Phife Dawg, a co-founder of the seminal hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, has died, as . He was 45.
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A Tribe Called Quest has yet make an official statement on his passing. Rap producer Statik Selektah took to Twitter early this morning to confirm his passing:
Confirmed. rest in peace Phife. Man. I'm out.
— Statik Selektah (@StatikSelekt)
No cause of death has been released, although Phife Dawg, real name Malik Isaac Taylor, had Type 1 diabetes for years. In 2008, the disease required him to need a kidney transplant.
Along with Q-Tip, Phife Dawg was a core member of landmark ’90s hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. The group’s blend of jazz and rap rhythms proved massively influential for groups like the Roots and Outkast. The Rolling Stone ranked their 1991 sophomore album “The Low End Theory” as the of all time.
Members of the hip-hop community took to Twitter to remember Phife Dawg:
Sad day for Hip Hop as we lose another! Want to Salute the homie You will be missed! Rest In Paradise fam
— Mobb Deep (@MobbDeep)
Phife-HipHop & Rap word Warrior, simple as that.Breathed it & lined rhyme into Sport.A true fire Social Narrator my bro ATCQforever
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD)
Rip PHIFE DAWG A Tribe Called Quest inspired us all ! We will never forget!
— juicy j (@therealjuicyj)
RIP to the Funky Diabetic. Sad day today.
— Noah Shebib (@OVO40)
REST IN PEACE PHIFE
— el-p (@therealelp)
