Malik B., one of the founding members of The Roots, has died at the age of 47.
The band shared the news Wednesday on Instagram. A cause of death was not reported.
"It is with heavy hearts and tearful eyes that we regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit. May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam, His loving brotherhood and his innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family and extended family in our time of mourning such a great loss."
Born Malik Abdul Baset, he helped start The Roots with Questlove and Black Thought in the late '80s. He appeared on four of the group's albums — 1993's Organix, 1995's Do You Want More?!!!??!, 1996's Illadelph Halflife and 1999's Things Fall Apart — before leaving The Roots in 2002.
Malik made guest appearances on later albums and released a solo album in 2005, followed by an EP the next year.
Black Thought shared a touching tribute to Malik on Instagram, recalling their early years and time as a group. “We made a name and carved a lane together where there was none," he wrote. "In friendly competition with you from day one, I always felt as if I possessed only a mere fraction of your true gift and potential. Your steel sharpened my steel as I watched you create cadences from the ether and set them free into the universe to become poetic law, making the English language your b*tch.
Original article by Lauren Crawford at iHeartRadio