The 44 spot goes to a duo of MF Doom albums released during a period when Doom was on fire. 1999's Operation Doomsday had been hailed as a classic (and released a few months later it would have made the top 5 of this list). Intrigued heads excited by the debut had dug back into the KMD discography, understood the significance of the non-release of Black Bastards due to it's cover art, and the subsequent death of Doom's (Daniel Dumile) brother and musical partner in KMD. In the years that followed Doomsday a trickle of singles and KMD bootlegs came out, and anticipation for new Doom material was huge. Then from 2003 - 2006 we had four albums recorded under various aliases (three collaborations with other producers), one album under the MF Doom moniker, many guest appearances for other artists and an overseer/producer role for albums by MF Grimm and Monster Island Czars! A release schedule like the fucking Monkees! We were truly spoilt. This run ended with Doom's MM...Food and his collaboration with Dangermouse, The Mouse and the Mask. Since this he has slowed down significantly.
Viktor Vaughn and Madvillian were both non Doom productions, with Vik handled by a bunch of next level, futuristic hip hop scions (King Honey, Heat Sensor) based at the Sound-ink label, and Madvillain a collaboration with Madlib (hence the name).
Aliases seem to be used by Doom mainly as a springboard for rhyming, others have looked for significant differences in theme between Doom, Vik, and King Geedorah. However, other that all being comic book villiains, the references Doom uses remain pretty constant through all his work; the mythology of the mask (he can be a hero, villain, hiding his identity, ugly), an underlying sadness or damage both from the streets, racism, and the loss of his brother. Doom also often raps about his hobo/bum lifestyle; he is influenced by Bukowski, with frequent references to heavy drinking, being over weight, a disconnect with emotion, failed relationships and looking like shit. All of this meaning is hidden beneath Dooms buttery flow, slang, funny and clever lyrics and can be missed easily, but importantly still enjoyed. Just like the comics and cartoons Doom loves, his music can be understood and enjoyed on many levels. Fans of Doom look deep into the lyrics and love his multiple puns, references to old hip hop culture, complex metaphors, unbelievable rhyme skills (if you think it sounds laid-back and simple, just try rapping along), references to where he wrote a verse (on Vaudeville Villain's creepy voodoo rap Lickupon he 'wrote this rhyme sick in bed, with his dick head inside a chicken's head') and Dooms fondness for twisting common phrases to making them different in a way you hadn't previously imagined. For a detailed analysis of every Doom lyric (I shit you not!) look for the nerds at www.rapgenius.com.
Vaudeville Villain begins with the title track, where Vik stamps his rhyming superiority over the competition early, 'Viktor the director flips a script like Rob Reiner, The way a lotta dudes rhyme their name should be knob shiner, For a buck they likely dance the jig or do the Hucklebuck, To Vik it's no big deal, They're just a bunch of knucklefucks'. Vik later proclaims himself 'A really big fan of Dan Akroyd' as only a Ghostbusters child could possibly do. Vik is also unafraid to demonstrate the amount of hard work which has gone into being this damn good, 'He study rhymes and patter-ins, with climbs so steep sometimes the beats don't be matterin'.
Lactose & Lecithin which follows refers to the duff coke he buys from Mexican gangsters in this Ghostface like crime caper. A Dead Mouse features a great sitar sample whilst Vik uses cat and mouse metaphors to describe his rhyming skill. Raedawn was the first single of the album, and was a new sound for Doom, eschewing the soul samples for a synthetic, glitchy hip hop, Vik threatens challengers with a 'Triple shot of gnac with a chaser of bongwater'; it's ok Vik, you can have the mic!
Let Me Watch is one of the most interesting cuts featuring Apani B as Nikki and Doom as Vic, it starts as a tale of blossoming love, with Vic initially charming the cautious Nikki 'Heard he was the type to do her name in graffiti'. Things quickly unravel as Vik, inpatient for sex, casually calls her a Ho, he then tries to make up, as even the deeply flawed Vik kinda knows she was a good thing for him, Vik then seals the deal by asking Nikki if she could pick up 'two dutch' (for making joints), leaving Nikki declaring, 'I'd rather masturbate than fuck with Vik Vaughn', however Vik not knowing when he's beaten chips in with a desperate 'Let me watch'. Hip Hop gold.
Saliva is produced by RJD2 and stands as his finest contribution to hip hop, fast paced and traditionally funkier than the rest of the album, Vik details his mic skills in fine fashion, 'Hold it like a drunk driver hold a CB on a sharp turn, Still clutching his chest from the heartburn'.
Open Mic Night is probably funner for those who attend such things, with comedy rappers, and over earnest rappers upstaged by Vic and members of the Monsta Island Czars, who were Dooms crew at the time, each named after Godzilla monsters and having their own flow style of tricksy time signatures and hardcore subject matter.
Mr Clean features a nice cut up organ lick and scratch effect and was the second single, coming with a video where Doom nearly shows his face.
The final track is Change The Beat and does just that, flipping beats three times to showcase Vik's skills, almost every Doom line is great but a personal favorite on this track is 'If the pants fit, sport em but rock em low'. Doom can appeal to backpacking rap nerds, reference the old skool and rare gear and do cleverer than thou raps with the best, however what makes him more important is that underneath the swagger his rhymes cover a subject matter both personal and as ghetto as say M.O.P or the Wu-Tang, his art therefore contains more danger and intellect than indie rap types who wear the lifestyle like a fashion accessory. Doom is Hip Hop.
If you could criticize Vaudeville villain for anything it would be that some of the production quality did not match Dooms rhymes. Madvillany, Madlibs project with Doom promised to sort this, with his music already highly respected. Madlibs smoother, eccentric west coast jazz funk beat duggery shares the spotlight more equally with Doom and both styles are well represented.
The twenty two short tracks are typical of Madlibs style, quick switches, never allowing the beat to settle for long enough to become hypnotic, like George Clinton with an attention deficit disorder. Five minutes flies past, leaving your brain processing the accordion sample, the sample from Frank Zappa's Uncle Meat classic 'Sleeping In A Jar', and you've probably missed already some of Dooms most visionary couplets; did he refer to himself in the third person again 'When he got the mic, you don't go next', did he refer to someone as 'Borderline schizo, sorta fine tits tho', and then 'The old man preaches bout the gold sand beaches, while the cold hand reaches for the old tan Elllesses....Jesus', wow we really are a bunch of shallow motherfuckers!
Americas Most Blunted was a bonafide smash, sampling Steve Reich's tape loop experiment Come Out, for the service of a stoner anthem, 'One day he might grow a barn full, recent research say it's not so darn harmful'. The album carries on in this fashion, with Doom rapping in a lower register, it's easy to let the whole thing wash over you, as it's one of the most blissful hip hop albums since the days of prime Native Tongues, 'The best emcee with no chain ya ever heard'. Lord Quas also features on a few tracks as Madlibs high voiced alter ego, notably on Shadows of Tomorrow, based upon Sun-Ra's Space is the Place movie. Strange ways concerns white collar criminality and government criminality, namely the Iraq war.
Fancy Clown is heartbroken but hard and cynical, denying hurt in exchange for sex and violence, a cheating song, appropriately sampling a ZZ Hill/Swamp Dogg tune. In anger Vik raps 'Like all foul men at times I hit ya moms off, I told he knock it off, But she had to set the rocket off'.
All Caps reaffirms Dooms mastery over a chemically altered horn sample, hiccups and piano loop.
The album finishes with two of the best tracks, Great Day and Rhinestone Cowboy. Great Day includes some great Doom cadences 'This one he wrote in cold blood with a toothpick, One thing this party could use is more...Booze, Put ya'self in your own shoes'. Rhinestone Cowboy is just one great line after another as Doom squeezes in The Grand Old Opry, jalopies, and seemingly effortless bragging. The problem with writing about Doom is that simply transcribing lines like 'Goony goo goo loony koo-koo like Gary Gnu of New Zoo Review, But who knew the mask had a loose screw? Hell could hardly tell, Had to tighten it up, Like the Drells and Archie Bell', could never actually prepare you for how good it sounds when heard rapped by Doom.
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