A daily chronicle of creativity in film, TV, music, arts, and entertainment, produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from November 2014 – March 2020. Host John Horn leads the conversation, accompanied by the nation's most plugged-in cultural journalists.
Malik Taylor, the rapper better known as Phife Dawg, passed away on March 22 due to complications from diabetes.
Taylor, 45, was a member of the trailblazing hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest, whose albums "The Low End Theory" (1991) and "Midnight Marauders" (1993) are regarded as some of the best and most important in rap history.
A Tribe Called Quest's music influenced a generation of artists. In response to Taylor's death, scores of musicians and creators posted tributes to the rapper, including Questlove of The Roots, rapper Kendrick Lamar, "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, actress Taraji P. Henson, and many more have paid their respects.
"MICROPHONE CHECK 1 2 WHAT IS THIS..."
RIP Phife Dawg, who taught us the only way to rock the mic is to be unapologetically yourself
Thanks.— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel)
"MICROPHONE CHECK 1 2 WHAT IS THIS..."
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) March 23, 2016
RIP Phife Dawg, who taught us the only way to rock the mic is to be unapologetically yourself
Thanks.
My heart is sad! We lost a great one
you will be missed. Thank you for the music…
— Taraji P. Henson (@TherealTaraji)
My heart is sad! We lost a great one #RIP #PhifeDog you will be missed. Thank you for the music… https://t.co/WIW58lNedg
— Taraji P. Henson (@tarajiphenson) March 23, 2016