Black Bastards

Black Bastards (stylized as BL_CK B_ST_RDS) is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group KMD, recorded in 1993 and eventually released on May 15, 2000, through Readyrock Records.^[4] Initially, the album was scheduled for release in May 1994, but Elektra Records canceled the album, reportedly due to the controversial cover art, which shows a Sambo figure being lynched.^[5] Zev Love X's brother DJ Subroc was killed when he was struck by a car shortly before the album was completed, and subsequent releases of the album have featured dedications to him.

Black Bastards
Studio album by KMD
Released	May 15, 2000[1]
Recorded	1991 – August 1993
Studio	Chung King Studios, New York, New York
Genre	Hardcore hip hop boom bap
Length	44:07
Label	Readyrock Metal Face Sub Verse
Producer	Subroc Zev Love X Q4
KMD chronology
Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares (1998) Black Bastards (2000) Best of KMD (2003)
MF Doom chronology
Operation: Doomsday (1999) Black Bastards (2000) MF EP (2000)
Singles from Black Bastards
"What a Nigga Know?" Released: March 8, 1994[2] "It Sounded Like a Roc" Released: 1999[3]

Elektra released promotional copies of Black Bastards and a single of "What a Nigga Know?" prior to the album's cancellation.^[6] After KMD's disbandment, rarities and demo tracks recorded during the making of Black Bastards were released on a vinyl-only EP titled Black Bastards Ruffs + Rares in 1998. The album was re-released in 2001 by Sub Verse Music^[7] and again in 2008 by MF Doom's own Metalface Records.^[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Pitchfork	8.4/10[8]
RapReviews	6.5/10[10]
Robert Christgau	A−[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[12]
Spin	7/10[13]

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. Douglas Siwek of AllMusic said, "The sound of the record is very raw and sounds unfinished due to Elektra shelving the project, but it doesn't take away from the magic that would have made this a suitable follow-up [to KMD's debut album, Mr. Hood]." Steven Juon of RapReviews praised the album's lyrics but mentioned he "wish[ed] they would have taken a little more care in mastering and recording".^[5]

Track listing

Side 0

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
0.	"Garbage Day #3"	Subroc	2:14
1.	"Get-U-Now"	Subroc	2:27
2.	"What a Nigga Know?"	KMD	3:26
3.	"Sweet Premium Wine"	Subroc	3:09

All tracks are written by Dingilizwe Dumile and Daniel Dumile

Side 1

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
4.	"Plumskinzz.(Loose Hoe, God&Cupid)"	KMD	1:43
5.	"Smokin' That S*#%"	Subroc	4:40
6.	"Contact Blitt"	Zev Love X	2:42
7.	"Gimme"	KMD	3:50

Side 2

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
8.	"Black Bastards!"	Subroc	4:00
9.	"It Sounded Like a Roc"	Subroc	4:34
10.	"Plumskinzz.(Oh No I Don't Believe It!)"	Subroc	1:40

Side 3

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
11.	"Constipated Monkey"	KMD, Q4	2:47
12.	"F*#@ Wit' Ya Head"	KMD	4:35
13.	"Suspended Animation"	KMD	2:20
Total length:			44:07

Side 3 (2001 Sub Verse Music re-release)^[14]

No.	Title	Length
15.	"What a Nigga Know?" (Remix) (feat. MF Grimm)	3:36
16.	"Q3-113" (Bonus Track)	1:11
Total length:		48:54

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.^[15]

Personnel

• Dingilizwe Dumile – production
• Daniel Dumile – production
• KMD – production

Additional Personnel

• The CMOB – additional vocals
• Earth Quake – additional vocals
• H2O – additional vocals
• J.Alvarez – additional vocals
• Lord Sear – additional vocals
• B.Thompson – bass guitar (11)
• Q4 – co-production (11)
• Sub – executive production
• Doom – executive production
• Cas – executive production
• Jay-G – executive production
• Yuri – executive production

Artwork^[16]

• The EMEF – cover illustration
• Scotch 79th – visuals

References

1. "MF DOOM DISCOGRAPHY". Stones Throw. Archived from the original on December 15, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
2. CMJ New Music Report (March 14, 1994), CMJ New Music Report Vol.37 No.12 Issue #371 (page 26) (PDF), retrieved July 6, 2022
3. It Sounded Like a Roc (liner notes). Subroc. New York, New York: Fondle 'Em Records. 1999. FE-87.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
4. Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2000). "KMD Black Bastards". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
5. allmusic ((( K.M.D. > Biography )))
6. CMJ New Music Report (March 14, 1994), CMJ New Music Report Vol.37 No.12 Issue #371 (page 26) (PDF), retrieved July 6, 2022
7. Black Bastards (liner notes). KMD. New York, New York: Sub Verse Music. 2001. SVM15.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
8. ex, kris (April 17, 2015). "Black Bastards". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
9. "Black Bastards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
10. Juon, Steve (August 1, 2000). "K.M.D. :: Black Bastards :: Readyrock Records". RapReviews. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
11. Christgau, Robert. "KMD". Robert Christgau. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
12. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "KMD". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 462. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
13. Caramanica, Jon (August 2000). "KMD: Black Bastards / M.F. Doom: Operation Doomsday". Spin. 16 (8): 152–54. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
14. Black Bastards (liner notes). KMD. New York, New York: Sub Verse Music. 2001. SVM15.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. Black Bastards (liner notes). KMD. Glendale, California: Readyrock Records. 2000. RR 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
16. Black Bastards (liner notes). KMD. Glendale, California: Readyrock Records. 2000. RR-2001CD.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)