March 24th, 2009 
James Shotwell Artist: DOOM
Album: Born Like This
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Lex Records
Tracks:
1. Supervillain Intro
2. Gazzillion Ear
3. Ballskin
4. Yessir! (featuring Raekwon)
5. Absolutely (featuring Madvillain)
6. Rap Ambush
7. Lightworks
8. Batty Boyz
9. Angelz (featuring Ghostface Killah)
10. Cellz
11. Still Dope (featuring Empress Stahhr)
12. Microwave Mayo
13. More Rhymin’
14. That’s That
15. Supervillianz (featuring Kurious, Slug & Mobonix)
16. Bumpy’s Message
17. Thank Yuh
Never heard of DOOM before? Really? Well…DOOM is a British born rapper and producer currently making it happen in the United States. He’s done many collaboration albums among the likes of Danger Mouse, Ghostface Killah and Madlib just to name a few. He has a very original and rough-underground style when it comes to rapping. His beat making surpasses any kind of creativity level set by other sampling-producers in the game today and is mimicked by most up and coming sample flippers. If you haven’t picked up his first solo album yet, go get Operation: Doomsday—its a must have.
If you’re like me, a lot of you out there have started to do your spring-cleaning—well so has DOOM. It has been since 2006 that DOOM, previously MF Doom, has dropped as much as a WAX for his fans and so the obvious comes into play: it’s time to get rid of all those studio tracks laying around.
Born Like This features a few newly recorded songs and a bunch of tracks that are clearly older. With that being said, some writing concepts seem a little dated and some of the beats feature recycled samples. Not to mention the late Jay Dilla produced two of the tracks—may he rest in peace. Given the facts, DOOM recorded a handful of new tracks to go with the older ones and just like that he has a new studio release…spring-cleaning style!
The lyrics, like all of DOOM’s older work, remain the same: goofy, intelligent, sly and powerful. MF, born Daniel Dumile, expresses his most shock value lyrics on the track, “Batty Boyz.” Here he features bars that bash the gay community as he depicts what he feels the average gay person looks like and how they act around others. Another track, “Rap Ambush,” displays many witty and ill bars. I get shivers every time I hear MetalFingaz spit, “R.P.G., rhyme-propelled-grenade! Time to yell, scramble for cover in the shade.”
The beat production on the album is nothing less than top notch. A murderous beat maker lineup consisting of Jay Dilla, Madlib, Jake One and ten tracks produced by DOOM himself. “Microwave Mayo” has to be one of the illest beats on the whole joint—produced by Jake One. The likes of “That’s That” and “ Ballskin” help show that the production is the best part of the album and those sample diggers out there will be jacking these samples as soon as they get a hold of this record.
Each track features DOOM’s infamous style of arrangement. Hardly any of the songs feature a hook and fail to follow the commercial radio song formula—which is what makes MF a classic rapper. The only downfall to his production value is that you can be going along with a track, say for instance, “Lightworks,” and all of a sudden the song will screech to a halt and go into the next. He does that in a great share of the songs and it leaves the listener with a feeling of incompletion.
The biggest surprise on the whole album came with the song, “Supervillianz,” when you get a chance to hear the masked rapper use his crooning abilities through the auto tune feature in the studio. T-Pain has impacted hip-hop more than most backpackers would like to admit…haha!
In the end, DOOM has done it again. Bringing us yet another gem to add to our collections. If you have ever been in doubt about picking up any of MF Doom’s work, than at least and go pick up this album—it has guaranteed replay value. I can admit that I’ve listened to this album sixteen times before submitting this review…take my word for it. Born Like This is a must have!
*Written By: Brandon Folsom*
Score: 8.5/10
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