Before you even hear MF DOOM offer one rap on Operation: Doomsday, his 1999 debut album, you actually hear something else — his production.

“The Time We Faced Doom” kicks off Doomsday, the two-minute skit beginning with a sample of the 1983 film Wild Style before abruptly shifting into a sparse beat filled by a sample of the 1967 Fantastic Four TV series.

But it's the interplay between the beat and sample that’s captivating, the subtle chops of bass, keys, and vibraphone from Roy Ayers’ “No Stranger to Love / Want You” soundtracking dialogue from Marvel’s First Family.

Naturally, when fans think of the late DOOM, they think of his talent as a rapper. But it’s also important to remember that he was a skilled producer, too. That’s actually an understatement. Released 25 years ago, Operation: Doomsday is a self-contained argument for why DOOM should be seen as one of the greatest rapper-producers of all time.

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