| Vaudeville Villain | ||||
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| Released | September 16, 2003 | |||
| Genre | Underground hip hop | |||
| Length | 56:42 | |||
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| Singles from Vaudeville Villain | ||||
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Vaudeville Villain is the third studio album by British-American rapper-producer MF Doom, released on September 16, 2003 under the pseudonym of Viktor Vaughn. All of the tracks are produced by Sound-Ink record label members Heat Sensor, King Honey, and Max Bill, with the exception of "Saliva", produced by RJD2.
In early 2003, while MF Doom and Madlib were working on Madvillainy , the unfinished demo of the album was stolen and leaked on the internet. Frustrated, the duo decided to work separately on other projects. The first album released by MF Doom in that period was Take Me to Your Leader , followed by Vaudeville Villain. [1]
Unlike MF Doom's previous albums, produced entirely by him, majority of the tracks on Vaudeville Villain were produced by the members of Sound-Ink record label. [2] He met one of them, Heat Sensor, at a bar in Brooklyn. The two shared common interests, including interest in time travel. Heat Sensor later introduced him to King Honey and Max Bill. [3] The only song not produced by the producer trio was "Saliva", which was produced by RJD2. [4]
Vaudeville Villain tells a story of Viktor Vaughn, who was described by NME as a "time travelling street hustler". [5] The character was named after Marvel supervillain Victor Von Doom. [6] While time traveling, Viktor Vaughn's time machine got damaged, which forced him to stay in the early 1990s New York City. [5] [7] The album shows his day-to-day life, [5] with each track showing a different situation he ends up in as he tries to earn money to fix his time machine. [4] [7]
Vaudeville Villain was released on September 16, 2003, [8] by Sound-Ink Records and Traffic Entertainment Group. [9] Two singles from the album were released commercially: "Rae Dawn" and "Mr. Clean". [10] [11] 7-inch promo single "Saliva" was also produced for an online giveaway. [9] Music video for "Mr. Clean" was released to promote the album. [9]
Vaudeville Villain was a moderate commercial success, peaking at number 99 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [13] |
| And It Don't Stop | A [14] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A [15] |
| HipHopDX | 4.0/5 [16] |
| Pitchfork | 9.1/10 [4] |
| Spin | B+ [17] |
| Stylus Magazine | B [18] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | 5/5 [19] |
Vaudeville Villain received critical acclaim. AllMusic reviewer Mark Pytlik claimed MF Doom was at his absolute best on Vaudeville Villain, calling the album "dense, bright, and packed with ideas". [13] Nathan Rabin, writing for The A.V. Club , commended MF Doom's "ultra-magnetic lyrics" and noted that the album's production isn't as strong as one of Take Me to Your Leader. [20] Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly praised the album for its punch lines and "eerie, droning, sci-fi-scented funk" beats. [15] HipHopDX called the album "stellar from start to finish" from the production standpoint, naming track "Saliva" the highlight of the album. [16] Roland Pemberton, writing for Pitchfork , praised the lyrical content of Vaudeville Villain, but criticized its production. [4] Conversely, Scott McKeating of Stylus Magazine thought production of the album was its real strength, and disliked Viktor Vaughn alias and the concept of the album, calling it "fundamentally silly". [18] PopMatters called Vaudeville Villain MF Doom's best work to date, saying rappers like him "helped kick hip-hop in a thousand directions, both sonically and psychologically". [8] Tiny Mix Tapes praised the album, noting that the production "lacks the overall rough and experimental quirkiness and unevenness" of Take Me To Your Leader, which puts vocal delivery in the forefront of the record. [19]
Writing in 2021 after MF Doom's death, Robert Christgau said the album "could very well be his best" and viewed it as a consistent example of how he was "a fundamentally comic artist for whom rhyme as opposed to meaning was king". [14] In January 2021, NME wrote an article about the album, calling it an "undersung masterpiece" and "perhaps the most compelling reminder of the many talents of Daniel Dumile". [5]
Several publications included Vaudeville Villain in their lists of the best albums. Vaudeville Villain ranked at number 25 on Pitchfork 's "Top 50 Albums of 2003" list. [21] Washington City Paper put it at number 4 on its list of the best albums of 2003. [22] Exclaim! listed the album among the best hip hop albums of 2003. [3] In 2010, Slant Magazine ranked Vaudeville Villain at number 217 in its list of 250 best albums of the 2000s. [23] In 2012, the album ranked at number 25 on Pigeons & Planes 's "30 Best Underground Hip-Hop Albums" list. [24]
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Overture" | 0:34 | |
| 2. | "Vaudeville Villain" | King Honey | 2:31 |
| 3. | "Lickupon" | Heat Sensor | 2:44 |
| 4. | "The Drop" | Max Bill | 3:24 |
| 5. | "Lactose and Lecithin" | Heat Sensor | 2:34 |
| 6. | "A Dead Mouse" | King Honey | 3:55 |
| 7. | "Open Mic Nite, Pt. 1" (featuring Lord Sear, Brother Sambuca, Rodan as Dr. Moreau and Louis Logic) | King Honey | 4:09 |
| 8. | "RaeDawn" | Heat Sensor | 3:00 |
| 9. | "Let Me Watch" (featuring Apani B as Nikki) | King Honey | 4:27 |
| 10. | "Saliva" | RJD2 | 2:28 |
| 11. | "Modern Day Mugging" | Heat Sensor | 2:43 |
| 12. | "Open Mic Nite, Pt. 2" (featuring Lord Sear, AJ Ready Wright and Creature) |
| 3:13 |
| 13. | "Never Dead" (featuring M. Sayyid as Curis Strifer) | Heat Sensor | 3:27 |
| 14. | "PopSnot" | Max Bill | 4:39 |
| 15. | "Mr. Clean" | King Honey | 2:13 |
| 16. | "G.M.C." | Max Bill | 3:33 |
| 17. | "Change the Beat" (Hidden Track) (performed by MF Doom ) | Max Bill | 6:55 |
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [25]
Personnel
Artwork
Additional personnel
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [12] | 99 |
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [26] | 133 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [27] | 14 |
Daniel Dumile, also known by his stage name MF Doom or simply Doom, was a British-American rapper and record producer. Noted for his intricate wordplay, signature metal mask, and "supervillain" stage persona, Dumile became a major figure of underground hip hop and alternative hip hop in the 2000s. After his death, Variety described him as one of the scene's "most celebrated, unpredictable and enigmatic figures".
Madvillainy is the only studio album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, consisting of British-American rapper MF Doom and American record producer Madlib. It was released on March 23, 2004, on Stones Throw Records.
Madvillain was an American hip hop supergroup formed in 2002, consisting of rapper MF DOOM and producer Madlib. Their only album, Madvillainy (2004), earned critical acclaim and cult popularity, widely regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time and a benchmark record for alternative hip hop. Their intricate rhymes and lyrics, short song structures and use of obscure, stylistically diverse samples made for a sound that was generally unfriendly to commercial radio but was lauded for its influence on underground rap. A follow-up album to Madvillainy was rumored to be in production at various times since the late 2000s, but no further original material has surfaced from the duo since 2010, and MF DOOM's death in 2020 has left the future of the project uncertain.
Otis Jackson Jr., known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM, J Dilla, and Freddie Gibbs. Madlib has described himself as a "DJ first, producer second, and MC last." His stage name is an acronym for "Mind Altering Demented Lessons In Beats".
Operation: Doomsday is the debut studio album by British-American rapper MF DOOM, released through Fondle 'Em Records on 19 October 1999 and reissued by Sub Verse Records in 2001 with a slightly altered track listing. It was his first solo release under the MF DOOM moniker after previously performing as Zev Love X in the group KMD. Operation: Doomsday is regarded as one of the most influential albums in independent hip-hop history. A deluxe remastered version of the album was released by DOOM's own Metal Face Records on 24 October 2011.
VV:2, also known as Venomous Villain, is the fourth studio album by British-American rapper and producer MF DOOM, and the second and final album to be released under his alias Viktor Vaughn. It was released through Insomniac, Inc. on August 3, 2004.
Take Me to Your Leader is the second studio album by British-American MC/producer MF DOOM, released under the alias King Geedorah via Big Dada on June 17, 2003. King Geedorah is the alias MF DOOM used as part of the underground super group Monsta Island Czars. The album features guest appearances from MF Grimm as well as other MIC members. The character is based on the three-headed King Ghidorah, a fictional monster who appears as Godzilla's enemy in the Godzilla films.
Mm..Food is the fifth studio album by British-American rapper and producer MF Doom, released by Rhymesayers in November 2004. The album peaked at number 17 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, and number 9 on Heatseekers Albums chart. The title Mm..Food is an anagram of "MF Doom".
Live from Planet X is a live album by British-American rapper/producer MF DOOM. It was released via Nature Sounds on March 5, 2005. It was recorded live in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2004. Originally titled Live at the DNA Lounge, the album was initially given away with Special Herbs, Vols. 5 & 6. It includes tracks from Operation: Doomsday, Take Me to Your Leader, and Madvillainy.
Black Bastards is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group KMD, recorded in 1993 and eventually released on May 15, 2000, through Readyrock Records. Initially, the album was scheduled for release in May 1994, but Elektra Records canceled the album, reportedly due to the controversial cover art, which shows a Sambo figure being lynched. Zev Love X's brother DJ Subroc was killed when he was struck by a car shortly before the album was completed, and subsequent releases of the album have featured dedications to him.
The Mouse and the Mask is an album by Danger Doom, a collaboration between the hip hop artists Danger Mouse and MF Doom. It was released on October 11, 2005, by the independent punk label Epitaph Records in the United States. It was also released by Lex Records in the UK on October 17, 2005, with different cover art.
Fishscale is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released March 28, 2006, on Def Jam in the United States. The album features guest appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Ghostface Killah's Theodore Unit. It also features production from several acclaimed producers, such as MF DOOM, Pete Rock, J Dilla, and Just Blaze, among others. The album follows an organized crime theme, and is named after a term for uncut cocaine.
Dingilizwe Dumile, known professionally as DJ Subroc, was an American hip-hop artist and a member of KMD and Constipated Monkeys.
British-American rapper and record producer Daniel Dumile, also known under several stage names, most notably MF DOOM, released six studio albums, two live albums, three compilation albums, 10 instrumental albums, seven collaborative albums, 14 singles, and 32 music videos in his career.
Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix is a remix album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, consisting of rapper MF DOOM and producer/rapper Madlib. The album is a re-working created by Madlib of their 2004 debut album, Madvillainy. It was released via Stones Throw Records in 2008.
Born Like This is the sixth and final solo studio album by British-American rapper/producer MF DOOM. It was released under the pseudonym "DOOM" on March 24, 2009 through Lex Records. It debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200 chart, having sold 10,895 copies as of March 29, 2009. In addition to tracks produced by MF Doom, the album includes production by frequent collaborator Madlib, as well as J Dilla. The album title is borrowed from Charles Bukowski's poem "Dinosauria, We", which employs it as a cadence. The track "Cellz" opens with a sampled recording of Bukowski reading the poem.
Key to the Kuffs is a collaborative album by alternative hip hop artists Jneiro Jarel and MF DOOM under the moniker JJ Doom. It was released on Lex Records on August 20, 2012.
NehruvianDoom is the collaborative studio album by American hip hop duo NehruvianDoom which consisted of MF DOOM and Bishop Nehru. The album was released on October 7, 2014, by Lex Records.
Look Mom... No Hands is the first solo studio album by American hip hop musician Vast Aire, one half of the duo Cannibal Ox. It was released on Chocolate Industries on April 27, 2004. It features contributions from MF Doom, RJD2, Madlib, Aesop Rock, and Sadat X. It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.
"Doomsday" is a song by British-American rapper MF Doom featuring singer Pebbles the Invisible Girl, taken from the former's debut studio album Operation: Doomsday (1999). Produced by MF Doom himself, it contains samples of "Kiss of Life" by Sade and "Poetry" by Boogie Down Productions.
