A True Rap Iconoclast: A Guest Post by S.H. Fernando Jr.

Go behind the scenes and discover the life of an icon in this gripping biography, detailing MF DOOM’s rise to fame and lasting impact on hip-hop today. Read on for an exclusive essay from S.H. Fernando Jr. on writing The Chronicles of DOOM.

In a world full of disposable distractions, it’s becoming all too rare to find an artist who really wows and astounds, blowing away all preconceived notions, challenging assumptions, and ultimately helping us grow by enriching our life experience. They may not be the flashiest or cash the biggest checks, yet their impact reverberates among a broad swathe of people, who find themselves magnetized by such a personality—not via the usual channels of marketing and hype but through metrics like authenticity and originality. Even in death their creativity still resonates drawing a bigger audience than when they were alive. We were lucky to have such an artist in the name of Daniel Dumile, better known to his fans as MF DOOM.

DOOM enjoyed his most prolific period during the early aughts, when rap dominated the mainstream. No longer considered cutting-edge, the art form had outlived its faded “golden era” only to be reduced to high-value commerce. Rappers were regarded more for their designer outfits and bling than the content of their verses. DOOM, whose roots reached back to the “golden era” (when he performed as Zev Love X from the group KMD), flipped the script on all that. His simple conceit—donning a mask and portraying a character known as the Supervillain—may have been mistaken as a marketing strategy, but it was his unique way of shifting the focus back to dope beats and clever rhymes that comprised the essence of hip-hop.

As a champion of the underground, active on the scene since the 90s, when I ran my own label, WordSound, I recognized DOOM’s importance as an artist, moving units on the strength of sheer talent, never hype. As soon as I heard of his passing, I also knew I had to write about him. Never mind that at 49, he was taken from us well before his time; I was afraid his important contributions would be forgotten. After all, there’s never been such a compelling character in rap, who successfully created a mystique around themselves resembling a grand mythology. At the same time, ironically, I don’t think there have been many artists as authentic as DOOM.

Obviously, his passing along with his obsession with privacy presented a challenge for me when writing the book. But as investigative journalist with one foot firmly planted in the independent hip-hop scene would, I knew I was up for the challenge. Starting with the people I knew, mainly the independent labels that released his music, I worked inwards from there, slowly unraveling his circle of friends, family, and collaborators, until I had interviewed about 50 people in total. Some, respecting DOOM’s privacy, didn’t want to speak. But by approaching this project with the zeal of a fan and the expertise of a journalist, I won some of them over. My simple goal: to render a fair, accurate and passionate portrait of a true rap iconoclast. Readers can be the judge of my success.