[MF] DOOM Opens Up During Recent Exclusive Interview

Eclectic rapper DOOM last week gave fans a chance to catch a metaphorical glimpse beneath the mystique that is his mask during an interview / listening session as part of the Red Bull Music Academy series of music workshops, where he breaks down numerous topics, including his producing and recording processes; touching on the onset of his career; and the creation and maintenance of his multiple rapping personalities.

Although he never removes his mask, fans will be able to know for sure that, despite his sketchy past live appearances, the man speaking in that unmistakable raspy voice is indeed DOOM.

Surprisingly DOOM isn't the most articulate of individuals, which is apparent throughout the interview despite his fluid gift for gab on wax.

The interview is lengthy (an hour and 40 minutes) but for any diehard fan of DOOM it will be time well spent.

Enjoy.

Who is the Real MF Doom?

The veteran rapper formerly known as Zev Love X -- the front man for defunct 90s rap group KMD -- has been accused repeatedly of using impostors to perform in his stead as the rapping entity known as MF Doom.

MF Doom, who's image is modeled after Marvel Comics villain Dr. Doom, is a 30-something year old rapper from Long Island who, since 1997, has been recording and performing music in disguise, with the disguise consisting of the metal mask.

In the beginning it was weird, but after Doom went on a eight year tear of releasing and producing incredible music for everyone from Nigerian singer Wale Oyejide to Ghostface, no one cared what he looked like anymore. It was all about the music.

Until the summer of 2007, that is, when Doom was part of the Rock the Bells tour and the first accusations surfaced of him not being the person who was performing on stage.

Of course the person performing was wearing a mask, so nothing was ever confirmed, and eventually the the rumors somewhat faded away.

But now, just about a year after the first rumors circulated through the Hiphop community, they seem to have made quite a triumphant return. In this case, at another Rock the Bells show, this one in San Bernardino, Calif.

The following videos show Doom (or his impostor) at the show in question strutting around and posturing on stage, but the fans get hip to the game real quick and call him out in the form of boos and throwing objects at whoever is on stage. You can even hear an angry fan saying "I didn't pay for this sh*t!"





Because of the high quality of his music I couldn't believe the rumors when I first heard them. Hell, when I saw Doom at the 930 Club in DC in 2005 I was convinced it was really him.

But that was before the rumors.

Whoever was on stage and rapping sounded just like Doom, and it was obvious the person was rapping live. And, since I remember what Zev Love X looked like, I tried my best to peek through the small cracks in the metal mask, eventually deciding it was indeed the real MF Doom.

But when my homeboy in San Fran -- who discovered Doom just around the same time as I, and who has been heavily into Hiphop since the early 80s -- called me after an MF Doom show there and said that his opinion was that it was not Doom who performed at his show, I finally lent some credence to the possibility that Doom could indeed be duping us all.

Granted, the music is the most important thing, and it is not being compromised at all if the rumor is true. But for an independent artist, it does beg the question why he wouldn't want to go out on tour himself and earn 100% of the payment for performance. I am assuming, of course, that Doom's impostor took home a share of Doom's payment.

Regardless, like I said it's all about the music. He hasn't put any new music out in a while; since the accusations of fraud, not ironically.

I say we just enjoy Doom for the music and if we see he's on the bill for a local show, don't go. If no one shows up to his shows he will eventually stop getting booked and get back in the studio.

Until that happens, enjoy some more footage of Doom performing live.

Who Used the Sample Best?

It happens all the time in Hiphop, but lately there has been a noticeable spate of rap songs using the same sample with barely a distinction between the beats created.

The sampled song in question is Derrick Harriott's "Message From a Black Man," and in the past four years, it has been flipped by King Geedorah aka MF Doom, Mos Def, RZA, NaS, and now, surprisingly, Young Buck.

But the question is who used it best?

I'm not necessarily talking about lyrics or the song as a whole package, but the beat -- whose beat knocks the hardest?

The versions by Mos, RZA and Buck are all very similar. Perhaps even the same.

But the version done by NaS has a cool little bridge in the middle, giving the track a little more flavor then the others.

But it's Doom's beat, produced by his beat-making alter ego, Metal Fingers, that prevails sonically. The drums are a little harder than the others', and Doom chops up the beat, and sounds like he's having fun playing around with the beat machine, complete with cutting and scratching throughout.

And although I said it's not about the lyrics, Doom's version features two hot verses by Mr. Fantastik, which only enhances the song as a whole.

Here are the songs in the order in which they were released:

King Geedorah: Anti-Matter Feat. Mr. Fantastik, from 2004's Take Me To Your Leader

Mos Def: Undeniable -- From 2006's Tru3 Magic

RZA as Bobby Digital: You Can't Stop Me Now Feat. Inspectah Deck, from 2008's Digi Snacks

NaS: You Can't Stop Us Now Feat. Eban Thomas, from 2008's Untitled

Young Buck: Soundscan, random song released this week

Which is the best?