Malik B, Philly rapper and founding member of The Roots, dies aged 47

Malik B, Philadelphia rapper and one of the founding members of popular hip-hop group The Roots, has passed away at the age of 47. The group confirmed his death via a statement on their Twitter account Wednesday.

“We regretfully inform you of the passing of our beloved brother and long time Roots member Malik Abdul Basit,” the statement read. “May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam and innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time. We ask that you please respect his family in our time of mourning.”

His cause of death wasn’t revealed. Malik B joined fellow band members, Black Thought and Questlove in the nineties to form The Roots. The group which was initially known as Square Roots, changed their name to The Roots after Malik B joined the duo.

Together, they released four albums, including Organix, Do You Want More?!!!??!, Illadelph Halflife and Things Fall Apart, a Grammy-nominated album. Basit parted ways with the group to pursue a solo career in 1999 after tensions with his bandmates. He, however, later featured on many tracks on albums released by the band several years after his departure.

Black Thought paid tribute to his former bandmate on Instagram, saying the “world just lost a real one.”

“We made a name and carved a lane together where there was none. We ressurected a city from the ashes, put it on our backs and called it Illadelph. 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,” he captioned.

He added: “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 bitch. I always wanted to change you, to somehow sophisticate your outlook and make you see that there were far more options than the streets, only to realize that you and the streets were one… and there was no way to separate a man from his true self. My beloved brother M-illitant. I can only hope to have made you as proud as you made me. The world just lost a real one. May Allah pardon you, forgive your sins and grant you the highest level of paradise.”

Questlove also paid tribute by sharing a “lighter tale.”