DOOM: Every Album Ranked From Worst To Best

DOOM is much more of a storyteller than people assume. Yes, his lyrics are dizzying and unorthodox when compared to the rappers of his era, and his production style has rarely been matched, but his narrative nuances and skills in character creation are rarely mentioned in the same breath.

The character of MF DOOM has its origins as a coping mechanism. After the death of his brother Subroc and the dissolution of KMD, he spent several years in misery and near-homelessness. The creation of MF DOOM as a tool for revenge against those who sent him into this despair is a major look into its creator's psyche. 

In subsequent incarnations, he furthers the introspection. The character of Viktor Vaughn, for instance, was created to speculate on an alternate timeline in which DOOM never recovered from the events following his brother's death. 

Perhaps the records that I rank lower on this list have eluded me with their introspection. Sometimes DOOM's vision does not reveal itself immediately, but rather after multiple listens. He is the architect behind some of the most interesting musical stories of the past twenty years and to write off a work as having no dominion would be foolish.  

This list will be purely DOOM's studio output - an always interesting, once prolific set of albums that are finally beginning to display the length of their influence. 

DOOM is always interesting, even when he puts out an inconsistent album. 2009's Born Like This, while largely hard to stomach, has its interesting moments. For instance, the use of two previously unused J Dilla tracks on "Gazillion Ear" give the song a quality of William S. Burroughs cut-up, easily making this the most exciting moment on the album. 

After the first handful of tracks, the album begins to fall apart into either self-parody or a general feeling of discomfort. The lowest point on the album is the unfortunately titled "Batty Boyz." Whether the song is about homoerotic undertones in superhero/sidekick relationships or DOOM's problem with the state of masculinity in modern rap, it cannot shed its tired homophobia. 

A redeeming factor of the album's latter half is the inclusion of Empress Starhh on "Still Dope." Having given guest verses on both King Geedorah's Take Me To Your Leader and MF DOOM's Mm..Food, she has proven to be a strong presence in DOOM's discography. Her guest work is the brightest point on a dismal, uneven album.