KMD

The crew known as K.M.D. first came to be known in 1989 as affiliates of Def Jam Recordings' highly talented trio Third Bass, an affiliation that would one day prove its irony. K.M.D. member Zevlove X contributed the concept and a compelling verse on the classic Third Bass jam, "The Gas Face." The crew composed primarily of Zevlove and DJ Sub-Roc kept close ties with emerging talents Third Bass for a couple of years, then went on to record their debut Mr. Hood on Elektra Records in 1991. On Mr. Hood, K.M.D combined lighthearted humor with divisive political rhetoric, but the overall sentiment was one of youthful positivity. The album featured production from the Stimulated Dummies and a guest spot from Brand Nubian. "Peach Fuzz," a tale of young romance, rippled momentarily, but the crew could not capitalize on their connections to 3rd Bass (even with a "Gas Face" reprise entitled "The Gasface Refill").

Two years later in 1993, tragedy struck the group after DJ Sub-Roc was hit by a car and fatally injured. Devastated and full of bewildered rage, Zevlove and the rest of his crew released the controversial Black Bastards in 1994. The tragic death of Sub-Roc in combination with a newfound black nationalist ire produced a blatant and violent record. However, it was the album cover's artwork depicting a cartoonish Sambo-like character hanging from a gallows that caused the hubbub. The album was pulled from many record stores. The crew that got its start with Caucasian sensations 3rd Bass now espoused a more militant racial attitude. Despite some inventive sampling including the use of Jody Watley's "I'm Looking for a New Love," the album's frustrated angst did not catch on. Hip-hop at the time was not in need of a savior, what with instant classics appearing fairly regularly. K.M.D's heartfelt and political expressions would go mostly unnoticed.

from Wikipedia:

KMD (Kausing Much Damage, or A positive Kause in a Much Damaged society) was an American hip hop trio in the early 1990s, best known for launching the career of acclaimed rapper and producer MF DOOM, who at the time was known as Zev Love X. Other members of the group were Rodan and DJ Subroc–Zev Love X's younger brother. When Rodan chose to finish high school instead of continue working with the group Zev Love X and DJ Subroc brought in Onyx the Birthstone Kid to fill in the vacant rhyming position.

History

After guest-starring on 3rd Bass' song "The Gas Face," the trio released its acclaimed and overlooked full-length debut, Mr. Hood. Its political outlook was similar to the group Brand Nubian, which made a guest appearance on the album; however, the style was more comical and included a great deal of clips from old children's recordings, mostly notably a sample of the Sesame Street character Bert on the single "Humrush."

The group, minus Onyx, later recorded a controversial album titled Black Bastards in 1993. The album was shelved for years because of its controversial cover, which depicts a Sambo caricature being hanged in a game of hangman. After Subroc's unexpected death from being hit by a car during the production of Black Bastards, Zev vanished from the music scene until 1997.

see: MF DOOM: Early years with KMD