MF. Doom

It’s been five years since MF Doom debuted with his now-classic Operation: Doomsday and he’s only now releasing the official follow-up, MM..Food?. Sure, he’s dropped two albums as Viktor Vaughn, one as King Geedorah, a collaborative project with Madlib as MadVillain, and numerous instrumental collections, but MM..Food? has been the most anticipated. Like Operation: Doomsday, MM..Food? is held together by Doom’s Fantastic Four cut-ups, mixed here with some great food-oriented samples. This is a concept album of sorts, like a buffet of beats and rhymes, with songs named after foods and the cover designed to look like a restaurant menu. Lyrically, however, it’s more of Doom’s masterful storytelling, witty punch lines and pop-culture referencing — heavy emphasis on the food and food metaphors, of course. The beats are vintage Doom with even some production leftovers from Operation: Doomsday. Although the promised Prince Paul track is missing, Count Bass D, Madlib and PNS cook up some hot flavours, and Doom serves up some of his best self-produced tracks. Highlights include: the relationship woes of "Guinesses,” featuring Angelika, a superb female MC, and 4ize; the amazing web-slinging vibe of instrumental "Fig Leaf Bi-Carbonate;” and the Sesame Street funk of "Kookies.” Doom even makes peace with long-time nemesis Mr Fantastik on the duet "Rapp Snitch Knishes.” MM..Food? is yet another notch on the mask of the metal face villain.