Madvillainy is the first and only album from American rap duo, Madvillain. The duo consisted of the widely respected British-American rapper, MF Doom and American producer Madlib. It’s an album that turned 20 years old earlier this year, and many hardcore hip hop fans consider it essential listening, and critics consider it to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Here are my thoughts.

   As someone who has only heard a few MF Doom songs, listening to this album from start to finish was an exciting adventure. Doom’s flow throughout the record is tight and concise, and his rhyme schemes are dynamic and engaging. His slick rhyming is complemented well by Madlib’s jazzy and funky production. I especially like the production on tracks like “Bistro,” and “Raid.” The whole record is a celebration of the old school East Coast hip hop subgenre. The features on this album such as those from Quasimoto and MED, are solid contributions to the album. For those who are used to albums that have shorter tracklists, most of the 22 tracks on the album are pretty short, with the final track, “Rhinestone Cowboy,” being the longest at 4 minutes. I also like the instrumental tracks such as “Sickfit,” “Do Not Fire!,” and “Supervillain Theme,” as it highlights Madlib’s skills as a producer even more. There are so many fantastic tracks on this album, but my favorite track on the entire record has to be “All Caps.” I love the piano infused instrumental. I also find that the instrumental cuts on this record provide nice transitions to the tracks where we get MF Doom in the mix as well. The beat switch on “Money Folder,” is seamless, and seeing how MF Doom just effortlessly adapts to the change up is really impressive. I love how diverse the production of this record is, as we go from organs and guitars on tracks like, “Figaro,” to the warm synths on “Operation Lifesaver a.K.A. Mint Test,”

   Having been my first time listening to a full-length record with the late MF Doom, my expectations were high going in, and the album didn’t disappoint. I really love MF Doom’s lyricism paired with Madlib’s exquisite production, as it creates an appealing listening experience. MF Doom died way too young, at age 49, and this album to me keeps his legacy alive for future generations of hip hop listeners. There’s really no complaints I have with this album, I do wish that the tracks were a little bit longer at times, but other than that, it’s an incredibly strong record.

Overall Score: 10/10

Favorite Tracks: “Meat Grinder,” “Bistro,” “America’s Most Blunted,” “Rainbows,” “Figaro,” “All Caps,”

Least Favorite Tracks: None

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSJeHDlhYls

Genres: Alternative Hip Hop/Jazz Rap/Underground Hip Hop