After news of Phife Dawg’s death broke, leaders from the hip-hop community and celebs paid their respects to the A Tribe Called Quest cofounder on social media.
The rapper (née Malik Taylor) passed away on Tuesday, March 22, at age 45 following a series of health issues, Rolling Stone confirmed. While the cause of his death has yet to be announced, he underwent a kidney transplant in 2008 to help with his longtime battle with type 1 diabetes.
Dawg cofounded A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. The group was best known for their hit songs “Can I Kick It,” "Bonita Applebum” and “Scenario.”
Read celebs’ reactions below:
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
Rest In Beats PHIFE ATCQ Forever pic.twitter.com/jwYNU6YLJ8
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) March 23, 2016
Phife didawg… #RIP fam love you brother. You left the world with jewels man. My childhood… https://t.co/KRKK7Llw7N
— marlon wayans (@MarlonWayans) March 23, 2016
A pioneer of hip hop has left us. Rest in peace, Phife
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) March 23, 2016
Damn. #RIPPhife one of the greatest to bless the mic
— Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) March 23, 2016
I like brown ,yellow Puerto Rican or Haitian name is phife dog from the Zulu nation. Rip Phife pic.twitter.com/rSy8pSKnxC
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) March 23, 2016
RIP Phife. He was a key ingredient to one of the greatest groups ever. Influenced and touched so many lives, mine included..Tribe all day
— GEMINI (@macklemore) March 23, 2016
Rip PHIFE DAWG A Tribe Called Quest inspired us all ! We will never forget!
— juicy j (@therealjuicyj) March 23, 2016
Rest in power phife! #atribecalledquestforever pic.twitter.com/5LmkiyrLm4
— Kolony Out Now (@steveaoki) March 23, 2016
https://twitter.com/solangeknowles/status/712636848418529280
Rest in Peace Phife Dawg
— Sean Don (@BigSean) March 23, 2016
a tribe called quest is the greatest rap group of all time. and i would have never thought i had a place in rap if not for them #RIPPhife
— Open Mike Eagle (@Mike_Eagle) March 23, 2016
Hip-hop is living, can't yank the plug
if you do the result, will end up kind of bugged
Phife Dawg— Rob da Bank (@RobdaBank) March 23, 2016
Hearing Phife's voice will forever remind me of my favourite time in rap music #RIPPHIFE
— BREXLADESH (@ForeignBeggars) March 23, 2016
Huge loss today. A legend. A NY hip-hop originator. #RIPPhifeDawg Sending love to his close friends and fam. Today we are all in the Tribe.
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) March 23, 2016
#RIP #PhifeDawg Rest In Power & Peace.
— Redman (@therealredman) March 23, 2016
Phife lives through an all inspiring body of work; Pure and smart, MUSICAL and fun!! Why I fell for Hip Hop. He is loved. Tribe is loved.
— ⭐Jill Scott⭐ (@missjillscott) March 23, 2016
RIP Phife. "Microphone check 1-2 what is this. The five foot assassin with the ruff neck business"!
— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) March 23, 2016
Rip King #phifedawg #tribe ?? thx for the Epic vibes ………………. https://t.co/N71ygAbkKl
— SWIZZ BEATZ (@THEREALSWIZZZ) March 23, 2016
Rest In Power! #PhifeDawg #MalikThe5footFreak #HipHopGreat #Legend https://t.co/UQ7qMwambv
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) March 23, 2016