Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest Dies at 45
His family said the cause of death was complications from diabetes.
— -- Phife Dawg, one of the founding members of the pioneering hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, died Tuesday at the age of 45, according to a statement from his family.
Born Malik Taylor, the rapper died from complications resulting from diabetes, his family said.
"Malik was our loving husband, father, brother and friend. We love him dearly," the statement obtained by ABC News read. "How he impacted all our lives will never be forgotten. His love for music and sports was only surpassed by his love of God and family."
His manager, Dion Liverpool, added, "While I mourn the loss of my best friend and brother, I also will celebrate his incredible life and contribution to many people's ears across the world. Even with all his success, I have never met a person as humble as he. He taught me that maintaining a positive attitude and outlook can conquer anything. Now my brother is resting in greatness."
Phife called himself "the Funky Diabetic" in several Tribe songs and was open about his struggle with diabetes. In 2008, he received a kidney transplant from his wife and in 2012, he shared his story in the documentary "Beats, Rhymes and Life."
His other nicknames included "Five Foot Assassin" and "The Five Footer," referring to his 5-foot-3-inch height.
The Queens, New York, native formed A Tribe Called Quest with his classmate Q-Tip (born Jonathan Davis) in 1985. The group later grew to include DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White and would make five studio albums together before disbanding in the late ‘90s. The group reunited last November on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to celebrate the 25th anniversary release of their iconic debut album.