Phife Dawg, Group Member of ‘A Tribe Called Quest,’ Dead at 45

Phife Dawg, member of rap group A Tribe Called Quest dead at 45. Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Phife Dawg, founding member of the pioneering hip hop group, A Tribe Called Quest, has died at age 45, although an official statement has yet to be released.

Born Malik Taylor in Queens, New York, the rapper founded the late 1980s group alongside his classmates, Q-Tip (Kamaal Fareed) and Ali Shaheed Muhammed in the halls of Murray Bergtraum High School For Business Careers.  

Members of A Tribe Called Quest: (L-R) Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, and Jarobi White. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images