KMD was an American hip hop trio active in the early 1990s. The group is best known for launching the career of rapper and producerZev Love X, who later became MF DOOM. Zev Love X and his younger brother DJ Subroc formed the core of KMD. The group's original third member, Rodan, left before the group signed with Elektra Records; he was replaced with Onyx the Birthstone Kid.
History
Zev Love X, DJ Subroc and Rodan formed KMD in Long Beach, New York, in 1988. The three were Black Muslims active in the Nuwaubian Nation. KMD began as a graffiti crew, which also practiced breakdance. Onyx the Birthstone Kid soon replaced Rodan, who left the group in order to finish high school. MC Serch, a native of nearby 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 A&R executive Dante Ross, who signed KMD to Elektra Records. KMD released their debut album Mr. Hood in 1991. 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 on the singles "Who Me?" and "Humrush." Skits featuring KMD interacting with "Mr. Hood" tie the album together. Stimulated Dummies co-produced Mr. Hood; the album also featured fellow Five Percenters, Brand Nubian appearing on "Nitty Gritty." The group recorded their follow up, Black Bastards, in 1993. The album was a departure from their lighthearted previous release with songs celebrating sex, drugs and drinking. Onyx left the group during the recording sessions. His verse was removed from "Plumskinnz", which was included on Black Bastards as two separate tracks, "Plumskinnz " and "Plumskinnz ". Zev Love X created the cover art, a Sambocaricature being hanged in a game of hangman. Shortly before Black Bastards scheduled release date Subroc was killed while attempting to cross the 878 Nassau Expressway. Elektra Records dropped KMD later the same week. The album's title and cover art proved too controversial for Elektra's management, who instructed Dante Ross to give Zev Love X the Black Bastardsmaster tapes and $20,000 as incentive to leave the label. The album was heavily bootlegged until it was formally released on Bobbito Garcia's Fondle 'Em Records in 1998. 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 ten years, "True Lightyears", on NPR Music. The release also featured Jay Electronica. It was the first single from the still to be released album, 'Crack In Time'.
