My Bass Rocks

DOOM (aka MF Doom aka Zev Love X) has remained out of the underground hip-hop spotlight for the better part of 4 years, with his last official release dropping back in 2005 (The Mouse and The Mask).  It also doesn’t help that he hit some controversy last year, by allowing skinny impostors wearing the mask to rock “MF Doom” shows in his absence (several times in a row).

Having been extremely influential and consistent during 2004-2005, the above factors wouldn’t seem to bode well for a successful return after 4 years of  no material and bad publicity.

With that said, I was pretty apprehensive when it came to getting excited over a new DOOM album.  After all the time that had past, and all the hate he was receiving from his fan base, the new LP was sure to backfire…Right?  Right?

Continue on for the review..

Wrong!  After giving Born Like This a full listen-through, I came to realize one big lesson about DOOM:  He never skips a beat.  Honestly, this album sounds like no time passed since any of his previous albums were released.  It’s DOOM being DOOM.

If you’re a fan of Mm..Food, Operation: Doomsday, or Madvillain, then you should definitely feel his latest entry.  In a time where autotune is unavoidable in the genre, and blogger MC’s pile in by the dozens, hearing an album like this is beyond refreshing.  This is hip-hop stripped down to it’s bair essence.  Complete with chopped samples (i.e. ESG’s “U.F.O.”), clever lyrics, and effective guest appearances (on both production and rhyming), this album has everything for the hip-hop fan.

Here are some notable highlights:

“Gazillion Ear”

“Lightworks”

The above tracks are the only two Dilla entries, but add a lot to the overall feel of the album.  After hearing both, it’s hard not to imagine what an entire album between the two would have sounded like.  It seems like Dilla’s more experimental stuff compliments DOOM perfectly, and makes for an interesting pairing.  “Gazillion Ear” takes a Brenton Wood sample and adds some hard-hitting drums, while “Lightworks” is from the classic Donuts, so no surprises there.

“Ball Skin”

“Microwave Mayo”

“Rap Ambush”

“More Rhymin”

DOOM and Jake One really work too well together to ignore.  As of right now, Jake is killing it on the production tip, and besides his work with Freeway, it’s pretty obvious that DOOM has quickly become his other favorite artist to work with.  His production is about as soulful as it gets, full of original samples, and drum chops.  It seems as though DOOM respects his grind and appreciation for music, which is why these two work so well together.

If he’s not too busy making records for G-Unit or Free, I’d really like to hear an entire album between these two in the near future.  I think it would be great for the genre, and at this point I don’t think that idea is too far-fetched.

“Yessir (feat. Raekwon)”

“Angels (feat. Ghostface)”

The guest MC’s work perfectly throughout Born, and add a little extra flavor to a very straightforward album.  While the DOOM sound can get repetitive at times (i.e. no choruses, quirky lyrics), bringing in these Wu heavy-hitters mixes things up, making the overall album that much more enjoyable.

Aside from the above tracks, there are some great DOOM beats that sound just as crispy as they did in 2004 (i.e. “Still Dope & “Supervillainz”).  While he tends to keep his style in one direction, this is what is so appealing about him as an artist in the first place.

In 2009, it’s safe to say that DOOM hasn’t flinched the slightest.  I’ll be the first to admit that I had my reservations about Born, but I’ve been quickly proven just how untouchable the Supervillain is.  No T-Pain, no Lil’ Wayne, and no trendy hipster rap can faze him.  He loves hip-hop for all the right reasons, and it’s very apparent with his latest full-length.  If you know his music, then you know the level of quality to expect.  No filler, no radio-hits, and no substitutes..This is DOOM 2009 and this is DOOM in 2109.

Overall: 8 (out of 10)