Madvillain, 'Madvillainy', 2004

Madvillain - Madvillainy  Stones Throw Records (STH 2065, 2004)

The masked antihero of hip hop’s underground, MF DOOM, teams up with the Beat Konducta himself, Madlib, on the now-legendary 2004 project Madvillainy. Both Madlib and DOOM were already prolific artists when they joined forces to become Madvillain in the early 2000s and the pairing is often thought of as the genre’s archetypal dream team.

A treasure trove for the avid listener, DOOM’s multisyllable rhymes are peppered with niche cultural references and witty double-entendres and are served dripping in charisma. Madlib’s production is equally masterful, expertly blending samples from prog rock, cosmic jazz, obscure television shows and any number of long-forgotten albums found in the dustiest corners of the world’s record stores.

In many ways, Madvillainy captures the essence of hip hop: chewing up the diversity of American culture and spitting it back out through a sampler and a mic. Since its release, Madvillainy has influenced an entire generation of MCs and producers and it remains a must-listen for hip hop aficionados and newcomers alike.

NOTES:

Graded using the Goldmine Standard. Graded conservatively, cover and media VG+.

Cover: VG+
Media: VG+