by MF DOOM & Madlib

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First on the list, is of course the masterpiece “Madvillainy” by MF DOOM and Madlib. Those that have stumbled upon this album by accident or had it shown to them by a crazy DOOM fan (like myself) know how amazing it truly is. It’s one of those albums that is just one of kind. Astoundingly, it sets itself apart from his other albums in every way; presentation, verse delivery, production, aesthetic, the list goes on. Listening to this album feels as though you’re transported to an underground world of crime in a batman comic.

Starting with the opener “The Illest Villains” which sets the stage with a variety of samples tied together telling a story of “The Madvillain” and the world that was afraid of him. “Madvillain” is the perfect way to describe how Madlib and DOOM worked together for this project. They were perfectly in sync on every level. Madlib’s sample-heavy-production working flawlessly with DOOM’s ominous dense wordplay. Starting with “Accordion” and ending with “Rhinestone Cowboy”, you’re repeatedly hit incredible beats and verses so much so that the 22 tracks are overwhelming the first listen through. Though it’s only 46 minutes in length. it took me 4-5 listens to actually get through to the end in one go when I first listened to the project back in 2016. I had to actually LISTEN to it instead of just have it on in the background. The music requires you to pay attention to it first before it can be played while you do other work. I’ve since come to learn this feature of any album marks a truly amazing piece of art because all my favorites must be treated. There are so many great moments and surprises that I still love after 100+ plays of this thing. Such as the beautiful intro of “Bistro” that I always have to listen to twice. In “Money Folder”, when he says the line “bring it to you live in stereo” it can only be heard in the left speaker, meaning his stereo that he’s talking about is busted. The fact that Viktor Vaughn on “Fancy Clown” is actually DOOM meaning the song is DOOM featuring himself with slight different cadence. I don’t want to go into anymore detail because I’d like you to experience it with minimal bias. The fact that I’ve been listening to this album for around four years now and I STILL hear new lines is a testament to how densely packed this thing is. I could talk all day about this project, but I’m gonna end it here.

Rest in peace DOOM, you are truly un-matched in music skill and will be greatly missed.