MF Doom, the celebrated masked rapper born Daniel Dumile, died suddenly in Oct. 2020 while being treated at St. James’s Hospital in Leeds, England. After news broke earlier this week that the Dumile’s widow, Jasmine, had raised concerns about his care at the time, the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs St James’s, issued an apology.
“I would like to offer our sincere condolences to Daniel’s family, friends and fans at this difficult time,” Hamish McLure, chief medical officer of the trust, said, per The Guardian. “I apologize that the care he received was not to the standard we would expect. Following his sad death we undertook a serious incident investigation and the report has been shared with Daniel’s family.”
He continued, “As a result we have put in place a number of actions and the wider learning from what happened is to be used as a teaching topic in a number of different clinical specialities. We also support the coroner’s recommendation for clearer national guidance and awareness in this area.”
The apology came after an inquest into Dumile’s death, during which the trust acknowledged there had been “missed opportunities” in his course of treatment. The rapper was admitted on Oct. 23, 2020 with breathing problems after taking new medication. In the emergency room at St James’s hospital he was given adrenaline, steroids, and oxygen.
On Oct. 31, he collapsed following a reaction to a drug prescribed for blood pressure. That same day, Dumile died from angioedema, a sudden swelling often caused by an allergic reaction.
In the inquiry, assistant coroner Janine Wolstenholme confirmed that Dumile’s care plan was not complete and that doctors were given a “false reassurance” about his condition. Wolstenholme, who described the death as a “rare event,” said that when Dumile complained that the swelling in his throat, tongues, and lips was getting worse, it should have triggered a request for a review at the hospital.
Wolstenholme also apologized to Jasmine for the length of time it took to complete the inquest. As part of the investigation, Jasmine shared numerous concerns regarding Dumile’s care. She told the Wakefield Coroner’s Court that Dumile was put in a hospital room that contained an “old metal desk” and books, adding, “I don’t want to say it was an old storage room… it wasn’t set up. Maybe it was a room a long time ago. It did have a bed in it.”
She added that he had been unable to alert medical staff to Dumile’s deteriorating condition as the “buzzer” in his room was out of reach.
Dumile, who was born in London and living in Leeds at the time of his hospitalization and death, had several medical conditions, including kidney failure, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and hepatitis B. He underwent kidney dialysis in Leeds in July 2020.
Dumile’s death at age 49 wasn’t announced publicly until December of 2020. The news was first revealed by Jasmine on the rapper’s Instagram page and then confirmed by his rep, Richie Abbott, to Rolling Stone.
“The greatest husband, father, teacher, student, business partner, lover and friend I could ever ask for,” Jasmine wrote. “Thank you for all the things you have shown, taught and given to me, our children and our family. Thank you for teaching me how to forgive beings and give another chance, not to be so quick to judge and write off.”