Doom - Born Like This (2009)

Doom
Born Like This (2009)
I was pretty sure Born Like This was going to be the next Chinese Democracy; the Hip-Hop Chinese Democracy, I should say. After so many unfounded release dates went by and MF Doom's impostor antics sullied his legacy a little, I was skeptical that the promised March 24th 2009 release date was actually real. But then three things happened: 1) Chinese Democracy was actually released, 2) official artwork and an official track list for Born Like This surfaced, and 3) I remembered that Dr. Dre's Detox already holds the title of Hip-Hop's Chinese Democracy, making Born Like This more like hip hop's...I dunno, new Jeff Mangum album or something.

So a fortunate day, March 24th turned out to be for me. Along with Mastodon's Crack the Skye, two of my favorite artists in their respective genre's would release new albums that day. It wasn't as fortunate a day for Born Like This. After leaving the record store with both albums in hand, Mastodon won a coin toss I used to determine which one I'd listen to first, and I never really looked back. Born Like This got a few spins here and there, but with nothing immediately striking about the album, I didn't feel the need to stick with it for extended periods. Frankly, the initial letdown proved the album to be the disappointment that I thought it would be but hoped it wouldn't be.

While I can't say that time was great to Born Like This, it did start to catch on a little after a couple of weeks. I'm not sure if I would call it a good album, but it is not as bad an album as I originally felt. Even after a several year hiatus, Doom's flow is still intact for the most part. While there's a noticeable lack of mind-blowing couplets that he'd previously been able to deliver habitually, he's still one of the most skilled rappers out there. He only falters noticeably on "Batty Boyz", if only because the homophobic undertone of the song is highly disappointing to me personally. If he wants to call other rappers' sexuality into question, that's nothing new, but he already did that on Mm..Food's "Beef Rap" ("Yuck, is they rhymers or strippin' males/Out of work jerks since they shut down Chippendales"), and he did it better, with more class, and in less words.

Even with that aside, Doom is missing something here, and it's not just the MF. There have been many a word written about the origin of the tracks on Born Like This and how some were cobbled together from previously released unofficial mixtapes or something of the sort or...I don't know. I can't say I've payed a lot of attention to any of that, but there is a bit of a disjointed feel to the album. The songs really do seem to have been collected from different recording sessions; there's even a couple of tracks that sound almost completely unmastered. Apparently there is a theme connecting the songs, but I've yet to place it. If there is one, I can't say I'm eager to figure it out. Mm..Food had an obvious theme, but it also had a number of good songs that made the listener care about the theme. Born Like This? Not so much. Unfortunately, the good here is outweighed by the average, which is ultimately what the album is.


Score: 5/10


"Absolutely"


"That's That"

10 The Hard Way: MF Doom

10 The Hard Way: MF Doom
(10 The Hard Way is a feature in which xoxobra compiles a top ten list of whatever he sees fit)

Born Into This, the new and long awaited solo album from MF Doom, should've been in my CD player last Tuesday. It's been three years this month since Doom has released an album full of new material (the Dangerdoom collaboration with Danger Mouse), so of course a lot of people were excited that he was coming out of hiatus. But then there were those of us who considered Doom's erratic behavior as of late (past promises of new material that never saw the light of day; sending imposters to perform on stage in his place; getting called out for such activities by rival rappers) and took the cynical "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude.

Which was smart, because October 21st came and all we had was a statement regarding the album's indefinite delay. Surprise surprise.

Despite my increasing level of annoyance with Doom, I'm still probably going to want to check out any new album he releases, if ever, whatever it's called. In the meantime, though, I thought I'd compile a list of my favorite songs he has recorded under the MF Doom moniker, his most well-known and commonly used. This of course excludes any material he's recorded as Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, or Zev Love X as a member of KMD. Check it out, y'all.



10) "Kon Karne" (from Mm...Food)

Capped off by a dedication to his deceased brother DJ Subroc, "Kon Karne" is carried by a typically sick flow and gentle piano keys mixed with a simple 80's beat. Bueno.

9) "A.T.H.F." (from The Mouse & The Mask)

The Mouse & The Mask is admittedly light on standout tracks, but if any one does manage to catch my attention, it's "A.T.H.F.", which has the distinction of being basically the best rap song/commercial I've ever heard. I'm not even particularly a fan of the show but still enjoy this track. Danger Mouse's old-school style hip hop beat really bangs, more or less carrying the track.

8) "Rapp Snitch Knishes" (from Mm...Food)

Featuring a great guest verse from Mr. Fantastik, the biggest appeal of this song lies in it's use of a great electric guitar riff in the beat. Not often do I hear a rap song with rock guitars that I like, but this is an obvious exception.

7) "Rhinestone Cowboy" (from Madvilliany)

Not a cover song (though can you imagine how interesting that would sound?), but a strong album closer so confident in it's success that the applause is built right into the track. More soul than a sock with a hole, indeed.

6) "Dead Bent" (from Operation: Doomsday)

If you're going to use the string section from one of my favorite Isaac Hayes songs ("Walk On By") then you can expect to catch my attention. And when you pull if off so well, you can expect much kudos.

5) "Rainbows" (from Madvilliany)

Possibly the closest thing to a true stoner rap song ever recorded, "Rainbows" is a strange, off-kilter track that seems to have been put together in a druggy haze. The nonsensical lyrics (censored by an orange block in the album liner notes) only add to the songs draw. And the horns. Gotta love the horns.

4) "Who You Think I Am?" (from Operation: Doomsday)

A fantastic group rap track in the vein of "Protect Ya Neck", this one seems to long for the days of old school hip hop and feels every bit as nostalgic.

3) "Curls" (from Madvilliany)

Probably the best beat by Madlib on the entire album complete with another solid verse from Doom. The only thing that holds this song back from higher placement is it's (too short) length. I'm all down for songs not overstaying their welcome, but I wouldn't have minded being spoiled for a little longer by this one.

2) "Potholderz" (from Mm...Food)

Awww shit. Perhaps my favorite song on Mm...Food. The beat is totally laid back and fits both Doom and Count Bass D's solid yet lackadaisical delivery.

1) "Great Day" (from Madvilliany)

None are more deserving of the stop spot. Lyrically, this is about as good as it gets from Doom, who drops some of his most well-known lines in just two and a half minutes of run time. I've seldom been floored by a lyric, but this one did it: "Last wish: I wish I had two more wishes/And I wish they fix the door to the matrix it's mad glitches/Spit so many verses sometime my jaw twitches/One thing this party could use is more...booze." And props to Madlib for being the only person on earth who could turn a 70's commercial jingle into a good rap beat.