Madvillain HHV Records 2 Items

Of Jazz Beats and Supervillains

There are only a few albums that have changed alternative hip-hop as much as the debut and only album of the duo Madvillain: the explosive blend of MF DOOM’s hypnotically associative lyrics and Madlib’s virtuoso jazz beats shook the foundations of the genre in 2004 and is now considered an often imitated masterpiece. From its cartoonish supervillain concept to the simple yet brillant cover artwork that allows us to peer into MF DOOM’s eyes through the metallic mask, Madvillainy inspired a new generation of rappers and undoubtedly stands as the career pinnacle for both genre legends. Their collaboration began in the early 2000s after DOOM had made a name for himself in the alternative scene with his solo debut and DIY masterpiece, Operation: Doomsday. At that time, Madlib had already produced for a number of respected wordsmiths, including his own crew Lootpack. Before and after their work as collaborators, both shared a penchant for creating alter egos, immersing themselves in fictional characters. Madlib pitched his voice and became MC Quasimoto, while DOOM released records as King Geedorah and Viktor Vaughn, playing different roles in the universe surrounding the supervillain MF DOOM.

Marijuana and the Illusion of Time

After meeting in Los Angeles, the work on Madvillainy began to take shape: Madlib produced nearly 100 beat demos that inspired DOOM’s mostly free-associative lyrics. The whole thing was sampled on the Boss SP-303, while the lyrics were recorded in Madlib’s basement studio. “If you think about it too much, it won’t work. But shit usually works out when you’re with the like-minded,” says Madlib, and following this motto, a diverse range of tracks emerged in a short time. Pieces like Meat Grinder and All Caps effortlessly delivered ten-syllable rhymes, while topics such as the benefits of marijuana (America’s Most Blunted), the illusion of time (Shadows of Tomorrow), and Viktor Vaughn’s broken heart (Fancy Clown) alternated. Madvillainy became a diverse album centered around the lyrically superior antihero DOOM: “Know who’s the illest ever, like the greatest story told.” The rapper’s lyrical prowess found fertile ground in Madlib’s unconventional beats, as the sample maestro manages to turn even the most absurd snippets of sound into catchy instrumental parts. These are so captivating that they even work without lyrics, as seen in tracks like Sickfit.

Poetic, quirky, unpredictable

Some demos from the project found their way onto the internet shortly thereafter, an illegal leak that discouraged DOOM and Madlib, leading to a suspension of work on the album while they pursued their respective solo endeavors in 2003. A year later, the long-awaited album finally dropped on the legendary indie label Stones Throw and exceeded all expectations: the duo was celebrated across genres, not just by die-hard fans. Poetic, quirky, and, above all, unpredictable— on Madvillainy, it’s never quite clear what surprise the two will come up with next. Where one rhyme is anticipated, a different word follows: “Spit so many verses, sometimes my jaw twitches / One thing this party could use is more … booze.” And it makes the absence of choruses and repetitions feel entirely natural. After the album’s success, Madlib and DOOM returned to their individual projects until Madlib released a remix album, Madvillainy 2, in 2008, which presented the iconic tracks on fresh beats. A second collaborative album with new material was discussed a year later, but the work dragged on. With MF DOOM’s passing in 2020, the project came to an end, but it continues to live on in the hearts of the hip-hop community and still holds legendary status today.