Concert Review
Chicago Tribune
November 2004
Though many rappers rely on flashy diamonds and street credibility to get attention, underground rap kingpin Daniel Dumile needed just a mike and a metal mask to rock the Abbey Pub Monday night.
Performing as the mysterious MF Doom, a character named after a Marvel comic book antagonist, Dumile opened the “MM…Food” album-release tour with a buffet of beats from his stories career.
As his deejay teased the crowd and asked if they were hungry for some food, the stage lights went down and Doom made a commanding entrance. Strutting in the shadows, he opened the show with tracks from his new album, including the beat box jam “Hoe Cakes” and the Madlib-produced “One Beer.” As he flexed all over the stage, stray light bounced off his metal mask.
But things were just getting started for the masked marauder. After he introduced his crew, including the affable hype man Big Ben the Klingon, Doom started reaching into his back catalog, and the crowd exploded. Covering tracks from his albums “Madvillainy” and “Operation Doomsday,” Doom was in his element, laying down clever couplets such as “Slip like Freudian/Your first and last step to playin’ yourself like an accordion” over the jazzy beats of “Accordion.” At a time when rappers strive to cultivate a thuggish facade complete with plenty of bling, Doom’s lyrical dexterity and exaggerated, comic book persona mocks those rappers while simultaneously beating them at their own game.
Earlier in the evening, the opening acts energized the crowd with slick wordplay and soulful beats. Taking a page from Jean Grae’s book, laid-back female rapper Psalm One opened the night with focused, solid storytelling. Next was Brother Ali, an albino rapper who towered over the stage and exhibited a rapid-fire delivery. Still, his uplifting lyrics and warm stage presence showed him to be more of a hip-hop teddy bear.
But Doom owned the evening, playing the crowd perfectly. His enthusiasm and brisk flow were contagious, but his best move was disappearing offstage a few times during his set. It elicited rowdy cheers from a hyped-up crowd. When he walked off stage, deafening chants of “Doom!” followed him, demonstrating that the crowd definitely wanted seconds.