A Tribe Called Quest member Phife Dawg dead at 45

Several media outlets have reported that Malik Isaac Taylor, better known as Phife Dawg of the hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest, has died. He was 45.

While a cause of death and an official statement on his passing have not been released, Billboard has confirmed the news.

The rapper had a series of health issues over the past few years including undergoing a kidney transplant in 2008 following renal failure due to complications with diabetes. Taylor was a diabetes advocate who nicknamed himself “The Funky Diabetic.” He spoke about his battle with the disease in the 2011 documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life.

"It's really a sickness," he said. "Like straight-up drugs. I'm just addicted to sugar."

A Tribe Called Quest formed in the 1980s and released their first album titled People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm in 1990. The group put out four other albums and were responsible for many hip-hop classics such as “Bonita Applebum,” “Award Tour” and “Scenario.”