Black Bastards

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title: "Black Bastards" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mf-doom-albums", "2000-albums", "unreleased-albums", "obscenity-controversies-in-music", "race-related-controversies-in-music"] topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Bastards" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

Field	Value
name	Black Bastards
type	Studio
artist	KMD
cover	Black Bastard (KMD album - cover art).jpg
alt	an early 20th century -styled racist caricature of a black person hanging from a gallows, with the title underneath in the style of hangman
released	May 15, 2000
recorded	1991 – August 1993
studio	Chung King Studios, New York, New York
genre	* Hardcore hip-hop
length	44:07
label
producer
prev_title	Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares
prev_year	1998
next_title	Best of KMD
next_year	2003
misc	{{Extra chronology
artist	MF Doom
type	Studio album
prev_title	Operation: Doomsday
prev_year	1999
title	Black Bastards
year	2000
next_title	MF EP
next_year	2000
name	Black Bastards
type	studio
single1	What a Nigga Know?
single1date	March 8, 1994
single2	It Sounded Like a Roc
single2date	1999
::

| name = Black Bastards | type = Studio | artist = KMD | cover = Black Bastard (KMD album - cover art).jpg | alt = an early 20th century -styled racist caricature of a black person hanging from a gallows, with the title underneath in the style of hangman | released = May 15, 2000 | recorded = 1991 – August 1993 | studio = Chung King Studios, New York, New York | genre = * Hardcore hip-hop

• boom bap | length = 44:07 | label = | producer = | prev_title = Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares | prev_year = 1998 | next_title = Best of KMD | next_year = 2003 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = MF Doom | type = Studio album | prev_title = Operation: Doomsday | prev_year = 1999 | title = Black Bastards | year = 2000 | next_title = MF EP | next_year = 2000 | name = Black Bastards | type = studio | single1 = What a Nigga Know? | single1date = March 8, 1994 | single2 = It Sounded Like a Roc | single2date = 1999

Black Bastards is the second and final studio album by American hip-hop group KMD, recorded in 1993 and eventually released on May 15, 2000, through Readyrock Records. Initially, the album was scheduled for release in May 1994, but Elektra Records canceled the album, reportedly due to the controversial cover art, which shows a Sambo figure being lynched, even though the catalog number 61535 was assigned to the release. Zev Love X's brother DJ Subroc was killed when he was struck by a car shortly before the album was completed, and subsequent releases of the album have featured dedications to him.

Elektra released promotional copies of Black Bastards and a single of "What a Nigga Know?" prior to the album's cancellation. After KMD's disbandment, rarities and demo tracks recorded during the making of Black Bastards were released on a vinyl-only EP titled Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares in 1998. The album was re-released in 2001 by Sub Verse Music and again in 2008 by MF Doom's own Metalface Records.

Critical reception

|rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = |rev2 = Robert Christgau |rev2score = A− |rev3 = Pitchfork |rev3score = 8.4/10 |rev4 = RapReviews |rev4score = 6.5/10 | rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | rev5score = |rev6 = Spin |rev6score = 7/10 The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. Douglas Siwek of AllMusic said, "The sound of the record is very raw and sounds unfinished due to Elektra shelving the project, but it doesn't take away from the magic that would have made this a suitable follow-up [to KMD's debut album, Mr. Hood]." Steven Juon of RapReviews praised the album's lyrics but mentioned he "wish[ed] they would have taken a little more care in mastering and recording".

Track listing

| all_writing = Dingilizwe Dumile and Daniel Dumile. | headline = Side 0 | extra_column = Producer(s) | title0 = Garbage Day #3 | extra0 = Subroc | length0 = 2:14 | title1 = Get-U-Now | extra1 = Subroc | length1 = 2:27 | title2 = What a Nigga Know? | extra2 = KMD | length2 = 3:26 | title3 = Sweet Premium Wine | extra3 = Subroc | length3 = 3:09 | headline = Side 1 | extra_column = Producer(s) | title4 = Plumskinzz. (Loose Hoe, God & Cupid) | extra4 = KMD | length4 = 1:43 | title5 = Smokin' That S*#% | extra5 = Subroc | length5 = 4:40 | title6 = Contact Blitt | extra6 = Zev Love X | length6 = 2:42 | title7 = Gimme | extra7 = KMD | length7 = 3:50 | headline = Side 2 | extra_column = Producer(s) | title8 = Black Bastards! | extra8 = Subroc | length8 = 4:00 | title9 = It Sounded Like a Roc | extra9 = Subroc | length9 = 4:34 | title10 = Plumskinzz. (Oh No I Don't Believe It!) | extra10 = Subroc | length10 = 1:40 | headline = Side 3 | extra_column = Producer(s) | title11 = Constipated Monkey | extra11 = | length11 = 2:47 | title12 = F*#@ Wit' Ya Head | extra12 = KMD | length12 = 4:35 | title13 = Suspended Animation | extra13 = KMD | length13 = 2:20 | total_length = 44:07 | headline = Side 3 (2001 Sub Verse Music re-release) | title15 = What a Nigga Know? | note15 = Remix) (feat. MF Grimm | length15= 3:36 | title16 = Q3-113 | note16 = Bonus Track | length16= 1:11 | total_length = 48:54

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.

Personnel

• D.Dumile – production
• Daniel Dumile – production
• KMD – production

Additional personnel

• The CMOB – additional vocals
• Earthquake – additional vocals
• – additional vocals
• J.Alvarez – additional vocals
• Lord Sear – additional vocals
• B.Thompson – bass guitar (11)
• – co-production (11)
• Sub – executive production
• Doom – executive production
• Cas – executive production
• Jay-G – executive production
• Yuri – executive production

Artwork

• The EMEF – cover illustration
• Scotch 79th – visuals

References

References

1. "MF DOOM DISCOGRAPHY".
2. CMJ New Music Report. (March 14, 1994). "CMJ New Music Report Vol.37 No.12 Issue #371 (page 26)".
3. (1999). "It Sounded Like a Roc". [[Fondle 'Em Records]].
4. (May 1, 2000). "KMD Black Bastards".
5. [{{AllMusic
6. CMJ New Music Report. (March 14, 1994). "CMJ New Music Report Vol.37 No.12 Issue #371 (page 26)".
7. (2001). "Black Bastards". [[Sub Verse Music]].
8. "Black Bastards".
9. "KMD".
10. (April 17, 2015). "Black Bastards".
11. (August 1, 2000). "K.M.D. :: Black Bastards :: Readyrock Records".
12. Cross, Charles R.. (2004). "[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide". [[Simon & Schuster]].
13. Caramanica, Jon. (August 2000). "KMD: Black Bastards / M.F. Doom: Operation Doomsday". [[Spin (magazine).
14. (2001). "Black Bastards". [[Sub Verse Music]].
15. (2000). "Black Bastards". Readyrock Records.

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