David Jude Jolicoeur, the rapper known by his stage name Trugoy the Dove, has died. He was 54.
Jolicoeur, who was one of the founding members of the rap trio De La Soul, had been “struggling with his health,” according to All Hip Hop, the outlet that first reported the news.
It was back in 2018 when the artist talked about his congestive heart failure saying, “I’m ready just to get back to the stage. I miss that. I love traveling. I love being around my guys and I want that back.”
Jolicoeur is widely recognized for collaborating in the popular Gorillaz song “Feel Good Inc.” being credited as a writer.
The rapper made his debut with De La Soul in 1989 with 3 Feet High and Rising. Jolicoeur recently talked about how this album would do today.
“I think releasing 3 Feet High and Rising right now, even to maybe the age group that was listening back then, I think hip-hop as a whole just wouldn’t get it. I think hip-hop would possibly look at it as obnoxious, soft, that kind of thing,” he told Billboard.
He continued, “But I think it’s also because where we’re at in hip-hop right now, hip-hop is about what you got on, who you’re impressing, what can you do, how much you got, how much you’re spending, and how much is in that bag that you got around you? I don’t think the impact of what 3 Feet High and Rising and what it meant back then would mean anything now.”