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Books

An MF DOOM biography is in the works

A new biography, The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Rap’s Masked Iconoclast, is set to lift the lid on the mysterious rap virtuoso, the late MF DOOM.

Astra House has announced that they will be publishing The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Rap’s Masked Iconoclast. It’s set to hit the shelves in 2024.

The book will be authored by acclaimed music journalist, S.H. Fernando Jr. — who recently penned From the Streets of Shaolin: the Wu-Tang Saga — and promises to be the definitive account of the mercurial rapper’s life and career.

MF DOOM live

MF DOOM (aka Daniel Dumile) was born in London, but his musical career began after emigrating New York. He formed a trio, KMD, alongside his brother (who died in 1993) and released his first solo record, Operation: Doomsday in 1999.

2004 was the most pivotal year in DOOM’s career. On the back of two releases MM..FOOD and the seminal collaboration with the producer Madlib, Madvillainy, MF DOOM rose to international fame. In spite of his growing reputation, MF DOOM was far from a conventional celebrity.

For one thing, nobody saw DOOM’s face in public, ever. Whether it be on stage, in videos, or fronting the media, the metal gladiator mask was never removed.

True to form, even MF DOOM’s passing was enigmatic. His death was announced on New Year’s Eve 2020 — months after it actually happened. The cause of death is still the subject of conjecture.

Given the secretive nature of his life, The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Rap’s Masked Iconoclast is surely one of the most eagerly anticipated biographies to emerge in recent years.