The announcement of Daniel Dumile’s (aka MF DOOM) passing brought me to a somber realization: We have lost a pillar for what Hip-Hop stands for, for what it can be in the right hands. Dumile was an icon who is recognized for everything except his appearance. The mask he uses to hide is a symbol that transcended not only him as an artist, but the genre that inspired him to put it on in the first place. MF DOOM, thank you for all of your contributions to the world of Hip-Hop. You will be missed.
When I think about my favorite rappers, Earl Sweatshirt for example, I think about how they influence me in the same way that DOOM influenced them. The question I’m left with now, is who’s next in the cycle? Who can the kids today look up to in order to keep DOOM’s legacy alive? One rapper feels like he has a pretty “Logic-al” way, pun intended.
Logic, most famous for his song “1-800-273-8255,” hasn’t had the easiest past few years, at least not from a fan’s perspective. After a slew of divisive albums and business ventures that branched out of music, the perspective of his place in the hip-hop community began to come into question. Though his fans stayed loyal to his every move, and he continued to see mainstream success, others felt that he lost his touch and started moving further and further away from what we originally liked him for. Last year Logic announced his retirement from music altogether, along with the release of his final studio album, “No Pressure.” His decision to step away was strengthened by his partnership announcement with the game live streaming platform, Twitch. This happened shortly after the public outspeaking against his former record label for their practices. At Twitch Logic plays video games, connects with fans, and even makes beats here and there. It’s safe to say that his days releasing music and rapping are over... Or so we thought.
In early January, Logic began promoting a new artist named “Doc D” that he supposedly signed to his label. In a picture Logic posted on Instagram, you can see him, someone at a computer, and another person with a mask drawn on his face, presumably Doc D. Upon listening to Doc D’s new mixtape “Planetary Destruction,” you’ll make the quick realization that Doc D is really just Logic with a deeper voice. The album tells the story of this super-villain/rapper “Doc D” who’s going around destroying galaxies because he’s upset that his girlfriend “Sheron” broke up with him. In short, it’s a concept album, something Logic is very familiar with. What this one does differently than others in his discography though, is that it gives fans exactly what they want from Logic, nerdy raps and galaxies to explore.
