History of MF Doom in Timeline

Daniel Dumile, known as MF Doom, was a highly influential British-American rapper and producer. Recognized for complex lyrics, a distinct metal mask, and a supervillain persona, he was a key figure in underground and alternative hip hop during the 2000s. His unique style and approach to music made him a significant artist.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

July 13, 1971: Daniel Dumile's Birth

On July 13, 1971, Daniel Dumile Thompson was born in the Hounslow district of London. He was the son of a Trinidadian mother and Zimbabwean father.

1973: Birth of DJ Subroc

In 1973, DJ Subroc, Dumile's younger brother, was born. They would later form the rap group KMD.

1988: KMD Formation

In 1988, Dumile started his career as a member of the trio KMD, performing as Zev Love X. The group helped launch his career.

1991: Release of Mr. Hood

In 1991, KMD released their debut album, Mr. Hood, marking an early milestone in Dumile's career.

April 23, 1993: Death of Subroc

On April 23, 1993, Subroc was struck by a car and killed just before the release of the second KMD album, Black Bastards.

1993: Death of DJ Subroc

In 1993, Dumile's brother, DJ Subroc, died after being struck by a car at the age of 19. He formed the rap group KMD with Dumile.

1993: KMD Disbandment

In 1993, KMD disbanded after the death of DJ Subroc, Dumile's brother, marking a turning point in Dumile's early career.

May 3, 1994: KMD Dropped by Elektra Records

On May 3, 1994, KMD was dropped by Elektra Records and their album Black Bastards went unreleased due to its controversial cover art.

1994: Retreat from Hip Hop Scene

After his brother's death in 1994, Dumile retreated from the hip hop scene and lived "damn near homeless, walking the streets of Manhattan, sleeping on benches".

1997: Freestyling Incognito

In 1997, Dumile began freestyling incognito at open-mic events at the Nuyorican Poets Café, obscuring his face.

1998: Development of MF Doom Persona

In 1998, Dumile turned his incognito freestyling into a new identity, MF Doom, with a mask similar to that of Marvel Comics supervillain Doctor Doom.

1999: Release of Operation: Doomsday

In 1999, Bobbito Garcia's Fondle 'Em Records released Operation: Doomsday, Dumile's first full-length LP as MF Doom.

1999: Reemergence as MF Doom

In 1999, Dumile reemerged performing at open mic events wearing a metal mask resembling Doctor Doom. He adopted the MF Doom persona and rarely made unmasked public appearances thereafter. He released his debut solo album Operation: Doomsday.

2000: Participation in Nuwaubian Events

By 2000, MF Doom, although not as strictly observant, still participated in Nuwaubian events such as the Savior's Day celebration at the Tama-Re compound in Georgia and held a positive opinion of the community.

2000: Official Release of Black Bastards

In 2000, Black Bastards was officially released after being bootlegged.

2000: Adoption of Maximus-Based Mask

In 2000, Dumile adopted a mask based on the one worn by Maximus, the protagonist of the film Gladiator.

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2000: Gladiator Mask

In 2000, MF DOOM started basing later versions of his mask on a prop from the movie Gladiator.

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2001: Beginning of Special Herbs Series

In 2001, Dumile began releasing his Special Herbs instrumentals series under the pseudonym Metal Fingers, showcasing his production skills.

2003: Release of Take Me to Your Leader

In 2003, Dumile released the album Take Me to Your Leader under his King Geedorah moniker, exploring a concept album format.

2003: Release of Vaudeville Villain

Later in 2003, Dumile released the LP Vaudeville Villain under the moniker Viktor Vaughn, adding another persona to his discography. It was released to critical acclaim.

March 23, 2004: Release of Madvillainy

On March 23, 2004, Dumile achieved a breakthrough with the album Madvillainy, created with producer Madlib under the group name Madvillain.

2004: Release of VV:2

Also in 2004, Dumile released VV:2, a follow-up LP under the Viktor Vaughn moniker, showcasing his continued exploration of different personas.

2004: Release of Mm..Food and Madvillainy

In 2004, Dumile, as MF Doom, released the acclaimed Mm..Food and Madvillainy with Madlib under the name Madvillain. Madvillainy is often cited as Dumile's magnum opus and is regarded as a landmark album in hip hop.

2004: "Coffin Nails" Instrumental Track Release

MF Doom released the instrumental track "Coffin Nails" in 2004.

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October 11, 2005: Release of The Mouse and the Mask

On October 11, 2005, The Mouse and the Mask, a collaboration with DJ Danger Mouse under the name Danger Doom in collaboration with Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, was released.

2005: Release of The Mouse and the Mask

In 2005, The Mouse and the Mask, an acclaimed collaboration with Danger Mouse under the name Danger Doom, was released. It was well-received.

2006: Production for Ghostface Killah

In 2006, Dumile produced tracks for both of Ghostface Killah's albums Fishscale and More Fish, expanding his production credits.

March 24, 2009: Release of Born Like This

On March 24, 2009, Dumile's Born Like This was released on Lex Records. It was Dumile's first solo album to chart in the US.

2009: Release of 'Born Like This'

In 2009, Dumile released his sixth and final solo album, Born Like This.

March 5, 2010: First London Doom Show

On March 5, 2010, Lex and Sónar presented the first Doom show in London, at the Roundhouse in Camden. It marked Dumile's first performances outside North America.

September 14, 2010: Release of Expektoration

On September 14, 2010, Expektoration, Dumile's second live album, was released through Gold Dust, capturing his energetic vocal performance.

2010: Toronto Imposter Incident

At a 2010 show in Toronto, an imposter performing as MF Doom was booed off stage before being replaced. MF Doom defended the use of stand-ins, describing himself as the "writer and director" of the character.

2010: Denied Reentry to the United States

In 2010, Dumile was denied reentry into the United States after returning from an international tour. He then moved to London before settling in Leeds.

2010: Biden Vice Presidency

In 2010, Joe Biden was the vice president of the USA, when MF DOOM was refused re-entry to the United States.

2010: Settling in the UK

In 2010, after being refused re-entry into the United States, Dumile settled in the UK.

2011: Review of Special Herbs Box Set

In 2011, Pitchfork observed that the instrumentals in a box set containing ten volumes of the Special Herbs series stand on their own without vocal tracks.

August 20, 2012: Release of Key to the Kuffs

On August 20, 2012, Key to the Kuffs, an album Dumile made in collaboration with the producer Jneiro Jarel as JJ Doom, was released, referencing Dumile's "exile" in the United Kingdom.

2012: Family Reunion in London

In 2012, MF Doom's family moved to London, reuniting them after he was refused re-entry to the United States. Following this, he declared he was done with the United States.

February 2013: Announcement of Collaborative Album with Ghostface Killah

In February 2013, Ghostface Killah said that he and Dumile were in the process of choosing tracks for a collaborative album, though it remained unreleased.

2013: Reissue of Take Me to Your Leader

In 2013, Fact called Take Me to Your Leader, "arguably the most cinematic" of Dumile's albums from the turn of the 21st century, in a brief notice for its reissue.

October 7, 2014: NehruvianDoom Album Release

On October 7, 2014, NehruvianDoom, MF Doom's collaboration with rapper Bishop Nehru, was released. MF Doom produced all the tracks, often using beats from his Special Herbs series. The album was Nehru's major label debut but received mixed reviews, with critics noting limitations in Nehru's performance and suggesting Doom's contributions seemed uninspired.

2015: Announcement of Swift & Changeable album release in 2016

In 2015, Ghostface Killah announced that the album, Swift & Changeable, would be released in 2016, and later posted promotional artwork for the collaboration. It remains unreleased.

2016: Unreleased Album

In 2016, Dumile and Ghostface Killah's announced album Swift & Changeable, was to be released and remains unreleased.

August 2017: Adult Swim Announces Compilation Album

In August 2017, Adult Swim announced a compilation album by MF Doom titled 'The Missing Notebook Rhymes', which was to include songs from upcoming projects and featured appearances. The plan was to release one new song per week for 15 weeks on the Adult Swim website.

2017: Death of Son Malachi

In late 2017, MF DOOM's son Malachi passed away from unspecified causes at the age of 14.

February 2018: Czarface Collaboration Single Release

In February 2018, MF Doom and Czarface released "Nautical Depth", which was the first single from their collaborative album 'Czarface Meets Metal Face'.

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March 30, 2018: Czarface Meets Metal Face Album Release

On March 30, 2018, the collaborative album 'Czarface Meets Metal Face' by MF Doom and Czarface was released. The album received lukewarm reviews, with critics comparing other artists' verses favorably to Dumile's.

November 2019: Adult Swim Festival Prank

In November 2019, during Flying Lotus' performance at the Adult Swim Festival, the masked figure who appeared onstage as MF Doom was revealed to be comedian Hannibal Buress. MF Doom's involvement in the prank remains unconfirmed.

October 2020: MF Doom's Death

In October 2020, MF DOOM passed away. His wife, Jasmine, announced his death on December 31, 2020, though the cause of death was not revealed until later.

October 2020: Hospitalization and Death

In October 2020, MF Doom was admitted to St James's University Hospital in Leeds with respiratory problems. He passed away on October 31, 2020 from angioedema, an adverse reaction to blood pressure medication.

October 31, 2020: Daniel Dumile's Death

On October 31, 2020, Daniel Dumile, also known as MF Doom, died. He was a celebrated, unpredictable, and enigmatic figure in hip hop.

2020: Collaboration Delayed Due to COVID-19

In 2020, MF Doom completed his second collaborative album with Czarface, 'Super What?', but its release was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Death in Leeds Hospital

In 2020, on Halloween, Dumile died in a Leeds hospital from angioedema following a reaction to a blood pressure medication.

January 2021: Inauguration Playlist Inclusion and Controversy

In January 2021, MF Doom's 2004 instrumental track "Coffin Nails" was included on U.S. President Joe Biden's inauguration playlist. This was met with criticism due to Biden's role as Vice President in 2010 when MF Doom was refused re-entry to the United States.

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May 2021: Posthumous Album Release: Super What?

In May 2021, 'Super What?', MF Doom's second collaborative album with Czarface and his first posthumous release, was released.

2021: Retrospective Review of Operation: Doomsday

In 2021, Jon Caramanica revisited Operation: Doomsday in The New York Times, calling it "one of the most idiosyncratic hip-hop albums of the 1990s, and one of the defining documents of the independent hip-hop explosion of that decade".

July 2023: Cause of Death Revealed

In July 2023, it was revealed that MF DOOM's cause of death was angioedema, an adverse reaction to blood pressure medication, after his death in October 2020.