Hip-Hop Fridays: DOOM "Born Like This" (2009)

Hip-hop Fridays has pretty much been dedicated to uploading and reviewing long lost albums, usually from the early 90s, because that is where my hip-hop lovin' heart lays. Anyways, due to lack of time this week, you'll just have to settle for the new MF Doom, errrr DOOM, which is already all over the internet and has been for some time. Outside of the new Dalek album, "Born Like This" is the only hip-hop record from 2009 that I've had the time of day for. It seems like that's the way the genre has gone--5-6 decent albums a year, at least by my count. It's a sad state for the genre right now, but DOOM is here to the rescue. Not to say this is his best work (that, for me, goes out to the King Geedorah album), but it sure is a breath of the fresh stuff in this increasingly stinky atmosphere. Below is the review I wrote for Color, some tracks leaked on youtube, an interview with Rolling Stone, and a link to a full album download. Of course, I do recommend picking this one up on LP, which should be dropping any week now. The CD is out already and, much like the other CD releases on Lex, this one looks fantastic. Snatch it up any way you can, kiddies.


DOOM, who has dropped the MF and gone all caps, is back after four years since his last release and he's made the wait well worth it. It appears as if he's taken a page from his old ally Madlib because this is a serious kitchen sink effort. The beats and interludes, most of which are produced by DOOM, contain a dizzying array of sample sources, including chopped up exotica and classical, ESG, late night television, and even a Charles Bukowski poem. The brevity of these tracks (most of which are under two and half minutes), the lack of breaks between most songs, and the lack of choruses (a rarity in hip-hop) give the album a kaleidoscopic pastiche feel that keeps the album sounding fresh upon each listen. DOOM has also spent some serious time with the pen and the pad, his verbal dexterity has reached an intensity that you’ll have to rewind so you catch everything. Born Like This proves that DOOM, even four years out of the game, still remains the masked villain at the top.

Download "Born Like This" here.

Password: APNSB

Read Rolling Stone interview here.

'That's That'


'Yessir' (feat. Raekwon and ESG sample)


and finally...
'Batty Boyz', a seemingly homophobic song about gay superheroes. Kind of odd coming from DOOM, and I'm still not sure what to think of it. It also happens to be my favorite beat on the album.