Is there anyone that didn’t know the 20th anniversary edition of DOOM’s MM..FOOD was out? I mean there has been a bit of hype – a new animated video for Vomitspit and the releasing of focus track One Beer – or at least Madlib’s formerly obscure remix of it prior to the album’s arrival. And now here’s the re-issue itself which, in digital format, features no fewer than eleven bonus tracks and seven rare clips of DOOM being interviewed a few days prior to the original 2004 release date. Oh – and there’s new artwork too – painted by Sam Rodriguez to mark the occasion while maintaining the spirit of Jason Jägel’s original. It even features a DOOM impostor at the bar. Or maybe that’s DOOM at the bar and the impostor in the window seat. Who knows?
Still it’s really all about the music with DOOM lyrically employing the universal metaphor of food to critique the glorification of violence, excess, self-indulgence and egotistical behaviour in the rap game, a wealth of retro kids cartoon samples in the skits and DOOM’s distinctive beats – plus one apiece from Count Bass D, Madlib and The Molemen’s PNS. And the material, including such highlights as Rapp Snitch Knishes, One Beer and Guinnessez has certainly stood the test of time. Indeed after twenty years of maturation and sadly, posthumously, this particular classic has found DOOM enter both the Billboard Top Ten R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the top 40 of the Billboard 200 for the first time ever.
(Out now on Rhymesayers)