Trugoy the Dove, one of the founding members of hip-hop trio De La Soul, is dead at 54, multiple sources have confirmed.
The Long Island, New York group was formed in the late 1980s and included Trugoy (David Jolicoeur), Posdnuous (Kelvin Mercer), and Maceo (Vincent Lamont Mason Jr.).
3 Feet High and Rising - the band's 1989 debut album that spawned their only R 'n' B number one 'Me, Myself and I' - has been hailed a "masterpiece" in the hip-hop genre, according to Michigan Daily. In 2006, the trio took home a Grammy for their collaboration on The Gorillaz's single 'Feel Good Inc.'
News of Jolicoeur's death was reported by TMZ, which detailed that the musician passed away on Sunday (February 12) at a hospital in Maryland. The outlet also added that a cause of death is yet to be released.
The rapper has been open about his battle with congestive heart failure in recent years, revealing in 2017 that he had been wearing a LifeVest - a wearable defibrillator that can stop an abnormal heart rhythm without assistance, per Cleveland Clinic. Jolicoeur stated (via The Source) that the vest "will shock me, and hopefully bring me back from the matrix. I'm ready just to get back to the stage. I miss it. I love traveling; I love being around my guys. And I want that back."
De La Soul's music has been difficult to listen to as it hasn't been available on music streaming platforms such as Spotify, however, the band finally released their catalog on Spotify on March 3.
Pharrell - a long time fan of the group - told 360 Hausa in January that he has been inspired by their music since he was a teen. "The De La tribe were the forefathers and founders of the way we see things. I was nearly 16 when 3 Feet High and Rising came out. It was a total gamechanger. It changed my life, period. Would I like to work with them? I would do anything for them, they know that. If they don't, they should," he said.
In 2014, Jolicoeur spoke of De La Soul's influence, telling The Guardian: "Our music is raw and it's funky but, at the same time, it’s deeply soulful because this is the Daisy Age and this is the sound from within. Rap doesn't have to come off with hard basslines and heavy kicks and snares. People sometimes want to listen to soft music - even the hardcore crowd."
Our thoughts are with David Jolicoeur's family, band members, friends, and fans at this difficult time.
