Review Summary: MF Doom switches up to Viktor Vaughn and delivers the goods with more of a hardcore feel. He sticks to the rapping and shines as other producers deliver the goods. No hooks, no problems as he spits fire verse after verse.
MF Doom AKA Viktor Vaughn is an underground legend in many ways with his former work of art "Operation: Doomsday." His left-field punch lines and metaphors are a trait of his signature style. He produced his former album is a great producer but he is a one-sided producer so for this album he is taking a break form producing and focusing on the mic. This is key because this album's sound is far different from "Operation Doomsday" and is a little more edgy and an expanding sound. It also seems as though he furnished himself with an alter ego named Viktor Vaughn (this is Doctor Doom's real name in the comic books). This might cause confusion amongst MF Doom fans but, no doubt about it this is Doom.
The album starts off with an overture that I skip because it's not why I bought the album. So let's jump ahead to the first song "Vaudeville Villain". The first thing you would notice is the change in beat style, its more hype. He starts to tell something like a third person narrative of Viktor Vaughn. The beat is pretty sweet and the raps are pretty good. 4/5
The next song is "Lickupon" and it is slower but still has a banging beat. The rhyming style is fully in affect in this song and it is funny to me. Such as "Umm, he wrote this one with a fever sick in bed / With his d*** head inside a chicken head / No, a dead chicken's head, he said it help his nausea / If he lost ya', wait ‘til he tell you about the flying saucer." Weird but funny and I give the song a 4.5/5
"The Drop" speeds up again and is another story type narrative. He does more style rhymes "in that order, man, woman ,son, daughter / the beat sound like the underwater, make it from the slaughter / even if you hear some wack s*** you never give a chance / some s*** sound like all you could do on fit is river dance." He is mostly talking some slick s*** and tight wordplay over hot beat. 4.5/5
After that there is a small interlude within the song "Lactose and Lecithin". It's short and deals with the story but it's not special. This song is a more stable story about running from cops and buying drugs that are mostly "Lactose and Lecithin" thus the song title. That being said it's still a good tale and very good wordplay tying it together. 5/5
Another small interlude is in "A Dead Mouse". The first verse is average but, toward the end he picks it up and the beat gives me mixed feelings. The beat is good but doesn't fit his voice well. 3.5/5
"Open Mic Nite, Part 1" is like an interlude but it has rapping and some poetry. The scene is a club with an open mic night. It's a nice touch and is pretty funny. The eccentric host is very rude but in a funny as he makes fun of the participants. MF Doom does not appear on this track, but the others hold up well and once again the beats are very good. 4/5
"Raedawn" has a weird beat but the wordplay is great and he is funny. He paints a picture of Viktor being ridiculously feared when he holds a mic, for example "I can't understand it, V the beat bandit / who bring heat from the mic unhanded / who ever go after burn their hands and lips / a lot of rappers ran and abandon they whips." He also says other things like "At the park gate "Hark who goes there?" / It's V the MC who's nasty as nose hair / you may go he said you should've been say so / tipped him in cash and Argentinean pesos." The raps are very unique and very good. 5/5
The next tale, “Let Me Watch”, is of Viktor getting into a relationship with the guest Apani B Fly or "Nikki." She and him go back and forth with verses and it ends when Viktor slips up "Watch when I see you, I miss you a lot yo / How about a nightcap, maybe a bottle of mo / So V can bite your titties like a baby toddler ho." Tisk, tisk you should know not to call a frail girl a ho Vik. 5/5
After the slow love rap things speed up to the torching "Saliva" with an up tempo beat then it slows, then it hypes up again. Tight wordplay and I'm tired of putting quotes so you got to take my word for it. If you are a MF Doom fan there is no doubt you will love. If you don't laugh at things because they are really retarded you might like it, but I love it. This is signature Doom or Viktor. 5/5
Viktor then showcases how he mugs people in "Modern Day Mugging". There is some informative lines such as "goin' all out to the fullest, all dipped / chrome four-fiddith, no bullets no clip / black electric tape over the hole in the handle / if you hold it right and hit 'em with it they can't tell” and some comedic lines like “all he said was "c'mon don't shoot!" / So shook I think he s*** his Sean john suit.” There are other funny lines too. 4.5/5
This slides into “Open Mic Nite, Pt. 2” which continues from part one. The first guy is skippable. The second guy is alright but I find myself skipping him to hear MF Doom’s verse. The beat on his verse is insane and his verse matches it perfectly. This is by far the best and this verse might be the best verse on the album. He is talking more and more about how he’s nice. 4.5/5 (Doom’s verse carries this song).
“Never Dead” unites MF with M. Sayyid (as Curtis Stifer). They drop verses about being in the ninth grade and nighttime maneuvers. They drop pretty dope verses over another good beat. That’s about it for this one. 4/5
The next song is “Popsnot”. It has good lyrics and good a good beat but, the input for the voices might not appeal that well (if you even pay attention to it). There is also an unnecessary long space between the second and third verse. That being said, this is a very good song because of the 1st part in the 2nd sentence. 4.5/5
Another story-like track is “Mr. Clean”. The story is neglect able unless you listen well. This song is also from a reference earlier song, it’s pretty good as well. 4.5/5
“G.M.C.” is a slammin’ track that starts out with a bass bumping and other mixed sounds. Then Doom lays down some of the better lyrics on the album (which is exceptional because the album’s lyrics are good). 5/5
It ends with a skit then a bonus track “Change the Beat”. The beats change and Doom raps over three of the four. It’s a decent ending, not one of the best but alright still. 4/5
By “Let Me Watch” you will lose all hopes for hooks. If so, you are right because there are no hooks on this album. But this album needs no hooks to be great, it’s filled with great beats and great lyrics that will have you laughing and catch you a little off guard. The only thing keeping this from being a 5 is I know some people who do not appreciate his style well…screw those guys because this is MF Doom / Viktor Vaughn / Zev Love X / King Geedorah / Daniel Dumile at his best. A classic underground album and would be a straight classic if given the light of day in the industry. If you do not feel this album check out the new Soulja Boy album {^_^}.
