A loss in Hip Hop culture

by Jason Ruiz, staff reporter

Linden Boulevard in Queens will never be the same after the death of Phife Dawg. New York 90’s hip-hop culture will take a blow after the loss of the country’s “funky diabetic”.

Malik Izaak Taylor, also known from his stage name, Phife Dawg, died on March 22, 2016 in Contra Costa County, California, CA due to heart complications from diabetes. Phife Dawg contributed to the hip-hop world alongside Q-Tip, Jarobi White, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad to create A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ). ATCQ is a hip-hop group that influenced many other emcee’s in the Hip Hop Culture.

One of his most memorable lyrics are from “Oh My God,” “When’s the last time you heard a funky diabetic?” During the early nineties, Taylor was diagnosed with diabetes, in which he later had a kidney transplant. Although he was stable and maintained a healthy diet for the rest of his life, he lost the battle to diabetes.

“Tribe Called Quest was a well known hip-hop group, very influential to the hip-hop world. One of my personal favorite hip-hop group, Phife and Q-Tip have two different styles, which made this group unique. From ATCQ my two favorite albums were Midnight Marauders and Low End Theory,” math teacher Mr. Gardner said.

Furthermore, to commemorate his death, a memorial was held at St. Albans Park in Queens, NY on April 4th at 10:30am with some members of ATCQ.

Phife will be missed.