Yesterday evening, it was confirmed that the legendary MF Doom had passed away at the age of 49. Given his status as one of hip-hop's best lyricists of all time, it wasn't surprising to see tributes arising from all corners of the rap game. Those who value their penmanship were especially appreciative of everything DOOM brought to the table, a plentiful feast jammed with clever punchlines, sharp observations, villainous references, and brilliant wordplay. In honor of the man's legacy, Lupe Fiasco took to Twitter to pay homage in a suitable fashion: by spitting bars.
"Thanx DOOM...I learned so much from you about the art of rapping," writes Lupe, sharing a freestyle over DOOM's "Crosshairs" instrumental. "Studied and analyzed you for years as recently as a few days ago. I wish I could’ve met you to tell you that." Over the slick beat from DOOM and Danger Mouse's The Mouse & The Mask, Lupe actually channels MF's cadence as he pens a "message from the DOOM fans." As he spits, it's clear that his flow is inspired by the stylings of Viktor Vaughn, firing off apparent non-sequiturs that actually brim with deeper meaning. A fitting tribute from one hip-hop intellectual to another -- rest in peace to MF DOOM, the mind behind Madvillany, MM...Food, and many more.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Scram, quick before the portal ends
Mind the coral, especially round' your dorsal fins
Cause he horrible, you can go from adorable to barely audible
I'm just warning you