Phife Dawg, Founding Member of A Tribe Called Quest, Reportedly Dies at 45

Phife Dawg, principal member of pioneering hip-hop outfit A Tribe Called Quest, died Tuesday (March 22) at the age of 45, according to various reports.

Though an official statement had yet to be issued at press-time, Phife began trending on Twitter as leaders from the hip-hop community paid tribute to the late MC.

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On hearing the news, Chuck D tweeted, “Phife -- Hip Hop & Rap word Warrior, simple as that. Breathed it & lined rhyme into Sport. A true fire Social Narrator my bro."

Phife (born Malik Taylor) had battled with ill health in recent years and underwent a kidney transplant in 2008, following renal failure due to diabetes complications. He went on to become a diabetes advocate and shared his story in the 2012 documentaryBeats, Rhymes and Life.

A Tribe Called Quest was formed in the late 1980s by Phife, Q-Tip (born Jonathan Davis), DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White (who would leave the group at the height of its success). The act signed to Jive Records and released the first album of five studio albums, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, in 1990.

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The group would go on to make its mark as one of the most progressive hip-hop acts of its time. And commercial success didn't elude them. ATCQ's 1996 album Beats, Rhymes and Life reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and its followup, The Love Movement from 1998, peaked at No .3 on the chart (another, earlier set, Midnight Marauders, reached No. 8 on the U.S. chart in 1993). They were rewarded in 2005 with a Special Achievement Award at the Billboard R&B Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta.

Phife, who had the nicknames "Five Foot Assassin" and "The Five Footer" because of his diminutive height (he stood at 5 ft 3 in), released a solo album, Ventilation: Da LP, in 2000.

His group sporadically reunited over the past decade, including a performance for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last November. The late-night appearance coincided with the 25th anniversary release of the group’s iconic debut album featuring remixes helmed by Pharrell, CeeLo Green and J. Cole.
Phife Dawg's Death: Hip-Hop Leaders, Actors, Celebs React on Social Media




As news of Phife Dawg’s death broke, leaders from the music and entertainment worlds turned to social media to pay their respects to the A Tribe Called Quest co-founder.

Phife Dawg, Founding Member of A Tribe Called Quest, Reportedly Dies at 45

Phife, MC with the chart-topping, award-winning progressive hip-hop act, reportedly died Tuesday (March 22) at the age of 45 following a run of health issues.

The likes of Public Enemy's Chuck D and actor Marlon Wayans led tributes to the rapper.