Trugoy the Dove, one of three rappers of the groundbreaking hip-hop band De La Soul, died on Sunday at the age of 54.
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| Trugoy the Dove |
Trugoy (or Plug 2, as he was sometimes known) was born David Jolicoeur in Brooklyn in 1968 and had yet to hear De La Soul's seminal first album 3 Feet High and Rising, which was ultimately released on March 3. Everyone now has access to it.
The first six De La Soul albums were never available on streaming sites due to the numerous uncleared samples. And, by the way, the recordings had been out of print for years. Except for that spectacular debut, whole generations of hip-hop fans have never heard albums like De La Soul is Dead (1991) or The Stakes is High (1996).
De La Soul has always continued to release hip-hop albums at a high level, but the sensation their 1989 debut created not only in the hip-hop world but also beyond was truly unique.
Hip-hop before De La Soul was mostly dark and combative, with bands like Public Enemy and NWA. The rhythms were mostly taken from James Brown's career and the musicians affiliated with him. Then there was the adorable duo of teddy bears from New York. Their inspiration comes from jazz and bands such as the Turtles, Hall & Oates, and Steely Dan. The tone was not aggressive, but rather lovely.
Everything would change after 3 Feet High and Rising, which was constructed like a radio drama. De La Soul became the face of the Native Tongue scene, which featured A Tribe Called Quest, the Jungle Brothers, and Queen Latifah.
Trugoy founded De La Soul in the late 1980s in Long Island with Posdnuos (Kevin Mercer) and Maseo (Vincent Mason). In 1988, Prince Paul, a member of the rap crew Stetsasonic at the time, heard a demo of the song Plug Tunin. He was upbeat and would take on a position for De La Soul comparable to George Martin's for the Beatles.
Hip hop classics such as 'Me, Myself, and I,' 'Say No Go,' and the Prince Paul edited demo 'Plug Tunin' were included on the debut album. However, following albums, on which the group attempted to shed their hippy image (De La Soul is Dead), were also strong enough to keep them as hip-hop pioneers to this day.
Trugoy also collaborated with De La Soul on the 2005 Gorillaz single 'Feel Good Inc,' which he co-wrote with Damon Albarn. Those who were paying attention at the Grammys last week missed him next to Posdnuos during the salute to fifty years of hip-hop.
Trugoy the Dove cause of death
The cause of death has not yet been determined. He may have perished as a result of a cardiac problem that had affected him for years.