I’ll be honest—I don’t really have the words right now. A week ago, I wanted to give y’all a New Years post dedicated to what I think 2021 will bring for the independent music community. Then I got the news on December 31st. Daniel Dumile—variously known as Zev Love X, The Supervillain, Viktor Vaughn, King Geedorah, and, most infamously, MF DOOM—had left the planet on October 31st, 2020.
DOOM has had a bigger impact on my relationship with music than any other artist. The narrative structure, the world-building, the sample selection, the release strategies, the performances (and even the imposters)—DOOM changed my perception of what an artist could do when they double-down on authenticity and wait for the rest of the world to catch up. But instead of forcing words around something I’m still processing, I’m going to dedicate this edition of the newsletter to sharing a reading/watching list related to DOOM. Aside from his monumental impact on music from a creative standpoint, DOOM’s career can teach us a lot about the kind of success, respect, and cultural impact a fully independent artist can attain. In the wake of his death, I'm taking time to reflect on my own relationship with the music industry. I hope to come out of this process with a better understanding of how I can work to extol the highest levels of creativity and artistic integrity that exist in the independent music community. Til then, I’m going to do some studying, and if y’all want to join me, here’s a starting point for your inspiration:
MF DOOM’s career-spanning interview with Red Bull Music Academy
Stones Throw’s photo essay on the making of Madvillainy
If you want to chat about DOOM, ways we can work together creatively, or anything else at all, drop me a line at daniel@pgchg.com. If you are so inclined, feel free to share this newsletter with a friend.
Til next time, ✌🏾💕