Madvillainy

MADVILLAINY

The only album from Madlib & MF DOOM (under the moniker Madvillain), it was recorded between 2002-2004.
Madlib created most of the instrumentals whilst on a trip to Brazil in his hotel using a Boss SP-303 sampler, a turntable & a tape deck.
He created 100 beats in a few weeks, which some were used on this album while others were used on collab projects with the likes of J Dilla & M.E.D.

An unfinished demo version was stolen one year before it was released and got leaked, frustrating the duo & causing them to stop working on the album until after releasing other solo projects in between.

Honestly... I'm lost for words! I fuckin' love this album; it's just so fun, experimental and unpredictable all at once.

I love Madlib's production and blending of genres like jazz and soul, as well as all the samples from obscure records and what sound like 1940s films.
Every track has smooth rhythms and cleverly crafted switch-ups that make this such a fun trip of many different worlds MF & Madlib have created and want us to join in.

MF DOOM's lyrics are pretty damn good with a heavy reliance on wordplay and double entendres, leaving you with multiple ways to unravel what is being said.
I also love the use of pop culture references here and there as well the rhymes throughout as it just offers a playful nature that can be enlightening.

Even with how short this album and that it goes by really quickly at 46mins, there's so many unique segments within all 22 tracks that it feels like a unique sketch collage of oldschool Hip-Hop, like a genuine love-letter to the scene and I'm absolutely adoring that.

It's no denying MF DOOM is seen as a major influence to the Hip-Hop scene as well as producers / artists of other genres; this includes the likes of Jungle, Flying Lotus, Danny Brown, Joey Bada$$ & Cashmere Cat.

Now I wish I heard this much sooner as I didn't realise the size of the delightful package of Hip-Hop galore I was in for.

RIP DOOM