Deezer D Passes On

Deezer D, who played Nurse Malik McGrath for the entire run of the TV show ER, died on January 7 2021 at the age of 55. The cause was a heart attack. He was also a rapper.

Deezer D was born Dearon Thompson in March 12 1965 in Los Angeles, California. As a teen he dropped out of high school and eventually became an alcoholic. It was a friend who introduced him to working as an extra. Deezer D decided he wanted to become an actor and at the same time pursued a career as a a rapper. It was following an anti-smoking commercial that featured him rapping that he he got an agent. He also began stopped drinking and began attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

Deezer D made his film debut in the movie Cool as Ice in 1991. He made his television debut in an episode of Out of Sight. He was cast as Nurse Malik McGrath on ER, appearing in its pilot episode "24 Hours." In the Nineties he guest starred on the television shows The John Laroquette Show and Hope & Gloria. He appeared in the TV movie Angel Street. He also released an album, Livin' Up in a Down World, in 1997. He appeared in the movies Fear of a Black Hat (1993), CB4 (1993), The Great White Hype (1996), and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). 

Deezer D continued to appear as Malik on ER for most the Naughts, appearing in its final episode, "And In the End." He guest starred in the TV show Starv-Ving. He appeared in the movies Bones (2001), Bringing Down the House (2003), In the Mix (2005), and The Way Back Home (2006). His album Unpredictable was released in 2002 and his album Delayed, But Not Denied was released in 2007. In the Teens he appeared in the movies Crowning Jules (2017) and this year he appeared in the movie Courting Mom and Dad (2021).

Before anything else I want to apologize for the fact that I am just now eulogizing Deezer D. His death in January entirely slipped past me. At any rate, I am saddened to hear that he died. Malik was one of my favourite characters on ER and Deezer D did a wonderful job of playing him. I know from Vanessa (who played Nurse Wendy Goldman on ER) that he was a very nice person on top of being a talented actor. Deezer D was always a delight to see on television and in movies. His passing is a cause for sorrow.