Trugoy the Dove, a De La Soul rapper, died at 54.
Trugoy the Dove, a co-founder of the renowned rap group De La Soul, has reportedly passed away. He was 54. The Long Island MC, whose real name was David Jude Jolicoeur, was not given a cause of death.
According to rumours, Trugoy skipped his groupmate Posdnuous’s performance at the Grammy Awards last week. In 1988, Jolicoeur joined forces with Vincent Mason and Kelvin Mercer to create the group.
The group issued nine albums, with the most recent arriving in 2016. After collaborating with “Gorillaz” on the song “Fell Good Inc.,” they were awarded a Grammy in 2006.
On social media on Sunday, as word of his passing spread, “R.I.P. Trugoy” became popular.
David Jude Jolicoeur, a member of the legendary rap group De La Soul and better known by his stage name Trugoy the Dove, has passed away.
The rock group’s spokesman, Tony Ferguson, confirmed the information to CNN. 54 was Jolicoeur’s age. Ferguson told CNN over the phone that Jolicoeur’s passing was “a great loss.” There was no mention of a cause of death.
One of the essential hip-hop musicians of the 1980s and 1990s to create music in the genre with a softer tone was Jolicoeur, a Brooklyn, New York native.
The rap group was founded in 1988 by Vincent Manson, also known as Pasemaster Mase, and Kelvin Mercer, also known as Posdnuos, who were classmates in high school in Amityville, New York.
In 1989, De La Soul released “3 Feet High and Rising,” their debut album featured the smash song “Me, Myself, and I,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 17 weeks. James Brown’s music was sampled on the album, and the interlude skits, conceptual sound, and other elements inspired artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, and N.W.A. to imitate the group’s distinctive sound.
What happened to David Jude Jolicoeur?
One of the co-founders of the hip-hop group De La Soul, David Jolicoeur, better known by his stage name Trugoy the Dove, passed away on Sunday at 54, according to his agent Tony Ferguson. Ferguson stated that additional information would be forthcoming, but he did not elaborate on the cause of death for Jolicoeur or the time and location of his passing.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Jolicoeur said, “I think the element of that period of what was taking place in music, hip-hop, and our society, I believe it welcomed that and opened up minds and spirits to see and try new various things.
De La Soul received six Grammy nominations during their performance career, and in 2006, “Feel Good Inc.” earned them the award for best pop collaboration with vocals.
Another song from their debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising,” “The Magic Number,” was used as the closing song for the 2021 film “Spider-man: No Way Home.”
De La Soul received new attention when the hippie-inspired song was used in “No Way Home.” Still, the music wasn’t made available on streaming sites because of long-standing legal issues with sample clearances with the group’s former label Tommy Boy Records.
De La Soul’s repertoire was purchased by Reservoir Media in 2021, finally opening the door for the renowned group to release their music on well-known streaming services. According to Billboard, the group’s first six albums will be streamable in March 2023.
“And the Anonymous Nobody…”, an album by Jolicoeur and De La Soul, was released in 2016.
De La Soul was slated to perform three concerts in the U.K on April 8, 2023.
Singer Pharell Williams paid respect to Trugoy Dave from De La Soul on Twitter by writing, “Trugoy Dave has gone up to be with the day of the stars with the Master.”
He was sending love, light, and good vibes to his loved ones, The Soul, and everyone whose lives he has impacted.
Erick Sermon, a rapper and producer, also paid tribute to Jolicoeur by writing on Instagram, “This one hurts. Dave, from Long Island, belonged to one of the greatest rap groups in hip-hop, #Delasoul #plug2. You will be missed. R.I.P.”
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