10 Insane Plots From Concept Albums

Hip-hop concept albums seem to have a thing for food. Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool was a gangsta saga narrated in part by a cheeseburger; Like Water for Chocolate saw Common comparing his craft to that of a great chef; J Dilla’s final album Donuts borrowed its elliptical structure from its titular food. But few have taken this obsession to such lengths as MF Doom’s Mm… Food which, with admirable commitment, stretches a funny anagram into an entire album.

This food fixation doesn’t simply find its way into the lyrics (“[I] don’t mess with the Ritz Bitz / Wheat Thins, Saltines or Triscuits” is Doom’s way of saying he doesn't go for white women), or the song titles (“Beef Rapp”, “Hoe Cakes”, “Kookies”) - but also to the beats. He samples fellow concept-weirdo Frank Zappa’s “Would You Like A Snack?”, Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man”, and all kinds of food-related soundbites from Blaxploitation films.