DOOM: BORN LIKE THISMore ear-poppers from one of rap's
zaniest
Now that metal-faced rapper DOOM has dropped the
MF from his name and insisted on capitalization of the remainder, his
moniker matches what his devotees howl from the audience at shows
where he's even rumored to appear. Even with a new pseudonym—his
AKA sheet includes Zev Love X, Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah and half
of Madvillain—the perpetually hoarse rhymesayer born Daniel Dumile
is still dishing out confounding couplets that have become his
trademark. "And the lucky contestant was sent / a whole year's
supply of buckets of yucky excrement," he slurs out on the
minute-and-a-half "Rap Ambush."DOOM: BORN LIKE THISThe well-chopped, sample-heavy beats
include production by DOOM himself, Madlib, Jake One and J Dilla,
including the latter's gorgeous "Lightworks." Guest shots
include Wu-Tang goliaths Ghostface and Raekwon, but it's a sample of
the fiery voice of poet Charles Bukowski tearing contemporary society
a new one that makes for the album's cornerstone moment on "Cellz."
Unfortunately, "Batty-Boys," another of the strongest
creations in terms of focus, lyrical vigor ("Turn dirt to
dollars like Don Henley") and beats, is dotted with an awkward
homophobic subtext about superheroes' true sexual identities: "It's
like a leotard-fest / how it got started is any retard's guess."
More of a distraction, however, are a handful of songs that never
find that lyrical sweet spot before they end, including the Madlib
collaboration "Absolutely," which suffers from a tepid jazz
sample at its core.
Tellingly, nestled amongst Born Like
This' many movie dialogue snippets is the maniacal Judge Doom
(Christopher Lloyd) from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, screaming,
"You'll never stop me!" at the end of "That's That."
Try to find too much fault in a mad genius and you're equally to
blame.
Click here to listen to a five-song sampler of DOOM's Born Like This.