It’s a tough gig to live in the shadow a rap renaissance man such as a Q-Tip, but Phife Dawg proved himself the ultimate team player and an essential part of the mighty group known as A Tribe Called Quest. Having started off as a largely forgettable sidekick on the first album, Phife stepped up his game significantly and proved himself to be the perfect foil to Tip’s laid-back persona on 1992’s Low End Theory album. They further refined the formula on the sublime Midnight Marauders LP (before opening up the locker room to new recruits Jay Dee and Consequence on the next two projects), demonstrating a level of chemistry only equaled by the likes of EPMD, Run-DMC and M.O.P.
I was saddened to hear that Phife lost his long struggle with diabetes yesterday, age 45. THe was apparently ‘locked in the studio until June’ when I attempted to arrange an interview early last year, so we may yet hear a final release from him in the near future, but regardless his passing is a huge loss for Tribe fans everywhere. Here are sixteen great moments of Phife doing his thing as we salute the five foot assassin.
Download: A Tribute To Phife Dawg
Dammit man
“Let me hit it from the back, girl, I won’t catch a hernia/Bust off on your couch, now you got Seaman’s furniture…” One of the greatest punchlines ever from one of the greatest songs ever. Rest In Paradise, Phife…
Grabbed. Cheers Robbie.
Rest in peace Phife the 5 ft assassin
…off the play ‘Buggin Out’
Phife was the underdog in the group, more real down to earth than qtip.
Tip was more the babyface of rap with a cute voice, his solo effort sucks, that vibrant thing is so irrelavant.
Phife dawg is my dawg feom atcq, foreber rip.
Now roll out the unreleased gems!!!!
rest in peace, I’m not going to lie in my opinion he was the best rapper in The Tribe Called Quest, let’s celebrate our hip hop Legends while they still alive
Thanks Robbie.
Phife’s verse on “Peace, Prosperity & Paper” from the High School High soundtrack is so dope…
“Here comes your royal highness, one of Queens finest
Believe me, honest, you know you can’t stop it
Come on son, never leave your mic round me
True MC for real ask my man Shaheed
Strictly focused on what Im in this rap game for
Not for fame and screwing every whore after whore
With all that AIDS stuff going round
Tell me how that sound
Rather hit the studio and hear some beats that pound
Now, dont get me wrong I love honeys galore
But see hip-hop’s my bread butter
Cause that’s what I get paid for
See this is what I wanted
Allah helped me to get it
And if the beat is wicked
You know Malik will rip it
From the bottom of my heart
Thats where the love starts
The love for breakdancing
My love for the art
And with this love I do hip-hop from the soul
A real MC, who never sweats how many copies are sold
Yeah I want to go gold, platinum, uh-huh etceteras
But why put out some wackness when no one will respect ya
Im staying true nuff respect to those that paved the way
From Bambaata down to Shah; that be my DJ
With out my peeps I dont know how the hell Id make it, word
Sometimes I feel that my career is headed for the curb
One love for the lendin hand and giving all your help
Believing in me when I didnt believe in my own self
The Abstract with whom Im always making rugged tunes
Kid Hood restin in heaven, I hope to see you soon
I keep things hot and this year they’re even hotter
Big Mu and Shah, one day I’ll take my shahada
OuT”
Forever rest in paradise, Phife.
Yep sad day we lost one of the best to every do it. As you said the way he knuckled down and upped his game on the second lp was phenomenonal.
Was the definition of ‘real’ with punchlines, sincerity, down to earth and a perspective fans could all relate to. He’ll live on thru the music.
‘Yo microphone check one two what is this….’
RIP Phife! Lucky to have seen them reunited at Wireless in London in July 2013. A great show. His music lives on.
R I P Phife
R.I.P To Phife DOG this shit hurts…We losing are legends way to fast…Can’t believe ill never see Tribe Rock again..Cats need to kill all this Q-Tip hate on here though M.F”s there is no Tribe without Tip FUCK OUTTA HERE….TIP was always nice they complemented each other leave it at that. And don’t get me started with the beats. This shit hurts my HIP HOP soul…
I agree with @DialTone
Don’t know if people watched the documentary from a few years ago, but Tip made a good point in saying that although he was the man behind the beats, he never wanted sole credit for it, and insisted that the credits read “Written and PRODUCED by A Tribe Called Quest”
As for Phife, dude was the perfect rhyme partner for Tip. He did his thing sparingly on the 1st album, but once “Excursions” goes off on The Low End Theory and that “Buggin’ Out” bass line kicks in for 2 bars, followed by the “Yo, Microphone check 1 2 what is this?”, IMO Phife’s position was solidified at that very moment. You knew that if this song was an indication of what we’d be hearing from him/them, they would be making some damn fine hip hop. ATCQ has been my 2nd favorite group behind Run-DMC since the late 90’s. I love all their albums equally. I’m kinda at a loss because I feel like Phife is a representation of MY generation. Even made me look at my own mortality. Sure will miss the brother & his talents.
RIP Malik Taylor a.k.a. Phife Diggy Dawg
Agree it’s not the time or place to start shitting on q tip. The whole of the group and it’s chemistry together made it what it was. Apparently they were best friends since 2 so it’s natural to grow apart and have some disagreements over that time.
I don’t think q tip said it in the movie in so many words but I got the feeling part of his frustration was in seeing phife going down that road with sugar addiction etc and not taking more control over his health etc.
It’s not realistic to expect him to remake marauders over and over again. Actually some of his later work is really good if you let go of the preconception of what he should make.
Thank you for this Robbie. Rest in Peace Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor. It’s remarkable how profound an impact someone you’ve never met can have on your life. Phife is a big reason I’m so proud to be from Queens and a big reason I love rap so much. He is sorely missed but remembered and honored in greatness.
All respect due but am I the only one who thought phife came across as an asshole in that documentary ? There’s no denying he’s a musical genius but he just came across as being a pain in the ass to work with , maybe it was edited that way . I wished I never watched it
Bit late on this, gotta be honest on this one, when I saw the headline ‘Tribe Called Quest Star Dies’, my first thought was I hope it’s not Tip who’s a bit of a hero of mine, both as a musician and as a man, but I was still gutted that Phife has gone. RIP.
‘The Low End Theory’ & ‘Midnight Marauders’ in particular will live on & be appreciated & loved for decades to come.
Some of the greatest Hip Hop evah!
2016! Fuck me! What a shit year so far! Can really talented, admirable people stop dying please!!