A German rapper who lost half of his skull in a drug lab explosion has admitted that he committed a “big mistake” but is thankful for the humility.
Niko Brenner, 37, was cooking cannabis oil in butane gas when the bottles burst due to a spark from his refrigerator, sending him out his studio apartment window.
The intensity of the explosion wrapped his body in flames and blew him off his feet, sending him flying through the window of his basement studio.
The musician was gravely injured, with burns all over his body and a swollen head as a result of the tragedy.
Brenner, a Cologne resident, has now spoken out about his ordeal since the explosion on February 6, 2017.
‘My skin has been scorched on 40% of its surface. So far, I’ve had nearly 50 surgeries.
With a wry smile, he continued, “People say the doctors took away half of my brain, but that’s not the truth.”
Brenner, whose music is recorded and published under the alias Dr. Knarf, had nearly half of his skull removed after the blast to relieve pressure on his brain.
He also had four strokes and is paralyzed on one side, requiring the use of a wheelchair and a walking stick.
‘It hurts a lot that I will never be able to climb a tree with my son,’ said the father of a six-year-old boy.
Doctors told Brenner that he could potentially restore his skull bone with an implant, but that ‘the problem is that there isn’t enough scalp due to the burns to reinsert a skull bone replacement.’
Doctors tried to stretch the skin by implanting a balloon filled with saline solution, but the device had to be removed after Brenner began to experience significant discomfort and inflammation, according to the singer.
‘It was an utter shock,’ Brenner recalled after seeing himself for the first time after pieces of his skull were removed. I had the appearance of a monster. At the time, my son was one year old. I was worried he wouldn’t recognize me at all.’
The worst part of the accident, he claimed, was “not being able to walk, not being able to move properly.” It makes me unhappy that I can no longer play the guitar, piano, or keyboards.’
The rapper’s problems are not only physical and mental, but also financial.
‘I owe 250,000 euros in hospital bills and had to file for personal bankruptcy,’ he explained.
He’s also facing charges of narcotics trafficking and carelessly triggering an explosive detonation.
‘I made a terrible mistake, drove my entire life up against the wall, and now I’m paying the consequence,’ Brenner said.
The rapper, who has been archiving information for a historical research office since 2019, has not been deterred by these difficulties.
‘Giving up is not an option; you must keep on in some way,’ he remarked. I used to be quite narcissistic and self-centered.
‘A great lot of humility is one insight I am glad for today.’