Even though this is his debut, Daniel Dumile has been in the rap game since the early 90s with the group KMD, featuring himself, his brother, Onyx the Birthstone Kid, and Subroc. Though the group debut Mr. Hood didn't sell nearly any copies, the critical acclaim was enough to warrant a second album. Unfortunately, Subroc was killed in a car accident the night before their second album Black Bastard was release and the group was dropped from the record label the same fucking day. The album wasn't released until 2001, but leaked on the Internet, which elevated MF DOOMs status considerably because of his great performances on the album.
As would any person, DOOM was devastated by this series of events, which explains the considerable gap in between his albums. During this time, he reinvented himself as a rap super villain, much to the disliking of record labels and resulted in DOOM having a hard time being signed. Somehow through live performances and associating with other rappers, he was able to release his first full length album under the name MF DOOM.
Fondle 'Em Records were the lucky bastards who took a chance on DOOM and released OPERATION: DOOMSDAY in 1999 to surprisingly popular sales. The majority of the sales came from the sheer differences from basically everything else. DOOM took everything about mainstream hip hop (keep in mind that most mainstream was still pretty good at this point) and flipped it around with his unorthodox hooks, all over the place instrumentals, and unpolished lyrics. 14 years later the album is universally considered a classic and considered the high point of underground hip hop.
I really hope I'm not disappointed by this...
The Time We Faced Doom (Skit)
Its a rap album introduction, so obviously I'm not going to love this but since this is a concept album and this sets the scene I can live with it.
2. Doomsday (Feat. Pebbles the Invincible Girl)
Love the Instrumental on the first track. Its sound like something you'd hear from the roots early in their career and provide DOOM a fantastic surface to introduce himself without stealing the show. The lyrics are nothing that really blow me away and come off as merely average. DOOMs flow is definitely above average and the fact that he raps for nearly three minutes straight without a break is enough to impress me.
3. Rhymes Like Dimes
The lyrics are a significant improvement over the last track, as DOOM continues to display his seemingly endless supply of breath. The Instrumental comes off incredibly unorganized and badly mixed but its grown on me after a couple off listen. You have to remember that this type of unorthodox style is what got DOOM discovered in the first place. The track ends with him yelling "mashed potatoes". I'll let you interpret that however you want.
4. The Finest (Feat. Tommy Gun)
Instrumentals continue to be the strongest element of the album as the old-school R&B smoothness of the beat carry the track for the most part. Unfortunately, neither one of the MCS bring anything to the table and I'm left feeling indifferent towards the song. Even though I wasn't crazy about the song, I will say that it has aged incredibly well and would still sound modern in today's world.
5. Back In The Days (Skit)
Naturally as a skit, this didn't leave me overwhelmed with emotion but it was still pretty entertaining.
6. To With The Flow
I hate to keep saying it, but this album really contains some of the best instrumental from this time period. This allows DOOM the flexibility to not have to be great behind the mic, although he still holds his own. As with the rest of the album up to this point, this song is absent of a hook, which has its good and bad. The fact that the man can rap for this long is incredible and provides a very entertaining listen. On the downside, the songs have little to no catchiness.
7. Tick, Tick... (Feat. MF GRIMM)
Yeah, that Beatles sample would never be considered on a major label release. Because I'm decently familiar with MF Grimm, I can tell that DOOM obviously had GRIMM in mind when making the beat and built it so it would better fit the guest. I've always thought this is one of the most impressive elements a producer can have. So DOOMs got that going for him. As for the rapping, GRIMM rips the shit up and shows why he's generally considered the better rapper of the duo.
8. Red And Gold (Feat. King Ghidra)
Let it be known that King Ghidra is only one of DOOMs myriad of alias, which means this is only a solo track in which King Ghidra is the star. Too bad this alias was featured on such a boring track. I'm listening to it right now and have absolutely nothing to say about it. I guess it had a pretty cool drum line.
9. The Hands of Doom (Skit)
The beat presented here is great, even though its just a guitar and drum line. Sometimes something as simple as this is refreshing. Too bad it was relegated to the level of a skit that is really just an instrumental. Would have loved to hear DOOM spit some bars over this.
10. Who Do You Think I Am? (Feat. King Caesar, Rodan, Megalon. Kamerkeris, & Kong)
From DOOMs group Monsta Island Czars, we are presented the first posse cut. (It amazes me that guys like MF DOOM have their own weed-carriers.) This beat reminds me a lot of the last song, but would have benefited from a bit of tweaking. Also would have liked to seen his used with MF GRIMM but Im just griping and this is still a damn good track.
11. Doom, Are You Awake (Skit)
I mean its a skit, but I enjoyed the excerpts quite a bit.
12. Hey!
In DOOM-esque fashion, DOOM delivers with one of the best instrumentals of the album. Its so eerie that it becomes scary at a point, which I'm sure is what DOOM was going for. It only helps that he is rhyming with more emotion than he has up to this point, which has fantastic result. One of his best lyrical performances yet. Nothing about this not to love, its great.
13. Operation: Greenbacks (Feat. King Ghidra & Megalon)
King Ghidra makes his return with the help of Megalon at his side. Too bad this song is fucking terrible. I don't understand why DOOM is content on putting King Ghidra on the worst songs of the album. Also, is that a damn bagpipe I hear in the back?
14. The Mic (Feat. Pebbles The Invisible Girl)
Nice display of DOOMs ability to tell a story, with the help of the guest whose name I don't feel comfortable typing again. The beat isn't really great but its good enough for what the track is. I'm also glad to see that DOOM has started including hook, something he hasn't believed in for the majority of the album.
15. The Mystery Of DOOM
So. Many. Skits.
16. Dead Bent
Well DOOM, its a damn good thing you can rap and produce because your singing is dogshit. Terrible singing aside, the rapping sounds great on this song, as that part of DOOM's album continues to improve. Instrumental has quite a bit of layers to it that you may not here the first couple of listens. Really liked this one.
17. Gas Drawls
Without becoming repetitive to the rest of the album, DOOM spits for the entirety of the song with a relentless flow. No idea why they spelt the title wrong. I understand DOOM might not have a grammar major, but the label probably would have caught it if it wasn't intentional. Doesn't matter though, because this song is among the best of the album.
18. ? (Feat. Kurious Jorge)
The most emotional song of the album, as DOOM talks about his deceased brother. The upbeat doesn't match the theme at all, but DOOM could know something I don't about sad melodies. Very enjoyable, thought provoking track.
19. Hero Vs. Villain (Epilogue) (Feat. E. Mason)
As much as I hate spoken word outros, the sounded so in place on an album of this type that I had no choice but to except this. This was actually replaced by an MF GRIMM track in the later pressings of the album, which I've yet to hear.
Rating: 4/5
Most of my review may not have indicated such a high rating, but that's only because I had gotten the impression that this was going to be a five star album. I was a little underwhelmed by the project as a whole but some of the tracks of here are fantastic and are deserving of the high praise this album has received. My biggest problem with the album is the lyrics of our host. By no means are they bad, he just comes off as inexperienced and ultimately results in unmemorable verses. Sonically, I see exactly where critics are coming from, as this contains some truly great instrumentals. I recommend you pick this up and even the complete edition if you have the chance, which holds 42 tracks.