MF DOOM‘s estate is demanding the return of the late rapper’s rhyme books from Now-Again Records founder Eothen “Egon” Alapatt.
DOOM’s widow Jasmine Dumile confirmed last year that Egon was in possession of some of her late husband’s stolen rhyme books, and now she’s taking the steps to get them back.
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On Wednesday (March 1), DOOM’s estate posted a screenshot of an old email chain to Twitter, captioning it: “Egon Give the Notebooks Back.” An attached image shows emails between Egon, Jasmine and what appears to have been the late MC himself under the pseudonym Karlo Metal-Franks.
An email to Egon from DOOM in August 2016 reads: “Peace E. Hope you’re well. Any word from [redacted] on my belongings. I really need those notebooks.”
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Egon’s response reads: “I have no idea where [redacted] is. As I told [redacted] when she contacted me… He disappeared when his family sold the building, which, from what I understand, has been gutted. I know from working with [redacted] that they carted away dumpsters full of stuff.”
Just over a week later, Jasmine joined the thread to say that the redacted name confirmed Egon had the notebooks. The email seemingly went unanswered, as an email from January 2017 shows DOOM urging the Now-Again Records founder to return the notebooks and looking to keep their relationship in good standing.
With no further email attached, it appears as though that went unanswered as well.
In a statement obtained by HipHopDX in the Fall, Dumile expressed her disappointment in Egon’s decision to hold on to the books despite repeated requests for their safe return.
“We can confirm Eothen ‘Egon’ Alapatt is illegally in possession of rhyme books owned by MF DOOM,” Dumile said. “There have been many unsuccessful attempts to get these back prior to DOOM’s passing. We had hoped after DOOM transitioned Egon would do the right thing and return the books to the family but he has continued to ignore these requests.”
She added: “Unfortunately, Egon is not the only former associate abusing the likeness, art and life’s work of DOOM, more will be said at the appropriate time.”
Egon is business partners with Madlib, DOOM’s longtime collaborator, and currently owns Now-Again Records. Talib Kweli brought the topic to light last summer with an Instagram post, accusing Egon of “taking advantage” of and “stealing from” Black artists.
“Today all I want to know is why Egon stole MF DOOM rhyme book and refuses to give it back to DOOM family, even after MF DOOM passed away. MF DOOM officiated this mans wedding FOR FREE, but then later stopped rocking with him because of his devil ways,” he wrote in part.
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He added: “Someone tag nowagain and asking Egon why he stole MF DOOM rhyme book, he got me blocked. The era of the culture vulture is OVER.”
MF DOOM passed away in October 2020, though the Hip Hop community didn’t find out about his death until December 31 of that year.
