June 10-16, 2004

musicpicks

MF Doom

Hip-hop

King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Zev Love X: Daniel Dumile has more alter egos than Sybil in a hall of mirrors, and a steady output of recordings for each of them. 2003's Vaudeville Villain -- released under the name Viktor Vaughn — single-handedly rescued underground hip-hop from the clutches of joyless didacticism. More recently, Dumile is riding on the success of this spring's Madvillainy (Stones Throw), his critically lauded joint release with Madlib, which proved that, like his comic-book namesake, Doom has the uncanny ability to mind-meld with his collaborators, his funny, inventive rhymes darting in and out of Sun Ra snippets and accordion samples. In town this week under the MF Doom alias, Dumile will be in full-on mask-wearing superhero regalia, saving our asses from bad MCs and wielding his unrivaled creativity and storytelling powers like so many concussion beams.

Mon., June 14, 8 p.m., $19.50-$22, with Talib Kweli, The TLA, 334 South St., 215-336-2000.

—Elisa Ludwig