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{{Short description|American rapper (1970–2016)}} {{Short description|American rapper (1970–2016)}}
{{redirect|Malik Taylor|American football wide receiver|Malik Taylor (American football)}} {{for|the American football player|Malik Taylor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist {{Infobox musical artist
|name = Phife Dawg | name = Phife Dawg
|background = solo_singer | background = solo_singer
|image = Phife Dawg-mika.jpg | image = Phife Dawg-mika.jpg
|image_size = | image_size =
|caption = Phife Dawg in 1999 | caption = Phife Dawg in 1999
|birth_name = Malik Izaak Taylor | birth_name = Malik Izaak Taylor
|alias = Phife, Phife Dawg, The Phifer, Phife Diggy, The Five-Foot Assassin, The Five-Footer, Malik The Five-Foot Freak, The Funky Diabetic, Dynomutt, Mutty Ranks, The Trini-Gladiator, Don Juice, Dr. Pepper | alias = {{hlist|Phife|The Phifer|The Five Foot Assassin|Malik the Five Foot Three|Dynomutt}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1970|11|20}} | birth_date = {{birth date|1970|11|20}}
|birth_place = ], U.S. | birth_place = ], ], U.S.
|origin = | origin =
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|03|22|1970|11|20}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|03|22|1970|11|20}}
|death_place = ], U.S. | death_place = ], U.S.
|genre = ] | genre = ]
|occupation = Rapper | occupation = Rapper
⚫ | years_active = 1985–2016<ref name="thesource"/>
|instrument = Vocals
⚫ | label = {{hlist|]|]}}
⚫ |years_active = 1985–2016<ref name="thesource"/>
| past_member_of = ]
⚫ |label = ], Groove Attack Records
⚫ | website =
|associated_acts = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
⚫ |website =
}} }}
'''Malik Izaak Taylor'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://phifedawgs.com/|title=Ghostface Killah, Jay Electronica and Others Honor 'Phife Dawg'|publisher=Hip-Hop Wired|date=January 20, 2010|access-date=February 23, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831204521/http://phifedawgs.com/|archive-date=August 31, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> (November 20, 1970{{snd}}March 22, 2016), known professionally as '''Phife Dawg''' (or simply '''Phife'''), was an American ] and a member of the group ] with ] and ] (and for a short time ]). He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and "The Five-Footer", because he stood at {{convert|5|ft|3|in}}. '''Malik Izaak Taylor'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://phifedawgs.com/|title=Ghostface Killa, Jay Electronica and Others Honor 'Phife Dawg'|publisher=Hip-Hop Wired|date=January 20, 2010|access-date=February 23, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831204521/http://phifedawgs.com/|archive-date=August 31, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> (November 20, 1970{{snd}}March 22, 2016), known professionally as '''Phife Dawg''' (or simply '''Phife'''), was an American ] and a member of the group ] with ] and ] (and for a short time ]). He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and the "Five-Footer," because he stood at just {{convert|5|ft|3|in}}.


==Career== ==Early life==
Phife Dawg was born Malik Izaak Taylor on November 20, 1970, in ], ], the son of ] immigrant parents ], a poet, and Walt Taylor.<ref name=hiphopdx>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.1545/title.phife-dawg-his-name-is-mutty-ranks|title=Phife Dawg: His Name Is Mutty Ranks|date=May 16, 2010 |publisher=HipHopDX|access-date=November 24, 2010}}</ref><ref>Coleman (2007), p. 435.</ref><ref name="ubuntu"/> His mother settled in the ] neighborhood of Queens when she was 13 years old, and Phife Dawg was raised in the same neighborhood.<ref name="ubuntu">{{Cite news |date=December 6, 2017 |title=Cheryl Boyce-Taylor |url=https://ubuntubiographyproject.com/2017/12/06/cheryl-boyce-taylor/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203194524/https://ubuntubiographyproject.com/2017/12/06/cheryl-boyce-taylor/ |archive-date=December 3, 2020 |access-date=27 April 2018 |work=The Ubuntu Biography Project by Stephen A. Maglott}}</ref> Born prematurely, his twin brother Mikal died shortly after birth.<ref name="heavy"/> He was a cousin of writer ].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Zinzi|last=Clemmons|url=https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/03/25/a-gritty-little-something-on-the-new-york-street/|title=A Gritty Little Something on the New York Street|magazine=]|date=March 25, 2016}}</ref>
⚫ Phife Dawg formed ], then simply named Quest, with childhood friend DJ ] and ] in 1985;<ref name="thesource">{{cite journal|last=Lewis |first=Miles |title=After the Love is Gone |journal=] |publisher=]|date=October 1998 }}</ref> the group was later expanded with the addition of ]. A Tribe Called Quest were closely associated with fellow hip-hop acts ] and ], with the groups being collectively known as the ].<ref name="avc">{{cite web|url=https://news.avclub.com/r-i-p-malik-phife-dawg-taylor-co-founder-of-a-tribe-1798245583|title=R.I.P. Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest|last=Chavez|first=Danette|date=March 23, 2016|publisher=]|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> A Tribe Called Quest were initially offered a demo deal by ] in 1989, but signed to ] to release their 1990 début '']''.<ref name=avc/>


He first met his friend ] at the age of two. At nine years old, Phife Dawg suggested that they should rap, after hearing "]" by ] for the first time.<ref name="beats">{{cite journal |last=Rapaport |first=Michael |title=] |journal=] |date=2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.44348/title.q-tip-gives-phife-dawg-ultimate-salute-during-atcqs-final-denver-show| title= Q-Tip Gives Phife Dawg Ultimate Salute During ATCQ's Final Denver Show| work= ]| date= August 11, 2017| first= Kyle| last= Eustice | access-date= December 25, 2021}}</ref> He attended ], a ] boarding school near ], for his freshman year of high school, later transferring to ] in Queens.<ref>Coleman (2007), p. 436.</ref>
⚫ Phife Dawg's contributions to the group increased on their second album, 1991's '']'', which saw Phife—often referring to himself as "the Five-Foot Assassin"—rapping about social and political issues; the record has since been acclaimed by critics and fellow musicians.<ref name=avc/> The group released three further albums throughout the decade—'']'' in 1993, '']'' in 1996, and '']'' in 1998—before disbanding as a result of conflict both with their record label and between members. The band's troubles, especially the sometimes tense relationship between Phife and Q-Tip, were featured in the 2011 documentary '']'', directed by ].<ref name=avc/>


==Career==
⚫ In addition to being a member of pioneering hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, Phife performed on songs with other artists. He was featured on the ] song "]", ]'s "Painz & Strife" with ], and ]'s "Let the Horns Blow" with ], ] and ]. In 2000, he released his debut solo album, '']''. In 2013, it was reported that Phife was working on a solo album titled ''MUTTYmorPHosis''.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Tribe Called Quest {{!}} Phife Dawg Pens Song Tribute To J. Dilla|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/story/phife-dawg-pens-song-tribute-to-j-dilla_3973465|work=]|access-date=November 28, 2013|author=WENN|date=November 28, 2013}}</ref> A single titled "Sole Men" was released one day after Phife's death (March 23, 2016) along with a posthumously released music video.<ref>{{Citation|last=Steve Petersen|title="Sole Men" Music Video {{!}} Phife Dawg|date=2016-03-23|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnEH7uNduJE|access-date=2018-02-11}}</ref> Another single, "Nutshell", was released online in April 2016 along with a posthumously released music video.<ref name=avc/>
⚫ Phife Dawg formed ], then simply named Quest, with Q-Tip and DJ ] in 1985;<ref name="thesource">{{cite journal|last=Lewis |first=Miles |title=After the Love is Gone |journal=] |publisher=]|date=October 1998 }}</ref> the group was later expanded with the addition of ]. A Tribe Called Quest were closely associated with fellow hip-hop acts ] and ], with the groups collectively known as the ].<ref name="avc">{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/r-i-p-malik-phife-dawg-taylor-co-founder-of-a-tribe-1798245583|title=R.I.P. Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest|last=Chavez|first=Danette|date=March 23, 2016|publisher=]|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> A Tribe Called Quest was initially offered a demo deal by ] in 1989, but signed to ] to release its 1990 début '']''.<ref name=avc/>


⚫ Phife Dawg's contributions to the group increased on its second album, 1991's '']'', which saw Phife—often calling himself "the Five-Foot Assassin"—rapping about social and political issues; the record has since been acclaimed by critics and musicians.<ref name=avc/> The group released three more albums that decade—'']'' in 1993, '']'' in 1996, and '']'' in 1998—before disbanding as a result of conflict both with their record label and internally. The group's troubles, especially the sometimes tense relationship between Phife and Q-Tip, were featured in the 2011 documentary '']'', directed by ].<ref name=avc/>
⚫ On November 13, 2015, A Tribe Called Quest reunited for a performance on '']'', in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm''.<ref name="toure">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/arts/music/a-tribe-called-quest-new-album-interview.html?_r=0 | title=Loss Haunts A Tribe Called Quest's First Album in 18 Years | work=] | date=November 2, 2016 | access-date=March 28, 2020 | author=Touré}}</ref> That night, Phife and Q-Tip decided to put aside their differences and record a new group album, '']'', in secrecy.<ref name="toure"/> Phife spent four months working on the album before his death; it was completed by the surviving group members and released on November 11, 2016.<ref name="toure"/> In February 2017, it was announced that Phife's second studio album, posthumously titled ''Forever'', would be released later in the year. The single "Wanna Dance" was released that month and features ] and ].<ref name="Hip-Hop DX">{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.42369/title.phife-dawgs-posthumous-solo-album-to-be-titled-forever|title=Phife Dawg's Posthumous Solo Album To Be Titled "Forever"|first=Cherise|last=Johnson|website=Hip-Hop DX|date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>


⚫ Phife also performed with other artists. He was featured on the ] song "]", ]'s "Painz & Strife" with ], and ]'s "Let the Horns Blow" with ], ] and ]. In 2000, he released his debut solo album, '']''. In 2013, it was reported that Phife was working on another solo album, ''MUTTYmorPHosis''.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Tribe Called Quest {{!}} Phife Dawg Pens Song Tribute To J. Dilla|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/story/phife-dawg-pens-song-tribute-to-j-dilla_3973465|work=]|access-date=November 28, 2013|author=WENN|date=November 28, 2013}}</ref> A single, "Sole Men," was released one day after Phife's death (March 23, 2016) along with a posthumously released video.<ref>{{Citation|last=Steve Petersen|title="Sole Men" Music Video {{!}} Phife Dawg|date=2016-03-23|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnEH7uNduJE|access-date=2018-02-11}}</ref> Another single, "Nutshell", was released online in April 2016 along with a posthumously released video.<ref name=avc/>
⚫ ==Personal life==


⚫ On November 13, 2015, A Tribe Called Quest reunited for a performance on '']'' in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of ''People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm''.<ref name="toure">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/arts/music/a-tribe-called-quest-new-album-interview.html | title=Loss Haunts A Tribe Called Quest's First Album in 18 Years | work=] | date=November 2, 2016 | access-date=March 28, 2020 | author=Touré}}</ref> That night, Phife and Q-Tip decided to put aside their differences and record a new group album, '']'', in secrecy.<ref name="toure"/> Phife spent four months working on the album before his death; it was completed by the surviving members and released on November 11, 2016.<ref name="toure"/> In February 2017, it was announced that Phife's second studio album would be released later in the year. The single "Wanna Dance" was released that month and features ] and ].<ref name="Hip-Hop DX">{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.42369/title.phife-dawgs-posthumous-solo-album-to-be-titled-forever|title=Phife Dawg's Posthumous Solo Album To Be Titled "Forever"|first=Cherise|last=Johnson|website=Hip-Hop DX|date=February 14, 2017}}</ref>
Phife Dawg was born as Malik Izaak Taylor to Cheryl Allison Boyce-Taylor and Walt Taylor on November 20, 1970. He was born prematurely and his twin Mikal died shortly after birth. His mother, a poet, was born in ], ], later moving to the ] neighborhood of ] when she was 13 years old.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://ubuntubiographyproject.com/2017/12/06/cheryl-boyce-taylor/|title=Cheryl Boyce-Taylor|date=December 6, 2017|work=The Ubuntu Biography Project by Stephen A. Maglott|access-date=27 April 2018}}</ref> Phife described himself as a "West Indian" of Trinidadian descent.<ref name=hiphopdx>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.1545/title.phife-dawg-his-name-is-mutty-ranks|title=Phife Dawg: His Name Is Mutty Ranks|publisher=HipHopDX|access-date=November 24, 2010}}</ref> He was a cousin of writer ].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Zinzi|last=Clemmons|url=https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/03/25/a-gritty-little-something-on-the-new-york-street/|title=A Gritty Little Something on the New York Street|magazine=]|date=March 25, 2016}}</ref>


Phife Dawg's second solo album, '']'', was released on March 22, 2022, the sixth anniversary of his death.<ref name="forever"/>
Phife was an avid sports fan and was featured on various radio shows and sports programming on ESPN.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=February 23, 2016 |url=http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=9236357|title=Phife Dawg, Rapper|website=Espn.go.com}}</ref> He was also a playable character in the video games '']'' and '']''.


⚫ ==Personal life==
⚫ Phife was diagnosed with ]<!--conflicting reliable sources state different types--> in May 1990. Conflicting reports indicate it as ],<ref>{{cite news|title=Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest Has Passed Away, But His Legacy Lives On|url=http://www.vh1.com/news/252973/phife-dawg-tribe-called-quest-died/|access-date=November 28, 2016|work=VH1 News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Maslow|title=Phife Dawg Dead: A Tribe Called Quest Rapper Honored on Social Media|url=http://people.com/celebrity/phife-dawg-dead-a-tribe-called-quest-rapper-honored-on-social-media/|access-date=November 28, 2016|work=]|date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> while other sources report it as ].<ref name="bbc"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/news/a-tribe-called-quest/92478|title=Phife Dawg Of A Tribe Called Quest Reportedly Dead At 45|first=David|last=Renshaw|work=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> He mentioned being a "funky diabetic" in the single "]" from the group's third album, '']''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Kamau|last=High|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043898/the-cool-kids-to-headline-nba2k9-tour|title=The Cool Kids To Headline 'NBA2K9' Tour|magazine=]|date=October 2, 2008|access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> After being on a waiting list for two years,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://allhiphop.com/2008/10/24/exclusive-rapper-phife-receives-kidney-transplant/|title=EXCLUSIVE: Rapper Phife Receives Kidney Transplant|website=AllHipHop.com|date=October 24, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Phife Dawg Gets Kidney Transplant|access-date=March 23, 2016|date=October 27, 2008|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news/phife-dawg-gets-kidney-transplant_1084778|author=WENN|work=Contactmusic.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.phresh.cc/news/music/a-tribe-called-quest-rapper-phife-dawg-gets-kidney-transplant/|title=A Tribe Called Quest Rapper, Phife Dawg Gets Kidney Transplant |access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://madnewsuk.com/2008/10/24/rapper-phife-dawg-receives-long-awaited-kidney-transplant/|title=Rapper PHIFE DAWG Receives Long Awaited Kidney Transplant|work=MAD NEWS|date=October 24, 2008|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> Phife received a ] from his wife in 2008. It was unsuccessful, however, and by 2012 he once again required a transplant.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35879876 |title=Tribe Called Quest star Phife Dawg dies aged 45|first=Mark|last=Savage|website=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
Taylor was married to Deisha Head-Taylor and had two children, a daughter and a son.<ref name="thefader"/><ref name="heavy">{{cite web|title=Phife Dawg's Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|url=https://heavy.com/news/2016/03/phife-dawg-death-family-wife-mother-daughter-brother/|work=]|date=March 23, 2016 |access-date=December 25, 2021}}</ref><ref name="vv">{{cite news|last=Gonzales|first=Michael A.|date=November 15, 2016|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2016/11/15/a-tribe-called-quests-soundtrack-to-the-resistance/|title=A Tribe Called Quest's Soundtrack to the Resistance|newspaper=]|access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref> He was a fan of the ],<ref>{{cite web|access-date=February 23, 2016 |url=https://www.espn.com/radio/play/_/id/9236357|title=Phife Dawg, Rapper|website=Espn.go.com}}</ref> and was a playable character in the video games '']''{{cn|date=September 2022}} and '']''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/the-cool-kids-to-headline-nba2k9-tour-1043898/|title=The Cool Kids To Headline 'NBA2K9' Tour|first=Kamau|last=High|date=2 October 2008|magazine=]|access-date=15 September 2022}}</ref>


===Death=== ===Illness and death===
⚫ Taylor was diagnosed with ] in 1990. Conflicting reports indicated it as ],<ref>{{cite news|title=Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest Has Passed Away, But His Legacy Lives On|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/1jwmji/phife-dawg-tribe-called-quest-died|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201021431/https://www.vh1.com/news/1jwmji/phife-dawg-tribe-called-quest-died|url-status=live|archive-date=December 1, 2023|access-date=November 28, 2016|work=VH1 News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Maslow|title=Phife Dawg Dead: A Tribe Called Quest Rapper Honored on Social Media|url=http://people.com/celebrity/phife-dawg-dead-a-tribe-called-quest-rapper-honored-on-social-media/|access-date=November 28, 2016|work=]|date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> while other sources reported it as ].<ref name="bbc"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/news/a-tribe-called-quest/92478|title=Phife Dawg Of A Tribe Called Quest Reportedly Dead At 45|first=David|last=Renshaw|work=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref> He described himself as a "funky diabetic" in the single "]" from A Tribe Called Quest's 1993 album '']''.<ref>{{cite web|first=Kamau|last=High|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043898/the-cool-kids-to-headline-nba2k9-tour|title=The Cool Kids To Headline 'NBA2K9' Tour|magazine=]|date=October 2, 2008|access-date=February 23, 2016}}</ref> After the group disbanded, he continued playing live shows to help cover medical costs, and revealed in the 2011 documentary film '']'' that he was "just addicted to sugar ... it's really a sickness."<ref name="bbc"/> In 2008, Taylor developed ] and received a ] from his wife, but it was unsuccessful, and by 2012 he again required a transplant.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35879876 |title=Tribe Called Quest star Phife Dawg dies aged 45|first=Mark|last=Savage|website=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref>
Phife died at the age of 45 in his home in ], on March 22, 2016, due to ].<ref name=bbc/><ref>{{cite web|first=Lars|last=Brandle|url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7271780/phife-dawg-a-tribe-called-quest-obit|title=Phife Dawg, Founding Member of A Tribe Called Quest, Dead at 45|work=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Gabe|last=Meline|url=http://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2016/03/23/why-phife-mattered-remembering-hip-hops-relatable-mc/|title=Why Phife Mattered: Remembering Hip-Hop's Relatable MC|website=]|date=March 23, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2016}}</ref>

On March 22, 2016, Taylor died at age 45 in his ] home due to ].<ref name=bbc/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2016/03/23/phife-dawg-of-a-tribe-called-quest-remembered-as-a-hip-hop-legend/|title=Phife Dawg, Founding Member of A Tribe Called Quest, Dead at 45 |first=Jim|last=Harrington|work=]|date=March 23, 2016 |accessdate=April 18, 2022}}</ref>


==Legacy== ==Legacy==
Phife has been described as having had a "self-deprecating swagger", and his work with A Tribe Called Quest helped to challenge the "macho posturing" of rap and hip-hop music during the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref name=bbc/> Phife's work has been cited as an influence on ], ], ] and ],<ref name=avc/> while the 1991 album '']'' is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever released.<ref name="bbc"/> Phife has been described as having had a "self-deprecating swagger," and his work with A Tribe Called Quest helped challenge the "macho posturing" of hip-hop music during the late 1980s and early 1990s.<ref name=bbc/> Phife's work has been cited as an influence on ], ], ] and ],<ref name=avc/> while the 1991 album '']'' is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.<ref name="bbc"/>

⚫ On November 19, 2016, a portion of ], at the intersection of 192nd Street in St. Albans, was honorarily renamed "Malik 'Phife Dawg' Taylor Way."<ref name="thefader">{{cite magazine |title=NYC Street Is Now Officially Named After A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg |url=https://www.thefader.com/2016/11/19/queens-street-malik-phife-dawg-taylor-way |first=Michelle |last=Kim |date=November 19, 2016 |magazine=The Fader}}</ref> The location is significant as the site of the video for A Tribe Called Quest's song "]."


In 2024, Phife Dawg was posthumously inducted into the ], as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.<ref name="rrhof24">{{cite web |title=2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees |url=https://rockhall.com/2024-inductees/ |website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=22 April 2024 |date=22 April 2024}}</ref>
⚫ On November 19, 2016, a portion of ], at the intersection of 192nd Street in St. Albans, was honorarily renamed as Malik 'Phife Dawg' Taylor Way.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=NYC Street Is Now Officially Named After A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg |url=https://www.thefader.com/2016/11/19/queens-street-malik-phife-dawg-taylor-way |first=Michelle |last=Kim |date=November 19, 2016 |magazine=The Fader}}</ref> The location is significant, as it was the site of the music video for A Tribe Called Quest's song "]".


==Discography== ==Discography==
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*'']'' (2000) *'']'' (2000)
*''Forever'' (2022)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/phife-dawg-posthumous-album-forever-release-date-1261293/|title=Phife Dawg's Posthumous Album 'Forever' Finally Has a Release Date|work=]|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=November 22, 2021|access-date=December 1, 2021}}</ref> *'']'' (2022)<ref name="forever">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/phife-dawg-posthumous-album-forever-release-date-1261293/|title=Phife Dawg's Posthumous Album 'Forever' Finally Has a Release Date|magazine=]|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=November 22, 2021|access-date=December 1, 2021}}</ref>


===Guest appearances=== ===Guest appearances===
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! Album ! Album
|- |-
! scope="row"| "]" ! scope="row" | "]"
⚫ | rowspan="2" |1992
| 1989
⚫ | ]
| ], ], ], ], ]
⚫ | '']''
| ''Buddy'' (VLS)
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Let the Horns Blow" ! scope="row" | "Let the Horns Blow"
⚫ | rowspan="2"| 1992
| ], ], ], ] | ], ], ], ]
| '']'' | '']''
|- |-
! scope="row"| "]" ! scope="row" | "Styles Upon Styles"
⚫ | rowspan="3" |1993
⚫ | ]
|Ali Dee
⚫ | '']''
|''Bring It On''
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Where Ya At?" ! scope="row" | "Where Ya At?"
| rowspan="2"| 1993 | rowspan="2" | ]
| rowspan="2"| ] | rowspan="2" | '']''
⚫ | rowspan="2"| '']''
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Giggin' on 'Em" ! scope="row"| "Giggin' on 'Em"
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! scope="row| "Artical" ! scope="row| "Artical"
| Whitey Don, ] | Whitey Don, ]
| ''Artical'' (VLS) | Artical (VLS)
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Game Day" ! scope="row"| "Game Day"
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| '']'' | '']''
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Let Me Be the One (] Remix Featuring Phife)" ! scope="row"| "Let Me Be the One (] Remix)
| ] | ]
| ''Let Me Be the One'' (VLS) | ''Let Me Be the One'' (VLS)
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! scope="row"| "All I Do (]'s Shit! Mix)" ! scope="row"| "All I Do (]'s Shit! Mix)"
| ] | ]
| ''All I Do'' (CDS) | All I Do (CDS)
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Never Say Goodbye" ! scope="row"| "Never Say Goodbye"
| 1998 | 1998
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Phife's Speech" ! scope="row" | "Ghost Weed Skit 2"
| rowspan="4"| 2000 | rowspan="5" |2000
|De La Soul
⚫ | rowspan="3"| Ambivalence
|'']''
| rowspan="3"| ''Electric Treatment''
|-
⚫ ! scope="row" | "Phife's Speech"
| rowspan="3" | Ambivalence
⚫ | rowspan="3" | ''Electric Treatment''
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Committed" ! scope="row"| "Committed"
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| rowspan="3"| 2001 | rowspan="3"| 2001
| rowspan="2"| ] | rowspan="2"| ]
| rowspan="2"| ''Tomorrow Today (Reissue)'' | rowspan="2"| ''Tomorrow Today'' (Reissue)
|- |-
! scope="row"| "In My Mind (Dodge's Melodic Mix)" ! scope="row"| "In My Mind (Dodge's Melodic Mix)"
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|- |-
! scope="row"| "Take You There" ! scope="row"| "Take You There"
| 2002 | rowspan="2" | 2002
| ] | ]
| ''Shoot to Kill'' | ''Shoot to Kill''
|- |-
!scope="row" | "It's Only Right"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/52683-Next-Evidence-Thrills}}</ref>
⚫ ! scope="row"| "Nah Mean"
|Next Evidence
| 2003
|''Thrills''
|-
!scope="row" | "You Know You Want It"
| rowspan="2" |2003
|Slick & Rose
|''Objects in the Mirror''
|-
! scope="row" | "Nah Mean"
| ] | ]
| '']'' | '']''
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|- |-
! scope="row"| "Dues n Donts" ! scope="row"| "Dues n Donts"
| 2012 | rowspan="2"| 2012
| ], ] | ], ]
| ''Ohnomite'' | ''Ohnomite''
|-
! scope="row"| "What Profit (Remix)"
|]
| {{n/a}}
|- |-
! scope="row"| "Seek Well" ! scope="row"| "Seek Well"
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*1993: '']''&nbsp;– Gerald *1993: '']''&nbsp;– Gerald
*1998: '']''&nbsp;– Newborn Baby *1998: '']''&nbsp;– Newborn Baby
*2007: '']''&nbsp;– Himself *2007: '']''&nbsp;– Himself
*2011: '']''&nbsp;– Himself *2011: '']''&nbsp;– Himself
*2017: '']''&nbsp;- Himself *2017: '']''&nbsp;- Himself
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==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|last=Coleman|first=Brian|title=]|publisher=Random House|year=2007|isbn=978-0-8129-7775-2}}


==External links== ==External links==
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* {{IMDb name|0205954}} * {{IMDb name|0205954}}
* *
*


{{A Tribe Called Quest}} {{A Tribe Called Quest}}
{{2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


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] ]
] ]
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 21:57, 28 December 2024

American rapper (1970–2016) For the American football player, see Malik Taylor.

Phife Dawg
Phife Dawg in 1999Phife Dawg in 1999
Background information
Birth nameMalik Izaak Taylor
Also known as
  • Phife
  • The Phifer
  • The Five Foot Assassin
  • Malik the Five Foot Three
  • Dynomutt
Born(1970-11-20)November 20, 1970
Queens, New York City, U.S.
DiedMarch 22, 2016(2016-03-22) (aged 45)
Oakley, California, U.S.
GenresEast Coast hip hop
OccupationRapper
Years active1985–2016
Labels
Formerly ofA Tribe Called Quest
Musical artist

Malik Izaak Taylor (November 20, 1970 – March 22, 2016), known professionally as Phife Dawg (or simply Phife), was an American rapper and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (and for a short time Jarobi White). He was also known as the "Five-Foot Assassin" and the "Five-Footer," because he stood at just 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m).

Early life

Phife Dawg was born Malik Izaak Taylor on November 20, 1970, in Queens, New York City, the son of Trinidadian immigrant parents Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, a poet, and Walt Taylor. His mother settled in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens when she was 13 years old, and Phife Dawg was raised in the same neighborhood. Born prematurely, his twin brother Mikal died shortly after birth. He was a cousin of writer Zinzi Clemmons.

He first met his friend Q-Tip at the age of two. At nine years old, Phife Dawg suggested that they should rap, after hearing "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang for the first time. He attended Pine Forge Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist boarding school near Philadelphia, for his freshman year of high school, later transferring to Springfield Gardens High School in Queens.

Career

Phife Dawg formed A Tribe Called Quest, then simply named Quest, with Q-Tip and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad in 1985; the group was later expanded with the addition of Jarobi White. A Tribe Called Quest were closely associated with fellow hip-hop acts De La Soul and Jungle Brothers, with the groups collectively known as the Native Tongues. A Tribe Called Quest was initially offered a demo deal by Geffen Records in 1989, but signed to Jive Records to release its 1990 début People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

Phife Dawg's contributions to the group increased on its second album, 1991's The Low End Theory, which saw Phife—often calling himself "the Five-Foot Assassin"—rapping about social and political issues; the record has since been acclaimed by critics and musicians. The group released three more albums that decade—Midnight Marauders in 1993, Beats, Rhymes and Life in 1996, and The Love Movement in 1998—before disbanding as a result of conflict both with their record label and internally. The group's troubles, especially the sometimes tense relationship between Phife and Q-Tip, were featured in the 2011 documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, directed by Michael Rapaport.

Phife also performed with other artists. He was featured on the Fu-Schnickens song "La Schmoove", Diamond D's "Painz & Strife" with Pete Rock, and Chi-Ali's "Let the Horns Blow" with Dres, Al' Tariq and Trugoy. In 2000, he released his debut solo album, Ventilation: Da LP. In 2013, it was reported that Phife was working on another solo album, MUTTYmorPHosis. A single, "Sole Men," was released one day after Phife's death (March 23, 2016) along with a posthumously released video. Another single, "Nutshell", was released online in April 2016 along with a posthumously released video.

On November 13, 2015, A Tribe Called Quest reunited for a performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. That night, Phife and Q-Tip decided to put aside their differences and record a new group album, We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service, in secrecy. Phife spent four months working on the album before his death; it was completed by the surviving members and released on November 11, 2016. In February 2017, it was announced that Phife's second studio album would be released later in the year. The single "Wanna Dance" was released that month and features Dwele and Mike City.

Phife Dawg's second solo album, Forever, was released on March 22, 2022, the sixth anniversary of his death.

Personal life

Taylor was married to Deisha Head-Taylor and had two children, a daughter and a son. He was a fan of the New York Knicks, and was a playable character in the video games NBA 2K7 and NBA 2K9.

Illness and death

Taylor was diagnosed with diabetes in 1990. Conflicting reports indicated it as type 1, while other sources reported it as type 2. He described himself as a "funky diabetic" in the single "Oh My God" from A Tribe Called Quest's 1993 album Midnight Marauders. After the group disbanded, he continued playing live shows to help cover medical costs, and revealed in the 2011 documentary film Beats, Rhymes & Life that he was "just addicted to sugar ... it's really a sickness." In 2008, Taylor developed renal failure and received a kidney transplant from his wife, but it was unsuccessful, and by 2012 he again required a transplant.

On March 22, 2016, Taylor died at age 45 in his Oakley, California home due to complications of diabetes.

Legacy

Phife has been described as having had a "self-deprecating swagger," and his work with A Tribe Called Quest helped challenge the "macho posturing" of hip-hop music during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Phife's work has been cited as an influence on Kanye West, Jill Scott, The Roots and Common, while the 1991 album The Low End Theory is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.

On November 19, 2016, a portion of Linden Boulevard, at the intersection of 192nd Street in St. Albans, was honorarily renamed "Malik 'Phife Dawg' Taylor Way." The location is significant as the site of the video for A Tribe Called Quest's song "Check the Rhime."

In 2024, Phife Dawg was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of A Tribe Called Quest.

Discography

Further information: A Tribe Called Quest discography

Studio albums

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
Title Year Other performer(s) Album
"La Schmoove" 1992 Fu-Schnickens F.U. Don't Take It Personal
"Let the Horns Blow" Chi-Ali, Dres, Fashion, Trugoy the Dove The Fabulous Chi-Ali
"Styles Upon Styles" 1993 Ali Dee Bring It On
"Where Ya At?" Shaquille O'Neal Shaq Diesel
"Giggin' on 'Em"
"Intro-lude" 1994 TLC CrazySexyCool
"Who Got the Funk" 1995 Science of Sound Kaleidoscope Phonetics
"Artical" Whitey Don, Chip Fu Artical (VLS)
"Game Day" 1996 Rodney Hampton NFL Jams
"Painz & Strife" 1997 Diamond D, Pete Rock Hatred, Passions and Infidelity
"Let Me Be the One (Ummah Remix) Mint Condition Let Me Be the One (VLS)
"All I Do (Jay Dee's Shit! Mix)" Somethin' for the People All I Do (CDS)
"Never Say Goodbye" 1998 Adriana Evans Ride (soundtrack)
"Ghost Weed Skit 2" 2000 De La Soul Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
"Phife's Speech" Ambivalence Electric Treatment
"Committed"
"What's da Deal"
"Hold Ya Karna" Mastermind, Nefarius Mastermind Presents Volume 50: Street Legal
"In My Mind (Dodge's Main Mix)" 2001 Al Jarreau Tomorrow Today (Reissue)
"In My Mind (Dodge's Melodic Mix)"
"Solo Movement" K-Mel Reflexions Vol. 1
"Take You There" 2002 AK1200 Shoot to Kill
"It's Only Right" Next Evidence Thrills
"You Know You Want It" 2003 Slick & Rose Objects in the Mirror
"Nah Mean" will.i.am Must B 21
"How It's Gonna Be" 2004 Truth Enola 6 O'Clock Straight
"How It's Gonna Be (Remix)" Ten Past 6
"Scheming" 2010 Slum Village, Posdnuos Villa Manifesto
"Tell the Whole City" 2011 Consequence Movies on Demand 2
"They Say (Legendary Remix)" T3, Rapper Big Pooh 3illa Madness
"Dues n Donts" 2012 Oh No, José James Ohnomite
"What Profit (Remix)" Dwele —
"Seek Well" 2013 CJ Fly, A La Sole Thee Way Eye See It
"Push It Along" 2015 Slum Village Yes!
"All Around the World" 2018 Black Eyed Peas, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Posdnuos Masters of the Sun Vol. 1
"No Place Like Home" 2019 Consequence —

Filmography

References

  1. ^ Lewis, Miles (October 1998). "After the Love is Gone". The Source. L. Londell McMillan.
  2. "Ghostface Killa, Jay Electronica and Others Honor 'Phife Dawg'". Hip-Hop Wired. January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on August 31, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  3. "Phife Dawg: His Name Is Mutty Ranks". HipHopDX. May 16, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
  4. Coleman (2007), p. 435.
  5. ^ "Cheryl Boyce-Taylor". The Ubuntu Biography Project by Stephen A. Maglott. December 6, 2017. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  6. ^ "Phife Dawg's Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy. March 23, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  7. Clemmons, Zinzi (March 25, 2016). "A Gritty Little Something on the New York Street". The Paris Review.
  8. Rapaport, Michael (2011). "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest". Sony Pictures Classics.
  9. Eustice, Kyle (August 11, 2017). "Q-Tip Gives Phife Dawg Ultimate Salute During ATCQ's Final Denver Show". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  10. Coleman (2007), p. 436.
  11. ^ Chavez, Danette (March 23, 2016). "R.I.P. Malik "Phife Dawg" Taylor, co-founder of A Tribe Called Quest". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  12. WENN (November 28, 2013). "A Tribe Called Quest | Phife Dawg Pens Song Tribute To J. Dilla". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  13. Steve Petersen (March 23, 2016), "Sole Men" Music Video | Phife Dawg, retrieved February 11, 2018
  14. ^ Touré (November 2, 2016). "Loss Haunts A Tribe Called Quest's First Album in 18 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
  15. Johnson, Cherise (February 14, 2017). "Phife Dawg's Posthumous Solo Album To Be Titled "Forever"". Hip-Hop DX.
  16. ^ Blistein, Jon (November 22, 2021). "Phife Dawg's Posthumous Album 'Forever' Finally Has a Release Date". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  17. ^ Kim, Michelle (November 19, 2016). "NYC Street Is Now Officially Named After A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg". The Fader.
  18. Gonzales, Michael A. (November 15, 2016). "A Tribe Called Quest's Soundtrack to the Resistance". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  19. "Phife Dawg, Rapper". Espn.go.com. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  20. High, Kamau (October 2, 2008). "The Cool Kids To Headline 'NBA2K9' Tour". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  21. "Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest Has Passed Away, But His Legacy Lives On". VH1 News. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  22. Maslow, Nick (March 23, 2016). "Phife Dawg Dead: A Tribe Called Quest Rapper Honored on Social Media". People. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  23. ^ Savage, Mark (March 23, 2016). "Tribe Called Quest star Phife Dawg dies aged 45". BBC News. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  24. Renshaw, David (March 23, 2016). "Phife Dawg Of A Tribe Called Quest Reportedly Dead At 45". NME. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  25. High, Kamau (October 2, 2008). "The Cool Kids To Headline 'NBA2K9' Tour". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  26. Harrington, Jim (March 23, 2016). "Phife Dawg, Founding Member of A Tribe Called Quest, Dead at 45". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  27. "2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  28. "Discogs".

Further reading

External links

A Tribe Called Quest
Studio albums
Compilations
Solo albums
Singles
Other songs
See also
Category
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Class of 2024
Performers
Non-performers
(Ahmet Ertegun Award)
Award for Musical Excellence
Award for Musical Influence
Categories: