A Tribe Called Quest Releases Official Statement On Legendary Rapper Phife Dawg's Death At Age 45: 'He Wasn't In Pain, He Was Happy'
A Tribe Called Quest released a statement on the death of the groundbreaking group's rapper Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, on Wednesday at the age of 45. Rolling Stone reported the cause of death as "complications resulting from diabetes."
"Our hearts are heavy. We are devastated. This is something we weren't prepared for although we all know that life is fleeting," read the statement posted on ATribeCalledQuest.com on Wednesday evening, shortly before 8 p.m. EST.
"It was no secret about his health and his fight. But the fight for his joy and happiness gave him everything he needed. The fight to keep his family happy, his soul happy and those around him happy, gave him complete and unadulterated joy... until he heeded his fathers call."
"We love his family his mother, his father, his son, his wife, his nieces, his family here in New York, Atlanta, California and Trinidad, the statement added.
Arguably the most influential hip-hop act of all-time, A Tribe Called Quest provided a tripped out alternative to the harsh reality of '90s gangsta rap and hooked in a generation of new fans in the process. It is difficult to imagine the current rap landscape of artists like Kendrick Lamar (a frequent collaborator of Tribe Called Quest producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad) or Drake without the contributions of Phife Dawg and his collaborators.
Releasing five albums between 1990 and 1998, three of them undeniable hip-hop classics, it was Phife Dawg and bandmate Q-Tip's chemistry that was at the heart of the Tribe Called Quest sound, with Phife adding a clever, straightforward delivery that was the perfect retort to Tip's more spacey, heady style.
The group had reformed for several reunions, most notably a showstopping performance of the group's 1990 debut single "Can I Kick It?" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" back in November. Though the song was one of only four tracks Phife Dawg rapped on for the group's first album "People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm," it was immediately clear it wasn't Tribe Called Quest without him.
The official band post from the surviving A Tribe Called Quest members thanked the fans for their overwhelming support, pushing Phife Dawg's name to the top of trending terms on Facebook and Twitter.
"Thank you for the outpouring of prayers and support from the fans, fellow artists, music outlets, blogs, radio stations, DJ's, social media and the music community at large. This too is part of his joy and means a lot to him," the post read.
"His family is overwhelmed by the support, well wishes and are thankful. His music and what he's contributed is seismic and hard to measure. He's affected us as much as he's affected all of you. We're inspired by his daily joy and courage. He wasn't in pain. He was happy...we take comfort in knowing he will be beside his grandmother."
