Pitchfork

If you've been paying attention to underground hip-hop gossip (yes, such a thing exists) lately, you've probably heard a few things about the things you haven't been hearing from MF Doom. Following talk that the masked marvel was lip synching his way through shows (and, perhaps, sending someone else out on stage to don the headgear in his place), the recent chatter concerns Doom's health. Having ducked out of a few recent gigs at the last minute, some postulated that Doom had suffered a heart attack. Others claimed he was dead. Or in the hospital at least.

So what up, Doom?

"What up? I'm dead."

In an effort to put the rumors to bed, Doom's label Stones Throw posted this. It confronts the lip synching rumors "(Listen to the videos on Youtube)", the imposter rumors ("he did lose some pounds") and the hospital rumors ("he's in his studio...or if not there, you can find him in the pub with the grub stain)."

It also gives a recording update: "DOOM was in Los Angeles recently and recorded a few verses at The Bomb Shelter studio, where Madvillain, Quasimoto, YNQ, and Madlib classics have been made. Among the new joints recorded was one with him and Guilty Simpson over J Dilla's 'Mash' and another over Dilla's 'Lightworks'. 'Mash's Revenge' will be released on the album B-Ball Zombie War on October 2."

No word on any of the other dozens of releases-- like another Madvillain record, or the one with Ghostface-- the once fantastically prolific Doom reportedly has in the works. But maybe he'll be working on them once his laundry's done. I hear club soda works wonders on grub.