The hip-hop world mourns the loss of a legendary MC
Queens rapper Phife Dawg, real name Malik Isaac Taylor, has died at the age of 45. The news was confirmed via Twitter by hip-hop producer Statik Selektah.
While cause of his death is currently unknown, Phife was diagnosed with type one diabetes in 1990 – the same year A Tribe Called Quest released their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the paths of Rhythm. Phife referenced his condition on A Tribe Called Quest’s track Oh My God, and his health situation was discussed in the 2011 documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest.
Phife Dawg was a founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, who he formed with his highschool classmates Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad in 1985. The group released five full length albums, their last being 1998’s The Love Movement. In 2000, Phife released his only solo album, Ventilation: Da LP. Read a series of Twitter tributes below.
Confirmed. rest in peace Phife. Man. I’m out.
— Statik Selektah (@StatikSelekt) March 23, 2016
Phife Phorever #RIPPhifeDawg https://t.co/jpg4Y8sHTB
— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) March 23, 2016
REST IN PEACE TO THE INCREDIBLE PHIFE DAWG
— el-p (@therealelp) March 23, 2016
Phife-HipHop & Rap word Warrior, simple as that.Breathed it & lined rhyme into Sport.A true fire Social Narrator my bro #RIBeats ATCQforever
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 23, 2016
Phife!
— FLYLO (@flyinglotus) March 23, 2016
May Phife dawg rest in peace and blessings to his family..
— g -host (@therealstylesp) March 23, 2016
— EARL (@earlxsweat) March 23, 2016
