VimeoRapper Phife Dawg from hip hop pioneers A Tribe Called Quest has died at the age of 45.
The hip hop legend had been battling Diabetes and general ill health for several years now, leading him to need a kidney transplant from his wife in 2008. At this time the actual cause of death has not been announced.
RIP to phife dog of tribe called quest pic.twitter.com/f4t5fvg4WD
— DJ Chuck Chillout (@djchuckchillout) March 23, 2016
Twitter users have shown their appreciation of Phife’s contribution to hip hop and although the news is yet to be officially announced, Rolling Stone have confirmed his death, the BBC reports.
Phife Dawg, born Malik Isaac Taylor in 1970, co-founded A Tribe Called Quest back in 1985 with Q-tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, his classmates at the time.
RIP PHIFE. DRINKING A DR PEPPER FOR U RIGHT NOW. pic.twitter.com/ClSNcuLR9P
— Mac (@MacMiller) March 23, 2016
The group are best known for their 1991 hit ‘Can I Kick It?’, and April 10th will mark the 25th anniversary of the release of their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.
A Tribe Called Quest have yet to make a statement regarding the death of Phife Dawg.
