VV:2, also known as Venomous Villain,[1] is the fourth studio album by British-American rapper and producer MF Doom, and the second and final album to be released under his alias Viktor Vaughn. It was released through Insomniac, Inc. on August 3, 2004.

VV:2
A figure standing in a city, with the words VV:2 and Venomous Villain over the art, and the alias of the rapper, Viktor Vaughn.
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 3, 2004 (2004-08-03)
GenreHip hop
Length35:25
LabelInsomniac, Inc.
Producer
MF DOOM chronology
Special Herbs Spices Volume 1
(2004)
VV:2
(2004)
MM..FOOD
(2004)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic71/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [3]
Cokemachineglow71%[4]
LAS Magazine8/10[5]
No Ripcord7/10[6]
Pitchfork6.9/10[7]
Stylus Magazine5/10[8]
RapReviews7.5/10[9]
Tiny Mix Tapes4/5[10]
The Village VoiceA−[11]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, VV:2 received an average score of 71 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[2]

Exclaim!'s Thomas Quinlan found the album to be "a great follow-up to Vaudeville Villain", while noting that due to its short length and the presence of numerous guest performers, it nonetheless "leaves you wishing for a lot more Doom".[12]

Critic Robert Christgau ranked the album at number 71 on his year-end "Dean's List".[13]

Track listing

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No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Viktormizer" (Intro)System D-1282:49
2."Back End"
3:33
3."Fall Back/Titty Fat"
  • DiViNCi
  • Swamburger
3:34
4."DOOM on Vik"
  • DiViNCi
  • Swamburger
1:53
5."R.A.P. G.A.M.E." (featuring Manchild, Iz-Real & DOOM)Session 314:20
6."Dope Skill" (featuring Carl Kavorkian)DJ I.N.C.2:17
7."Doper Skiller" (featuring Kool Keith)DiViNCi2:51
8."Haberdashery" (Interlude) 0:22
9."Ode to Road Rage"Dub-L2:49
10."Bloody Chain" (featuring Poison Pen)Dub-L4:01
11."Strange New Day" (Interlude)System D-1280:32
12."Pop Quiz" (Bonus Extra Credit Remix) (performed by Iz-Real & DOOM)The Analears3:57

Personnel

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Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[14]

Personnel

  • DJ Sure Shot – scratches (5, 7)
  • DJ Escher – scratches (6)
  • System D-128 – scratches (10)
  • Kut Masta Kurt – scratches (12)
  • Israel "Iz-Real" Vasquetelle – executive producer, A&R
  • Thomas D. Jenkins – co-executive producer
  • DiViNCi – mixing

Artwork

  • Sanford Greene – artwork
  • Gez Fry – additional coloring

References

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  1. ^ "Viktor Vaughn (MF DOOM) 'Venomous Villain'". Insomniac Music. Archived from the original on 6 December 2004. Retrieved 16 January 2021. The critically acclaimed, faceless rhyme scoundrel returns to bring a new era of Cyber Rap with 'VV:2' aka 'VENOMOUS VILLAIN.'
  2. ^ a b "Reviews for Venomous Villain [VV:2] by Viktor Vaughn". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  3. ^ Jeffries, David. "Venomous Villain – MF DOOM". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  4. ^ Betz, Chet (27 July 2004). "Viktor Vaughn VV2: Venomous Villain". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on 5 November 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  5. ^ Filowitz, Dan. "Viktor Vaughn Venomous Villain". Archived from the original on 7 November 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  6. ^ Conti, Chris (11 October 2004). "Viktor Vaughn 'VV:2 Venomous Villain' (Insomniac)". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on 27 October 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  7. ^ Sylvester, Nick (11 August 2004). "Viktor Vaughn: VV2: Venomous Villain". Pitchfork. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  8. ^ De Young, Nate (27 August 2004). "Viktor Vaughn VV2: Venomous Villain". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 12 October 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  9. ^ Corne, James (21 September 2004). "MF Doom is Viktor Vaughn :: Venomous Villain (VV2) :: Insomniac Records". RepReviews. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  10. ^ Wolfman. "Viktor Vaughn – VV:2 Venomous Villain". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  11. ^ Christgau, Robert (8 February 2005). "Consumer Guide: Harmonies and Abysses". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  12. ^ Quinlan, Thomas (30 September 2004). "Viktor Vaughn: Venomous Villain". Exclaim!. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  13. ^ Christgau, Robert (15 February 2005). "Pazz & Jop 2004: Dean's List". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  14. ^ VV:2 (liner notes). Viktor Vaughn. New York, New York: Insomniac, Inc. 2004. INS 1005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)