Released: 1999 • Features: Pebbles The Invisible Girl
“Doomsday” by MF DOOM, featuring Pebbles The Invisible Girl, is a self-reflective journey of the artist’s inner struggles, using intricate wordplay to reflect on his personal life, the nature of the music industry, and the complex dynamics of street life. The song carries a prevailing sentiment of anticipated return, with a recurring theme of meeting one’s doomsday.
As he opens with “I used to cop a lot, but never copped no drop”, DOOM reflects on his past experiences with law enforcement, cleverly turning the phrase to highlight his unwillingness to compromise or sell out in the industry. His lyricism is sharp as he employs slangs like “Cee Cipher Punk” to refer to weak rappers, emphasizing his disdain for fake personalities in the game.
The phrase “Bound to go three-plat, came to destroy rap” alludes to his disregard for mainstream success and his intent to disrupt the status quo of the hip-hop industry. The line “It’s a intricate plot of a b-boy strapped” underscores DOOM’s perspective of the music industry as a battlefield and himself as a “b-boy” or break-boy, a term originating from the early days of hip-hop, essentially equipped for war.
In the verse “On Doomsday, ever since the womb/’Til I’m back where my brother went, that’s what my tomb will say”, DOOM alludes to the death of his brother and former bandmate, Subroc. His tomb reference conveys his philosophical view of life, the brevity of human existence and his personal anticipation of reuniting with his deceased brother.
The line “Definition ‘super-villain’: a killer who love children” suggests the dualistic persona of DOOM as a ‘super-villain’, indicating the balance of humanity and villainy, love and violence, in his perceived identity. When he says “I’m trading science fiction with my man the live lifer”, he’s referring to the exchange of stories with a friend serving a life sentence, showcasing the harsh reality of his environment.
In essence, “Doomsday” captures the enigmatic lyricism of MF DOOM, filled with personal anecdotes, cultural references and critique of societal norms. His cryptic wordplay presents a complex narrative about life, death, the music industry, and street realities, all while pushing the boundaries of hip-hop lyricism.”
