The VILLAIN was laying low on the fog shrouded Tin Islands when Bishop’s X-Wing crashed into his swamp. It was April 2013, and that’s a metaphor for Bishop’s first meeting with DOOM before a show at the 100 Club. The future collaborators were booked to play in the tiny ancient jazz venue with Ghostface Killah that night.

A month earlier Bishop had been co-signed on stage at SXSW by Nas. There was mad anticipation for his next project. Stakes were high. At the 100 Club, VILLAIN saw what Nas had seen, a real MC.

In the months that followed Metal Fingers sent Bishop Yousendit links to folders of beats and Bishop laid down bars. The two worked remotely and then followed up with sessions in the studio.

Amongst many swell reviews the mini-album caught a lot of criticism. Not least because it was so short, just 32 minutes. To mark the 5th anniversary, we’ve reduced the running time to 27 minutes.