KMD
| Company type | Hip hop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 in Long Beach, New York, United States |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Fate | Disbanded following DJ Subroc's death and label disputes |
| Headquarters | Long Beach, New York , United States |
Key people | Daniel "Zev Love X" Dumile, Dingilizwe "DJ Subroc" Dumile, Onyx the Birthstone Kid |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
KMD (also known as K.M.D., Kausing Much Damage, or A Positive Kause in a Much Damaged Society) was a hip hop trio from the United States, active between 1988 and 1994 during hip hop's golden era. The group primarily consisted of brothers Daniel "Zev Love X" Dumile and Dingilizwe "DJ Subroc" Dumile. Initially, Jade 1 (later believed to be Rodan) was the third member but departed prior to their contract with Elektra Records, making way for Onyx the Birthstone Kid. KMD dissolved in 1994 following DJ Subroc's passing in 1993, Onyx's exit, and disputes with Elektra that led to their being released from the label.
KMD produced two albums during their tenure: Mr. Hood released in 1991 and Black Bastards, which was recorded in 1993 but officially issued only in 2000. Afterward, Zev Love X adopted the stage name MF DOOM and found solo acclaim. In the 2010s, MF DOOM attempted to revive KMD with two new tracks, "Sorcerers" and "True Lightyears," and announced a comeback album slated for 2017; however, no additional material surfaced before his death in October 2020.
History
Formed in 1988 in Long Beach, New York, KMD originally included Zev Love X, DJ Subroc, and Jade 1. The trio were Black Muslims connected to the Nuwaubian Nation. Their beginnings were rooted in graffiti art and breakdancing culture.
Jade 1 left to complete high school and was succeeded by Onyx the Birthstone Kid. MC Serch brought them in for a feature on "The Gas Face," a track from 3rd Bass' album The Cactus Album. This exposure led A&R executive Dante Ross to sign KMD to Elektra Records.
Their first album, Mr. Hood (1991), combined humor with themes of racial issues and black empowerment. DJ Subroc incorporated samples from children's TV programs, notably using Sesame Street character Bert on singles such as "Who Me?" and "Humrush." The Stimulated Dummies co-produced the record, which also included appearances from Five Percenters Brand Nubian. During this period, Zev Love X and Onyx gave testimony before the United States Congress, advocating for the National Voter Registration Act on behalf of Rock the Vote.
In 1993, KMD worked on their sophomore album, Black Bastards, which shifted towards subjects like sexuality ("Plumskinzz"), substance use ("Smokin' That Shit", "Contact Blitt"), and alcohol consumption ("Sweet Premium"). Onyx departed midway through production; his verse was removed from "Plumskinzz," which was separated into two tracks spotlighting Zev Love X and Subroc individually. The album’s cover art—created by Zev Love X—featured a provocative image of a Sambo figure being lynched.
Tragically, shortly before finalizing Black Bastards, DJ Subroc died on April 23, 1993, after being hit while crossing Nassau Expressway. Zev Love X completed the project solo; advance copies circulated in early 1994. The single "What a Nigga Know?" was issued in March with an anticipated album release date of May 3, 1994. Nevertheless, Elektra canceled the launch and dropped KMD due to backlash over the album’s title and artwork. Elektra compensated Zev Love X with $20,000 and returned the master recordings to him. Although bootleg versions spread unofficially, ReadyRock Records officially released the album in 2000. Following these events, Zev Love X retreated from New York’s hip hop scene until resurfacing as MF DOOM in 1997.
On August 16, 2017, MF DOOM debuted "True Lightyears," marking KMD’s first new song in eight years; it featured Jay Electronica and was intended as the lead single for an unreleased comeback project titled Crack In Time. This track also appeared on MF DOOM's compilation The Missing Notebook Rhymes.
MF DOOM passed away on October 31, 2020; his death was later attributed to angioedema as reported in July 2023.
Members
- Zev Love X (Daniel Dumile) (1988–1993, 2017–2020, deceased 2020)
- DJ Subroc (Dingilizwe Dumile) (1988–1993, deceased 1993)
- Onyx the Birthstone Kid (Alonzo Djihuti Hodge) (1988–1993)
- Jade 1 (1988)
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information |
|---|---|
| Mr. Hood |
|
| Black Bastards |
|
| Crack In Time |
|
Compilation albums
| Album Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| Best of KMD |
|
EPs
- Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares (1998, Fondle 'Em)
- Issued exclusively as a 12" vinyl record.
Singles
- "Peachfuzz / Gasface Refill" (1990) from the album 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 DOOM (2017) from Crack In Time
Music videos
- "Peachfuzz" (1991)
- "Who Me?" (1991)
- "What A Niggy Know?" (1994) – never officially released