A new podcast by journalist Adam Batty and BBC 6 Music DJ Afrodeutsche delves into the mysterious final years of masked rapper MF Doom, who died in Leeds in 2020. The investigation, titled MF Doom: Long Island to Leeds, follows leads to locations such as a remote-control car shop in Otley and the Brudenell Social Club, where the rapper was reportedly sighted.
MF Doom, born Dumile Daniel Thompson in Hounslow in 1971, died at St James's Hospital in Leeds at age 49 due to a lack of oxygen to the brain after a reaction to blood pressure medication. He had been barred from entering the US in 2010, forcing him to remain in the UK while his wife and children stayed in Atlanta.
The podcast features insights from fans including comedian Romesh Ranganathan, exploring Doom's legacy as a hip-hop icon. Known for his mask and comic-book-inspired persona, his 2004 collaboration with Madlib, Madvillainy, is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums. Despite his fame, concrete details about his life in West Yorkshire remain scarce, with many close to him refusing to speak.
Batty and Afrodeutsche ultimately do not uncover why Doom moved to Leeds, but Batty notes that the mystery's endurance is a fitting conclusion. The podcast is available on BBC Sounds from 10 February.
