Brooklyn Reads: Chronicles of Doom. Watch DJ Rob Swift’s live set at the Brooklyn Museum

If you’re an MF DOOM fan, then yesterday wasn’t just Halloween; it was DOOMSDAY, and I got to celebrate it by performing an hour-long set at Brooklyn Museum’s BROOKLYN READS: Chronicles of DOOM, a biography on the man behind the mask written by S.H. Fernando.

Watch the full set on my YouTube page.

I encourage all my Brolic Army students to study this set, as it encompasses everything I teach throughout the Brolic Army DJ School curriculum, including dropping, scratching, juggling, music curation, and set performance.

Along with sharing last night’s DOOM set with my students, I want to highlight the amazing stories about the masked rapper contributed by S.H., Hanif Abdurraqib (moderator), L’Amour Supreme (illustrator), and editor Courtney Brown. Their work inspired me to share one of my own anecdotes as well.

I’ve recorded my solos (minus the ABLIST) and Da Odd Couple projects on the Roland 1680, and MF DOOM taught me how to use it. It was circa 2000, and my boy MF GRIMM had just received a jail sentence. Out on bail, GRIMM had a few days to tie loose ends before serving his sentence and called me on some, “Yo Rob, I need to ask you a favor. I’m about to do a bid, and I’m unsure how long I will be gone. I got a bunch of songs I want to finish before I get locked up, and I was hoping I could swing by your crib tomorrow and knock them out.” I replied like any friend would under those circumstances, “What time do you want me to come get you?”

“Thank you, Rob! I’ll be there tomorrow morning, so don’t worry about coming to get me. I’m ridin’ out there with DOOM!”

I woke up the following day, and the buzzard rang as I was setting up my studio. It was GRIMM! I buzzed him inside the building and stood before my apartment door, waiting for them. A few minutes later, backing out of the elevator, a maskless MF DOOM wheeled GRIMM out.

“Yo Rob, dis DOOM. DOOM dis Rob Swift!” We wasted no time and went to my studio to work.

I had recently purchased the Roland 1680 but was limited in my familiarity with the machine, so I told DOOM, “Yo, let me get the manual…” he was all, “Nah, we don’t even need it, Rob. I’ll teach you how to use it!” We spent the next 5 hours (probably more) recording songs from what would be GRIMM’s The Downfall of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera LP. I learned everything I now know about the Roland 1680 that day, thanks to the tutelage of MF DOOM. Last night’s event made me think a lot about my experience meeting him.

Respect MF Grimm (I love you, brother). Rest In Peace, MF DOOM!

#ZevLove #XKing #Geedorah #ViktorVaughn #MetalFingers #MetalFace #Doom