Phife Dawg, A.K.A. Malik Taylor, passes away at 45 of Diabetes

Photo by MICHAEL BENABIB C. 1989                                    Phife Dawg, aka Malik Taylor initially formed A Tribe Called Quest, then simply named Quest, with his high school classmate Q-Tip in 1985; the group was later expanded with the addition of Jarobi White and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A Tribe Called Quest were closely associated with fellow hip-hop acts De La Soul and Jungle Brothers, with the groups being collectively known as the Native Tongues.[3] A Tribe Called Quest were initially offered a demo deal by Geffen Records in 1989, but signed to Jive Records to release their 1990 début People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.[3]

Phife Dawg passed away March 22, 2016, aged 45, of diabetes. Rest in peace.