Stars of the hip hop world, including Pharrell Williams, Busta Rhymes and Cypress Hill, have paid tribute to Trugoy the Dove, founding member of influential trio De La Soul.
Representatives of the American rapper, real name David Jude Jolicoeur, confirmed reports of his death aged 54 to US outlets on Sunday.
Jolicoeur had spoken publicly about his congestive heart failure in recent years.
Music producer and chart-topping vocalist Williams led the tributes, writing on Twitter: “Trugoy Dave from De La Soul has gone up to be with the day of the stars with the Master.
“Sending love, light and positive vibrations to his family, The Soul and everyone whose lives have been touched by his existence.”
Referencing a De La Soul track, he added: “Oodles and Oodles and Oodles of O’s.”
Busta Rhymes, real name Trevor George Smith Jr, said he was in “complete disbelief” that he was typing a tribute for Jolicoeur, who he collaborated with on a number of occasions.
He added: “This one hurts Bad. Dave aka Trugoy the Dove Fly Beloved Fly. Rest Easy King.”
B-Real of Cypress Hill, known for their hit Insane In The Brain, shared a black and white photo of Jolicoeur performing on stage.
He wrote: “We lost another legend of hip hop music and culture in my brother Trugoy aka Dave of De La Soul.
“His music will allow him to live in our hearts and minds as he is gone. But not only was he a great musician but he was a great human being.
“He meant a lot to us.”
Tributes also came from Travis frontman Fran Healy, Big Daddy Kane and producer Kaytranada.
Rowetta from Madchester band Happy Mondays recalled being on the same line-up as De La Soul some 30 years ago.
She tweeted: “Sad sad news. RIP Trugoy.
“We first shared a stage at Cities In The Park, Heaton Park, Manchester in 1991.
“I’ve always loved De La Soul and always will.”
De La Soul took part in all-star tribute to hip hop on its 50th anniversary last week at the Grammy Awards, although Jolicoeur was notably absent.
Jolicoeur was born in Brooklyn but raised in Amityville, Long Island.
It was there at high school that he met Vincent Mason and Kelvin Mercer with whom he formed De La Soul, developing a new style of hip hop that incorporated jazz and more psychedelic sounds.
Their debut studio album, 3 Feet High And Rising, was released in 1989 and is now considered a pre-eminent record in the genre.
They offered a more optimistic sound and sampled acts as diverse as country music star Johnny Cash, soft rockers Hall & Oates and Steely Dan.
