View source for KMD

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Short description|American hip hop trio}}
{{other uses|KMD (disambiguation)}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = KMD
|image = KMD Elektra.jpg
|caption = KMD circa 1991; left to right: Zev Love X, Subroc, and Onyx
|alias = Kausing Much Damage<br />A Positive Kause in a Much Damaged Society
|origin = [[Long Beach, New York]], U.S.
|genre = {{hlist|[[East Coast hip-hop]]|[[golden age hip-hop]]|[[hardcore hip-hop]]|[[boom bap]]}}
|years_active = 1988–1994
|label = {{hlist|[[Elektra Records|Elektra]]|[[Fondle 'Em Records|Fondle 'Em]]|ReadyRock|[[Sub Verse Music|Sub Verse]]
}}
|past_members = *[[MF DOOM|Zev Love X]]
* [[DJ Subroc]]
* {{nowrap|Onyx the Birthstone Kid}}
* Jade 1
}}

'''KMD''' (''K.M.D.'', ''Kausing Much Damage'', or ''A Positive Kause in a Much Damaged Society'') was an American [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] trio active from 1988 to 1994, during the [[golden age of hip hop|golden age]]. The core of the group was composed of brothers [[MF Doom|Daniel "Zev Love X" Dumile]] and [[DJ Subroc|Dingilizwe "DJ Subroc" Dumile]]. The group's original third member, Jade 1 (believed to later be known as Rodan), left before the group signed with [[Elektra Records]], being replaced with Onyx the Birthstone Kid. The group dissolved in 1994 following the sudden death of DJ Subroc in 1993, the departure of Onyx and conflicts with Elektra that resulted in them being dropped from the label.

KMD released two studio albums, ''[[Mr. Hood]]'' (1991) and ''[[Black Bastards]]''; the latter of which was recorded in 1993 and not officially released until 2000. Zev Love X subsequently changed his moniker to [[MF DOOM]] and achieved success as a solo artist. MF DOOM attempted to revive the KMD name in the 2010s, releasing two new songs, "Sorcerers" and "True Lightyears", and announcing a comeback album in 2017, but no further updates or recordings surfaced before his death in October 2020.

== History ==
Zev Love X, DJ Subroc, and Jade 1 formed KMD in [[Long Beach, New York]], in 1988.<ref name="LarkinDM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1998|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0252-6|pages=185/6}}</ref> The three were Black Muslims active in the [[Nuwaubian Nation]]. KMD began as a [[crew|graffiti crew]]; they also practiced [[breakdance]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GnsVf5WjFA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/3GnsVf5WjFA| archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Lecture: DOOM (Madrid 2011)|date=November 6, 2011 |publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=January 23, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Onyx the Birthstone Kid soon replaced Jade 1, who left the group in order to finish high school. [[MC Serch]], a native of nearby [[Far Rockaway, Queens|Far Rockaway]], met the group at community functions and recruited them for a guest spot on "The Gas Face," a single off [[3rd Bass]]' ''[[The Cactus Album]]''. The guest appearance caught the attention of [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] executive [[Dante Ross]], who signed KMD to [[Elektra Records]].

KMD released their debut album ''[[Mr. Hood]]'' in 1991.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> Its songs focus on racism and black empowerment in a comical manner. Subroc heavily sampled old children's television shows and recordings, including drops of ''[[Sesame Street]]'' character [[Bert (Sesame Street)|Bert]] on the singles "Who Me?" and "Humrush." Skits featuring KMD interacting with "Mr. Hood" (a series of samples from a language instruction tape) tie the album together. Stimulated Dummies co-produced ''Mr. Hood''; the album also featured fellow [[Nation of Gods and Earths|Five Percenters]], [[Brand Nubian]] appearing on "Nitty Gritty." Around the same time ''Mr. Hood'' was released, Zev Love X and Onyx testified before the [[United States Congress]] in support of the [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993|National Voter Registration Act]], on behalf of [[Rock the Vote]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1716709/watch-a-19-year-old-MF-DOOM-testify-before-congress-for-rock-the-vote/news/|title = Watch a 19-Year-Old MF DOOM Testify Before Congress for Rock the Vote|date = November 4, 2014}}</ref>

The group recorded their follow up, ''[[Black Bastards]]'', in 1993.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> The album was a departure from their lighthearted previous release with songs celebrating sex ("Plumskinzz"), drugs ("Smokin' That Shit", "Contact Blitt", "Suspended Animation (A Grey Expansion)"), and drinking ("Sweet Premium"). Onyx left the group during the recording sessions. His verse was removed from "Plumskinzz" (the B-side to the "Nitty Gritty" single off ''Mr. Hood''), which was included on ''Black Bastards'' as two separate tracks, "Plumskinzz (Loose Hoe, God & Cupid)" (Zev Love X's verse) and "Plumskinzz (Oh No I Don't Believe It)" (Subroc's verse). Zev Love X created the cover art, a [[Sambo (ethnic slur)|Sambo]] [[caricature]] being hanged in a game of [[Hangman (game)|hangman]].<ref name="LarkinDM" />

Shortly before finishing ''Black Bastards'', Subroc was killed<ref>{{Cite web|title=Subroc Of KMD' Death In '94-Cage On The Last Night He Spent With Him – Rap Worlds Forums|url=http://www.rapworlds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93736|access-date=March 9, 2021|website=Rapworlds.com|archive-date=March 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304222242/http://www.rapworlds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93736|url-status=dead}}</ref> while attempting to cross the 878 Nassau Expressway on April 23, 1993. Zev Love X completed the album alone over the course of the next months and advance copies were finally sent out in early 1994.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> "What a Nigga Know?" was released as the first single in March that same year and ''Black Bastards'' was announced to be released on May 3, 1994. <ref>{{Citation |title= CMJ New Music Report: March 14th 1994 edition (page 27). |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/1994/CMJ-New-Music-Report-1994-03-14.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Coleman|first=Brian|date=April 10, 2016|title=Check The Technique: The Birth of MF DOOM|url=https://medium.com/cuepoint/check-the-technique-kmds-black-bastards-and-the-birth-of-MF-DOOM-1849f4c0a6f4|access-date=January 4, 2021|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref> Soon afterwards Elektra Records unexpectedly cancelled the album and dropped KMD.<ref name="LarkinDM" /> The album's title and cover art proved too controversial for Elektra's management,<ref name="LarkinDM" /> who instructed [[Dante Ross]] to give Zev Love X the ''Black Bastards'' master tapes and $20,000 as incentive to leave the label. The album was heavily bootlegged until it was officially released on ReadyRock Records in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Quinlan |first1=Thomas |title=KMD Black Bastards |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/kmd-black_bastards |website=[[Exclaim!]] |access-date=March 19, 2021 |date=May 1, 2000}}</ref> Zev Love X dropped out of the New York hip hop scene until 1997, when he reemerged as [[MF DOOM]].

On August 16, 2017, MF DOOM premiered the first new KMD track in eight years, "True Lightyears", on [[NPR Music]]. It was the first single from KMD's still-unreleased comeback album ''Crack In Time'' and featured [[Jay Electronica]] and MF DOOM.<ref>{{cite web |title=Adult Swim Debuts New KMD Single "True Lightyears" With Jay Electronica + DOOM. New KMD Album Coming Soon. |url=http://naturesoundsmusic.com/ |website=[[Nature Sounds]] |access-date=March 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909031849/http://naturesoundsmusic.com/ |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |date=August 16, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2017/08/16/543876382/doom-and-jay-electronica-debut-true-lightyears-first-kmd-track-in-nearly-25-year|title=DOOM And Jay Electronica Debut 'True Lightyears,' Teasing A New KMD Album|website=[[NPR]]|date=August 16, 2017|access-date=January 23, 2020|last1=Carmichael|first1=Rodney}}</ref> The track was also released as part of MF DOOM's 2017 compilation album ''[[The Missing Notebook Rhymes]]''.

MF DOOM died on October 31, 2020, with the cause of death originally not being revealed. In July 2023 it has been reported that DOOM died of [[angioedema]].

== Members ==
* [[MF Doom|Zev Love X]] (Daniel Dumile) <small>(1988—1993, 2017—2020, died 2020)</small>
* [[DJ Subroc]] (Dingilizwe Dumile) <small>(1988—1993, died 1993)</small>
* Onyx the Birthstone Kid (Alonzo Djihuti Hodge) <small>(1988—1993)</small>
* Jade 1 <small>(1988)</small>

== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
==== Studio albums ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of studio albums
! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title
! scope="col" style="width:22em;" | Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Mr. Hood]]''
|
* Released: May 14, 1991
* Label: [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
* Formats: [[CD]], [[LP record|LP]], [[cassette tape|cassette]], [[Music download|digital download]]
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Black Bastards]]''
|
* Released: May 15, 2000
* Label: Readyrock Records
* Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
|-
! scope="row"| ''Crack In Time''
|
* Released: TBA
* Label: Metal Face Records / [[Nature Sounds]]
|}

==== Compilation albums ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of compilation albums
! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title
! scope="col" style="width:22em;" | Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Best of KMD]]''
|
* Released: November 18, 2003
* Label: Nature Sounds
* Formats: CD, LP
|}

=== EPs ===
* ''[[Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares]]'' (1998, [[Fondle 'Em Records|Fondle 'Em]])
** Released only on 12" [[Gramophone record|vinyl]].

=== Singles ===
*"Peachfuzz / Gasface Refill" (1990) from ''Mr. Hood''.
*"Who Me? / Humrush" (1991) from ''Mr. Hood''.
*"Nitty Gritty / Plumskinzz" featuring [[Brand Nubian]] (1991) from ''Mr. Hood''.
*"What a Nigga Know?" (1994) from ''Black Bastards''.
*"It Sounded Like a Roc" (1999) from ''Black Bastards''.
*"Notebook 01 – True Lightyears" featuring [[Jay Electronica]] and [[MF DOOM|DOOM]] (2017) from ''Crack In Time''.

=== Music videos ===
* "Peachfuzz" (1991)
* "Who Me?" (1991)
* "What A Niggy Know?" (1994) - Unreleased

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p15070|label=K.M.D.}}
{{MF DOOM}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:American hip-hop groups]]
[[Category:Five percenters]]
[[Category:East Coast hip-hop groups]]
[[Category:Elektra Records artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1988]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1993]]