Reflective review of ‘Mouse and the Mask’
If social media was a feature of life in 2005 as it is today, then it would have been in a frenzy when MF Doom announced the collaboration with producer Danger Mouse for his most eccentric album of ‘The Mouse and The Mask.’
The 14-track album is compromised through cartoon references, melodic instrumentals, hard-hitting flows and lyrics and even a song about the variety of urine. Not your average rap album, but if you’re a fan and regular listener of Doom, then this album probably encapsulates his style in the best possible way.
When the duo announced the collaboration, both artists were in their prime years as musicians and the album promised to be an all-time classic. MF Doom had serious acclaim through M.M Food (2004), whilst Danger Mouse had begun his rise from obscurity to the limelight with his Grey Album Remix project.
But now, 17 years on, and 18 months on from Dooms tragic death, in which the cause is still unknown, it is time to see if the album lived up to the hype and if the intricate wordsmith behind the metal mask produced a body of work being worthy of being labelled an all-time classic.
The album begins in typically humorous fashion, with a cartoon character questioning “why did you buy this album?”, followed by Dooms pacey effortless flow on ‘El Chupa Nigre’, which lives up to his usual style of a one lengthy verse per track.
However, it also contains one slightly repetitive feature of the album, a melodic, fast backing track, which yes, compliments the obscure topics that Doom raps about, but is also slightly too prominent throughout the album.
Despite this, there are some standout songs. ‘The Mask’ featuring Ghostface Killah, uses saxophones which alongside the deeper lyrics such as: “is it too much, not to hide behind the mask” provides a more accessible and relatable song to an average listener and is a timeless piece of art, but it also holds onto the typical fast flow that is synonymous with him as an artist.
Similarly, ‘Benzi Box’ is a musical masterpiece. The fast-paced piano is slightly reminiscent of “Nuthin’ But A G Thang’, by Dr Dre and it compliments Doom’s gritty New York accent and flow. The feature of CeeLo Green also makes the track more mainstream friendly and he is as a nice addition to the album.
Unfortunately, this is where the widespread appeal of the album disappears. For Doom’s loyal fanbase, then this album is perfect in showcasing his style and signifies his status as a rap legend. But, for the majority of people the cartoon references, the eccentric songs such as ‘Space Ho’s’ and ‘Vats of Urine’ are too inaccessible.
Despite this, legacy and classic are subjective words, and this album was meant for the fans, and it certainly sums Doom up as an artist, so in a way, it is an undeniable success.
