused the playlists below on a few of his most significant albums, which have received praise from both the critics and fans alike.
Enjoy!
KMD
Playlist 1
Playlist 1 provides selections from Dumile’s debut as MF DOOM, plus Madvillainy, presented in its entirety. These are perhaps the most essential of his works.
Playlist 2
This playlist presents highlights from four other prominent Dumile projects—Viktor Vaughn (another alias based on the character of Victor von Doom), King Geedorah, more MF DOOM, and the Doom / Danger Mouse collaboration, Danger Doom.
Cover Art:
- Madvillainy and Operation: Doomsday (2016 reissue): Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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