David ‘Trugoy The Dove’ Jolicoeur, a member of the hip-hop trio De La Soul, has died at the age of 54. His passing was confirmed by his management team, All Hip-Hop first reported.
Jolicoeur’s official cause of death has not been announced but the rap pioneer had been open about his struggles with congestive heart failure over the past few years.
The veteran performer was with the group since it launched in Amityville, Long Island, circa 1988. The group was formed with his two friends from high school, fellow rappers Posdnuos and Maseo.
They gained a following for their eclectic sampling, lighthearted wordplay and influence in alternative hip hop, including jazz rap.
The group exuded a positive spirit in contrast to the image of gangsta rap on the West Coast.
The New York trio recently began releasing their classic early hits on streaming platforms, following a decades-long battle over their samples, according to The Gulf.
The New York trio’s first six albums, dating from 1989 to 2001, had previously not appeared on streaming platforms because their label, Tommy Boy, never tackled the huge legal task of clearing all the samples (there are some 60 to 70 on ‘3 Feet…” alone).
