MF DOOM’s Cause of Death Made Public, Widow Confronts Hospital for Malpractice

Back on New Year’s Eve in 2020, hip-hop fans received news that iconic British rapper MF DOOM, whose legal name was Dumile Daniel Thompson, had passed away at the age of 49. The announcement was made by his wife Jasmine Dumile, as she revealed that he died in October 2020, but the family waited weeks to go public with the tragedy.

“To (DOOM), the greatest husband, father, teacher, student, business partner, lover and friend I could ever ask for,” she wrote at the time. “Thank you for all the things you have shown, taught and given to me, our children and our family.”

However, now Dumile is raising concern about the circumstances of DOOM’s death, along with revealing what caused it. In a report published Tuesday (July 4) by the United Kingdom outlet LeedsLive, she claimed that in the fall of 2020, DOOM was suffering from kidney disease and high blood pressure, which was affecting his mental and physical health.

To combat these health concerns, DOOM was prescribed ACE inhibitors, which are typically given to people who struggle with high blood pressure. But, after just taking two doses, DOOM’s tongue and throat began swelling and he started experiencing harsh breathing issues. This swelling is a result of a condition called angioedema. LeedsLive mentioned this is rare for those who take ACE inhibitors. DOOM would be taken to be treated at St. James Hospital in Leeds, England, where Dumile asserts he did not get the adequate help he needed.

While placed in an outdated room in the hospital, DOOM’s health deteriorated quickly, as his wife claims he did not have proper access to nurses. Although he was given a “buzzer” to contact hospital staff, it was placed out of his reach. Instead, he would call his wife to report his poor condition, and she would have to relay the message to St. James staff. In fact, at one point, DOOM’s breathing was so troublesome that he attempted to stand up and get help himself, but he did not have the power to do so and ended up collapsing and suffering from respiratory arrest.

Dumile was not able to visit DOOM in the hospital due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic at the time. But, when she was finally able to see him on October 31, the day he passed, the respirator that helped him breathe was finally shut off.

This summer, Dumile filed an inquest to the court to have St. James’ medical practices called into question, which was obtained by LeedsLive. Although the inquest is still ongoing, multiple different discoveries have been made. First, the inquest found that, just before he passed, St. James had reported that DOOM’s condition was improving and he had been able to speak to doctors, eat food, and drink water. But that likely did not last for long.

Additionally, the inquest found that the hospital launched “a serious incident investigation” after DOOM’s death, which lead to changes regarding the treatment of patients suffering from angioedema.

Photo by Ross Gilmore/Redferns