Mm..Food is the fifth studio album by British-American rapper and producer MF Doom, released through Rhymesayers on 16 November, 2004. The album peaked at number 17 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart, and number 9 on Heatseekers Albums chart. The title Mm..Food is an anagram of "MF Doom".

Mm..Food
Illustration of a masked man sitting down at a table eating from packaged foods.
Studio album by
Released16 November 2004
GenreAlternative hip hop
Length48:57
LabelRhymesayers
Producer
MF Doom chronology
VV:2
(2004)
Mm..Food
(2004)
The Mouse and the Mask
(2005)
Singles from Mm..Food
  1. "One Beer"
    Released: 30 March 2004
  2. "Hoe Cakes"
    Released: 9 November 2004

Background

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MF Doom described Mm..Food as a concept album "about the things you find on a picnic, or at a picnic table".[1] The album's titles and lyrics contain references to different foods, some with common metaphors and double entendres in the "street world" and the "nutritional realm".[2]

The album is primarily produced by MF Doom, except for the tracks "Potholderz", produced by Count Bass D; "One Beer", produced by Madlib and originally intended for the joint Madlib and MF Doom album Madvillainy;[3] and "Kon Queso" produced by PNS of Molemen. Mm..Food features guest appearances from Count Bass D, Angelika, 4ize and Mr. Fantastik.

"Kon Queso" was originally released under the name "Yee Haw" on a 12 inch single in July 2003 with Molemen.[4] The track was re-recorded for Mm..Food with a more laidback performance from MF Doom. "Vomitspit" is a new version of the song "Vomit", with a different beat and some changed lyrics.[5] The original release of the album included a different version of "Kookies". It was removed due to an unlicensed sample from Sesame Street, and was promptly changed to a simpler version of the song in all future physical and digital releases.

A bonus disc titled Mm..LeftOvers containing throwaway tracks and remixes from Mm..Food was released on November 16, 2004 on Hiphopsite.com. It was given away with copies of Mm..Food. The CD contained a recipe for "Villainous Mac & Cheese" by Grammy Dumile on the back of the CD insert.[5]

The album cover's art director was Jeff Jank, and painting by Jason Jagel. The original painting included a blunt that was later edited out.[6]

In August 2024, MF Doom received a posthumous RIAA Gold certification for two singles released from Mm..Food - "Hoe Cakes" and "One Beer". The following month, he received a posthumous Platinum certification for the song "Rapp Snitch Knishes".[7]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
Alternative Press4/5[10]
The Boston Phoenix    [11]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[12]
The Guardian     [13]
HipHopDX4.0/5[14]
NME7/10[15]
Pitchfork7.5/10[16]
Uncut     [17]
URB     [18]

Mm..Food garnered acclaim upon release. At Metacritic, it was given an average score of 81, based on 22 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[8] Ryan Dombal of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Mm..Food flips countless edible metaphors over hard-hitting, jazzy beats, while never devolving into pointless parody."[12] David Jeffries of AllMusic called it "as vital as anything he's done before and entirely untouched or stymied by the hype."[9] Pitchfork's Nick Sylvester called Mm..Food "an attempt to make good on Doom's almost fascist conceit to restore rap's golden age despite its loss of innocence."[16] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club called the album "a crazy pastiche tied loopily together around obsessions with food, comic books, and supervillainy" and wrote that Doom is "exempt from the law of diminishing returns."[19]

In 2012, Stereogum named it the best MF Doom album.[20] In 2015, NME named it "one of the 23 maddest and most memorable concept albums."[21]

Track listing

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All tracks written and produced by MF Doom, except where noted.

Mm..Food track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Beef Rapp" 4:39
2."Hoe Cakes" 3:54
3."Potholderz" (featuring Count Bass D)Count Bass D3:20
4."One Beer"Madlib4:18
5."Deep Fried Frenz" 4:59
6."Poo-Putt Platter" 1:13
7."Fillet-O-Rapper" 1:03
8."Gumbo" 0:49
9."Fig Leaf Bi-Carbonate" 3:19
10."Kon Karne" 2:51
11."Guinnessez" (featuring Angelika and 4ize) 4:41
12."Kon Queso"PNS4:00
13."Rapp Snitch Knishes" (featuring Mr. Fantastik) 2:52
14."Vomitspit" 2:48
15."Kookies" 4:02
Total length:48:57
Deluxe Edition
No.TitleLength
16."Hoe Cakes (Jake One Remix)"3:01
17."Beef Rapp (Live)"2:58
Total length:54:56
Mm..LeftOvers
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."It Ain't Nuthin'" (The Chapter Remix) 2:53
2."Hoe Cakes" (ANT Remix) 3:17
3."My Favorite Ladies" (KMD Remix) 2:22
4."Change The Beat" (Inhumanz remix) 3:09
5."Hot Guacamole" (featuring MC Paul Barman)Prince Paul1:43
6."Hoe Cakes" (Jake One Remix) 2:56
7."One Beer" (Madlib Remix) 2:55
8."All Outta Ale" (The Professor Meets the Supervillain) 2:42
9."Vomit" (featuring Parallel Thought)Drum & Knowledge2:58
10."Hoe Cakes" (Beatboxapella) 3:11
Total length:28:06

Notes

  • The 2007 vinyl edition was mastered with tracks 3 and 4 switched.[22]
  • The original release of the album included a different version of "Kookies". It was removed due to an unlicensed sample from Sesame Street, and was promptly changed to a simpler version of the song in all future physical and digital releases.

Personnel

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Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[23]

Production

Additional personnel

  • Daniel Dumile – executive production
  • Jasmine Thomas – executive production
  • Alfred P. Morgan[a] – executive production
  • Brent "Abu Shiddiq" Sayers – executive production

Artwork

  • Jason Jagel – artwork
  • Jeff Jank – design
  • Adam R Garcia – design & layout

Charts

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2004 chart performance for Mm..Food
Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Billboard Independent Albums[25] 17
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[26] 9
2021–2023 chart performance for Mm..Food
Chart (2021–2023) Peak
position
Australian Vinyl Albums (ARIA)[27] 17
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] 32
Scottish Albums (OCC)[29] 84
US Billboard 200[30] 199
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[31] 7

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 60,000
United States (RIAA)[33] Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

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  1. ^ In all future releases, Alfred P. Morgan is excluded from the liner notes.[23][24]

References

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  1. ^ Pappademas, Alex (December 2004). "MF Doom: Our 2004 Profile". Spin. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. ^ "DOOM Shares The Stories Behind Ten Of His Best Verses". XXL Magazine. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. ^ "One Beer". Stones Throw. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  4. ^ "MF Doom - Yee Haw". Discogs. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  5. ^ a b "MF Doom – Mm..LeftOvers". Discogs. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ "JASON JAGEL X MF DOOM: MM FOOD | Stones Throw Records". Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  7. ^ "MF DOOM - Gold & Platinum". riaa.com. RIAA. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Reviews for MM..Food by MF Doom". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  9. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Mm...Food – MF Doom". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  10. ^ "MF Doom: Mm.. Food". Alternative Press (199): 94. February 2005.
  11. ^ Soults, Franklin (31 December 2004 – 6 January 2005). "MF Doom: MM . . FOOD? (Rhymesayers)". The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the original on 16 November 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  12. ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (3 December 2004). "MF Doom: Mm.. Food". Entertainment Weekly. p. 87.
  13. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (17 August 2007). "MF Doom, Mm ... Food". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  14. ^ J-23 (24 July 2007). "MF Doom – MM..Food (Re-release)". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "MF Doom: Mm.. Food". NME: 51. 18 December 2004.
  16. ^ a b Sylvester, Nick (15 November 2004). "MF Doom: Mm..Food?". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  17. ^ "MF Doom: Mm.. Food". Uncut (92): 121. January 2005.
  18. ^ "MF Doom: Mm.. Food". URB (123): 93. January–February 2005.
  19. ^ Rabin, Nathan (29 November 2004). "MF Doom: Mm.. Food?". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 31 December 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  20. ^ Tatusian, Alex (13 December 2012). "MF Doom Albums From Worst To Best — 1. MF DOOM – Mm.. FOOD (2004)". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  21. ^ "23 Of The Maddest And Most Memorable Concept Albums". NME. 8 July 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  22. ^ "MF Doom - MM.. Food (Vinyl, LP, Album, Mispress, Reissue)". Discogs. 2007. Archived from the original on 13 October 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  23. ^ a b MM..Food (liner notes). MF Doom. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Rhymesayers Entertainment. 2004. RSE0051-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. ^ MM..Food (liner notes). MF Doom. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Rhymesayers Entertainment. 2007. RSE0084-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ^ "MF Doom - Chart history - Top Independent Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  26. ^ "MF Doom - Chart history - Top Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  27. ^ "ARIA Top 20 Vinyl Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  28. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – MF Doom – Mm ... Food" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  30. ^ "MF Doom Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  31. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  32. ^ "British album certifications – Mf Doom – Mm Food". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  33. ^ "American album certifications – Mf Doom – Mm... Food". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 6 September 2024.

Further reading

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