The legendary Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest has passed away at the young age of 45.

The musician, known as “The Five-Foot Assassin” because of his diminutive height, has been strugglng with bad health and Type-I diabetes for years. He received a kidney transplant from his wife in 2008.

Born Malik Isaac Taylor in 1970, he co-founded the philosophically focused rap group in 1985 with his classmates Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Phife offered more provocative and boisterous lyrics to Q-Tip’s famously smooth flow. The raspy voiced MC became known for his witty punchlines, knowledge on sports, and self-confidence within his rhymes. After the group’s unfortunate split in 2000, Phife released his debut album, “Ventilation: Da LP.”
Chuck D screenshot
A Tribe Called Quest is Hip Hop royalty and greatly respected by countless fans around the world. Their biggest hit came in 1991, with the single “Can I Kick It?” The band recently reformed to perform the song on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, as they marked the 25th anniversary of their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

Many veteran Hip Hop artists, including Aesop Rock, Chuck D and El-P, have taken to social media to express their condolences.