Madlib Discusses the Death of MF Doom in New Interview

Madlib discussed the death of MF Doom in a new interview with NPR Music. The enigmatic rapper died on October 31st; his death was first announced two months later by his wife, Jasmine, on his Instagram page.

“I found out when everybody else did, on social media,” Madlib said upon hearing of MF Doom’s death. “His family’s very private, so they probably didn’t know how to approach that one. I still can’t believe that he died. That’s weird.”

The prolific producer, whose 2004 Madvillainy collaboration with MF Doom is among IndieLand‘s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, said he had remained in touch with the rapper. “We talked like once or twice a year, but that’s how it’s always been. We talked last year and everything seemed fine,” he said, adding that “it was mostly me sending him beats, he rarely sent me stuff. But yeah we checked in, whether it was music or not, talking about our kids or whatever.”

Madlib’s new album Sound Ancestors, which was edited, arranged and mastered by Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden) drops on Friday. Hebden told NPR that they contemplated postponing the album in the wake of MF Doom’s death, but they reconsidered.

“When we heard about [DOOM’s passing], it was all completely shocking,” Hebden said. “Like maybe we just need to put everything on pause for a bit. But maybe [releasing Sound Ancestors] could be quite a positive thing to happen in the middle of it. You know, Dilla’s gone, DOOM’s gone, but Otis [Madlib] is hanging in there, going strong and not giving up.

“He’s actually got this new album coming out and continuing to keep the spirit of all that music,” Hebdon continued. “That whole style where the three of them do feel like this sort of magical superpowered trinity.”