Leeds hospital trust apologises over death of rapper MF Doom saying care was ‘not to standard’

An NHS trust has issued an apology for giving “not to the standard” treatment to MF Doom, three years after the underground rap icon died.

The Accordion and Beef Rap singer, whose real name is Dumile Daniel Thompson, died on 31 October 2020 at St James Hospital in Leeds.

The rapper who was suffering from several conditions, including kidney failure, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and Hepatitis B, died due to a lack of oxygen to his brain after a "rare" reaction to blood pressure medication.

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust which runs the hospital where he died admitted that there were “missed opportunities” in the treatment of the rapper, according to Leads Live.

"I would like to offer our sincere condolences to Daniel’s family, friends and fans at this difficult time. I apologise that the care he received was not to the standard we would expect,” Dr Hamish McLure, Chief Medical Officer at the trust said.

"Following his sad death we undertook a serious incident investigation, and the report has been shared with Daniel’s family.

“As a result we have put in place a number of actions and the wider learning from what happened to be used as a teaching topic in a number of different clinical specialties. We also support the coroner’s recommendation for clearer national guidance and awareness in this area."

He died during the treatment for angioedema, which causes sudden swelling often caused by an allergic reaction. The rapper’s throat, tongue and lips became swollen after he was given medicine to control his blood pressure.

The rapper underwent kidney dialysis in Leeds in July 2020. He was living in the Roundhay area of the city where he had registered with a new GP, the inquest heard.

But the doctors were unable to access his previous medical records due to concerns over data protection.

On 23 Octorber 2020, the rapper began suffering from breathing problems after he was prescribed new medications and went to the A&E department at St James’s Hospital. He was given adrenaline, steroids, and oxygen and his condition seemed to improve.

But his health suddenly deteriorated and he collapsed before being put on a ventilator on 31 October.

Ms Thompson, who joined the inquest through a video link from the US, raised concerns over the handling of her husband’s case by the hospital.

She said she was unable to visit him at the hospital due to Covid pandemic and travel restrictions.  She described him as "a wonderful, talented man taken too soon and missed by everyone” in a tribute at the inquest.

Assistant coroner Janine Wolstenholme said the care plan drawn up by the hospital was not sufficiently detailed and doctors gave “false reassurance” about the improvement in his condition.

She said when the musician had indicated swelling getting worse it should have been followed up with a review even though it was not possible to say now what actions could have been taken at that time.

His condition deteriorated rapidly and it was a “rare event” she added.

Ms Wolstenholme said that the trust accepted that doctors had not sought “specialist input” in Thompson’s condition from an immunology expert and apologised to his wife.

The rapper was born in London in 1971 to a Trinidadian mother and Zimbabwean father. The family moved to Long Island, New York, during his childhood at an age young enough to have no memory of London or affiliation with British cultural identity.

Under the stage name Zev Love X as a teenager, Thompson co-founded the trio KMD with his younger brother, Dingilizwe (DJ Subroc). He hit the Billboard charts in 1991 with his sons “Peachfuzz” and “Who Me”.

Following his brother’s death in a car crash in 1993, Thompson disappeared from public life for several years before he returned to rap wearing a stocking over his face while performing at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. He adopted the MF Doom persona and captivated fans with mystique and anonymity as he always performed wearing his signature metallic mask.