Daniel Dumile was a British rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He performed and released music under several stage names, most notably MF Doom. Dumile made his debut in the late 1980s and became a major figure in underground hip hop of the early 21st century. Dumile frequently collaborated with other producers and rappers, most notably with Madlib under the moniker Madvillain. He has received widespread praise for his sharp, candid rhymes as well as his choppy, sample-heavy production style.
Dumile was born on 9 January 1971 in London, England. Born in London, Dumile moved with his family to Long Island, New York at a young age. He began his musical career in 1988 as a member of the trio KMD, at which time he performed under the name Zev Love X. Dumile’s most prolific period of his career was in the early 2000s, in which he released most of his most celebrated albums. He passed away on 31 October 2020 at age 49.
1 I’m always trying to show versatility. -MF Doom
Versatility is one’s greatest virtue. Do not make a niche for yourself and be stuck there. Explore other opportunities and learn new things.
2 Yep listening to nothing, taking no suggestions or destructive criticisms, that can’t improve on perfection. -MF Doom
Do not listen to people who are trying to pull you down. Be your own person and pay no heed to the criticism that others throw at you. Have faith in yourself and that’s enough.
3 I’m doing the shows, the stage is my canvas, I’ll put whatever up there for the visible eye. -MF Doom
For a performer, the stage is their canvas. They can be whatever they want and perform for their audiences. It is up to the performer to make the best of their art.
4 Nobody knows me, I’m incognito, it’s all new, all fun. -MF Doom
Do not reveal everything about you to everyone. Those who have a lot of knowledge aout you also have power over you. Being anonymous gives you the power to be honest and outright.
5 Livin’ off borrowed time, the clock ticks faster. -MF Doom
We do not have much time in this world. Every passing moment, you are coming closer to the end. What matters is that you do the best in the little time that you have.
6 I think, a lot of times in hip-hop, especially, artists get kind of pigeonholed into being ‘the guy,’ and it’s kind of limiting in a way. MF Doom
Very often, artists are often typecast into being a particular way that their audience wants. This restricts from exploring boundaries and trying out new things.
7 You have writers that write about crazy characters, but that doesn’t mean the writer himself is crazy. -MF Doom
Writers have the ability to conjure up sophisticated characters. But that does not mean that they themselves are like the characters that they make. It’s their boundless imagination and creativity.
8 I only play the games that I win at. -MF Doom
It’s essential that you recognize and be aware of your strengths. Do not be involved in things that you know you are weak at. Only do so once you are sure you win at it.
9 They’d rather see me fail than succeed, that’s why I’m alone on my own with no team. -MF Doom
Some people only want to see you fail. They envy you and wish ill for you. It’s better to be alone than to be with people like these. Avoid the people who try to pull you down.
10 You could either ignore this advice, or take it from me, be too nice, and people take you for a dummy. -MF Doom
People tend to take you for granted when you are too nice to them. They think less of you and some may even betray and hurt you. Being too nice is a double edged sword.
11 Don’t need no green, though I got some to spend, In the end, all I really need is a friend. -MF Doom
What one really needs in life is friends. Money is just secondary. You can never buy happiness. If you do not have people to share your happiness with, then all the riches you have is just waste.
12 There’s four sides to every story. -MF Doom
Things are not always the way they seem. Every story has more than one side. People have different perspectives and their own reasons. You cannot judge any situation without knowing every side of the story.
1. I’m always trying to show versatility. -MF Doom
2. Yep listening to nothing, taking no suggestions or destructive criticisms, that can’t improve on perfection. -MF Doom
3. I’m doing the shows, the stage is my canvas, I’ll put whatever up there for the visible eye. -MF Doom
4. Nobody knows me, I’m incognito, it’s all new, all fun. -MF Doom
5. Livin’ off borrowed time, the clock ticks faster. -MF Doom
6. I think, a lot of times in hip-hop, especially, artists get kind of pigeonholed into being ‘the guy,’ and it’s kind of limiting in a way. MF Doom
7. You have writers that write about crazy characters, but that doesn’t mean the writer himself is crazy. -MF Doom
8. I only play the games that I win at. -MF Doom
9. They’d rather see me fail than succeed, that’s why I’m alone on my own with no team. -MF Doom
10. You could either ignore this advice, or take it from me, be too nice, and people take you for a dummy. -MF Doom
11. Don’t need no green, though I got some to spend, In the end, all I really need is a friend. -MF Doom
12. There’s four sides to every story. -MF Doom
