New York, NY (May 16, 2022): Danny Vazquez, Senior Editor at Astra House, has acquired World rights to THE CHRONICLES OF DOOM, a sweeping and definitive biography of Daniel Dumile AKA MF DOOM, by S.H. Fernando Jr., at auction from William LoTurco at LoTurco Literary.
Described by Vazquez as “your favorite YouTube explainers’ favorite rapper,” Dumile (AKA MF DOOM, AKA Zev Love X, AKA King Geedorah, AKA Viktor Vaughn, AKA Metal Fingers, AKA Metal Face) was one of rap’s most elusive, innovative, and tragic figures. His untimely death at the age of 49 sent shockwaves through the music world that unearthed the extensive influence he had on artists from Tyler, the Creator to Thom Yorke and Flying Lotus.
“Dumile’s story has been recounted endlessly on the internet,” Vazquez says. “Amateur music historians have tried, and failed, time and time again, to tell his complete story. S.H. Fernando is here to tell that story—from KMD, to Adult Swim, to the villain’s final chapter escaping death in the public eye for two whole months before it was announced in the most sensational fashion on New Year’s Eve 2020. I could not be more excited to be bringing this project to Astra House, our first biography of a musician.”
Broken down into five sections: The Man, The Myth, The Mask, The Music, and The Legend, the book will recount the rise, fall, redemption, and untimely demise of one of hip-hop’s most enigmatic and influential figures. Dumile’s life story will be framed by DOOM’s musical legacy, with chapter headings named after appropriate songs in his oeuvre and concluding with an exhaustive discography.
THE CHRONICLES OF DOOM will be published by Astra House in 2024.
For more information, visit www.astrahouse.com or contact Rachael Small at rsmall@astrahouse.com / 323-270-7407.
ABOUT S.H. FERNANDO JR.:
S.H. Fernando Jr.’s byline has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin, and Vibe. After graduating from Harvard and the Columbia University School of Journalism, he began his career as a music journalist for The Source magazine. In 1994, he started his own independent label, WordSound Recordings, and he is the author of the critically acclaimed book, The New Beats: Exploring the Music, Culture & Attitudes of Hip-Hop (Anchor/Doubleday, 1994).
ABOUT ASTRA HOUSE:
Astra House is dedicated to publishing authors across genres and from around the world. Founded in 2020, Astra House’s mission is to advocate for authors who experience their subject deeply and personally, and who have a strong point of view; writers who represent multifaceted expressions of intellectual thought and personal experience, and who can introduce readers to new perspectives about their everyday lives as well as the lives of others. Astra House is the adult trade imprint of Astra Publishing House. For more information, visit www.AstraHouse.com.
