Viktor Vaughan (1 Viewer)

Fellow hip-hop fans,
(heh, I just ostracised like 90% of forum membership )

MF Doom's work was recommended to me by some of the folks here, and this thread serves partly as a notice of gratitude. I picked up the Madvillain album a couple of months ago and like it. I'm getting into the trippy, mind-fucking rap style, especially when accompanied with these weird concept lyrics. I don't think I'm as crazy about it as others, through.

However, I just got the Viktor Vaughn album and I absolutely love it! Here MF Doom works with a couple of producers and it all sounds so fresh. I love the lyrics: how many other MCs would dedicate a whole verse to Star Trek references? His mushed delivery takes a bit of getting used to, but it's totally part of the charm and character of the music. The sounds are great- sometimes lush, sometimes sparse, and all perfectly fitting. This album is exactly what I'm looking for in hip-hop.

I must seek out Operation Doomsday...

Not a hardcore hip-hop person, but I preferred King Geedorah's Take Me to Your Leader to the Madvillain album (probably because seemingly about half of the Geedorah album was sampled from Saturday morning cartoons ). Haven't heard Viktor Vaughn....

Hi Mike,

Glad to hear you picked up Viktor Vaughn. It was in my Top-5 last year. Plus, as someone who used to be a comic book geek I like how Doom is using the same name as Dr. Doom's real name.

It also adds a strange twist to the 'Fancy Clown' track from Madvillain. Viktor Vaughn is dissing MF Doom, ie Doom is knocking himself. Good stuff.

That being said, of the albums Doom put out last year, I prefer King Geedorah: Take Me to Your Leader. It was put out on Big Dada (a subsidiary of Ninja Tune) and was entirely produced by Doom. While I think Viktor Vaughn is great, I think Doom is at his best when he's doing all the beats himself. King Honey, RJD2, etc. all provide great backing beats for Viktor, but it's a different sound than the elevator music/synth pop/guitar loops/VHS Cartoons + Monster Movies that Doom provides himself.
The caveat that goes with King Geedorah is that while he produced it all, he only raps on 4-5 tracks. The rest have other MCs or are elaborate skits.

Yes indeed. Some have argued that this is Doom's peak. While I really really like Madvillainy, overall I think I'd give Doomsday the edge, mainly because it's all Doom. (Nothing against Madlib - I think the production on Madvillain was his best work since the Quasimoto album.)

Also, and I know I mentioned this in another thread, check out The Best of KMD. It's interesting hearing a younger, less gravel-throated MF Doom back when he was known as Zev Love X.

He also did a song and some production for the Monsta Island Czars album last year. His sometime collaborator MF (now GM) Grimm started this before he was sent to prison. (MF Grimm put out a decent album of his own, The Downfall of Iblyis shortly before being sent off - he's out now and released an album under the name Superstar Jet Jaguar.)

MF Doom has a been a busy man. I think his new album MM Food is due out "sometime this year" but have not read anything concrete. There's plenty of other stuff to keep occupied until then, though.

Ok, cool, King Geedorah is next on my hip-hop list.