Trugoy the Dove, one third of legendary hip hop trio De La Soul, has tragically died at the age of 54.
The sad news was confirmed by his team to AllHipHop, although an official cause of death has not yet been forthcoming.
Trugoy, real name David Jolicoeur, had been battling health issues for many years. Back in 2018, the rapper spoke candidly about his battle with congestive heart failure in a video on Instagram, expressing his desire to return to the stage and be with his fellow members of De La Soul.
Despite his health issues, Trugoy remained in good spirits and was able to connect with his fans through an Instagram Live conversation with the rest of De La Soul in 2020.
Jolicoeur formed De La Soul with high school friends Vincent Mason (Maseo) and Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos), with the trio going on to be hailed as one of the defining hip hop groups of the ’90s. They had three top 40 U.S. Billboard 200 albums during that decade, and eventually sold over five million records in the country.
Jolicoeur’s passing comes as De La Soul were preparing for a big year in 2023. The group’s first six albums were finally going to be available on streaming services for the first time following years of negotiations with their former label, Tommy Boy Records.
The classic albums – 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul Is Dead, Buhloone Mindstate, Stakes Is High, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump and AOI: Bionix – are set to be available on all digital service providers starting March 3rd via bandmember Maseo’s label AOI, in partnership with Reservoir and the distribution wing of Chrysalis (as per Pitchfork).
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“It’s been 20 plus years overdue, but finally, we are here,” Maseo said in a statement. Physical reissues are also set for release on the same day in March.
For more on this topic, follow the Hip Hop Observer.
