Rapper MF Doom Dead at 49, Wife Reveals

On Thursday evening, Jasmine Dumile, the wife of MF DOOM, revealed that her husband died two months earlier. According to PEOPLE, DOOM’s wife shared that her husband died on Oct. 31 at the age of 49. She did not reveal a cause of death. On Instagram, Dumile paid tribute to her late husband with an emotional message in which she noted that he was the “greatest” partner and father that she could have asked for.

“Begin all things by giving thanks to THE ALL!” Dumile’s post, which came alongside a photo of DOOM, began. She posted the message on Thursday on the rapper’s official Instagram account. “The greatest husband, father, teacher, student, business partner, lover and friend I could ever ask for. 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. Thank you for showing how not to be afraid to love and be the best person I could ever be. My world will never be the same without you. Words will never express what you and Malachi mean to me, I love both and adore you always. May THE ALL continue to bless you, our family and the planet.”

DOOM, whose real name is Daniel Dumile, originally got his start in the music industry in the 1980s. At the time, he started out rapping under the stage name Zev Love X and was in the group KMD alongside his younger brother, DJ Subroc. KMD released two albums, 1991’s Mr. Hood and 1993’s Black Bastards. DOOM’s brother was struck by a car and killed shortly before the release of Black Bastards. As a result, DOOM ended up taking on a new persona, MF DOOM. During his performances, he would sport a mask modeled after the one donned by Marvel supervillain Dr. Doom. In a 2009 New Yorker interview, DOOM explained his reasoning behind wearing a mask while onstage.

“I wanted to get onstage and orate, without people thinking about the normal things people think about. Like girls being like, ‘Oh, he’s sexy,’ or ‘I don’t want him, he’s ugly,’ and then other dudes sizing you up,” he explained at the time. “A visual always brings a first impression. But if there’s going to be a first impression I might as well use it to control the story. So why not do something like throw a mask on?”