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David Jolicoeur Of “De La Soul” Passed Away At 54

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Our condolences are sent to his family and friends at this trying time. His passing is a significant loss to the hip-hop industry.

It is with a heavy heart to report that David Jolicoeur, better known as “Dave” or “Trugoy the Dove” and one of the founding members of the hip-hop group “De La Soul,” passed away on Sunday at the age of 54 in a Maryland hospital.

Dave Jolicoeur

While the circumstances of his death, including a potential cause, remain unknown, sources suggest that he appeared to have passed away naturally while suffering an undisclosed illness. 

This sad news follows his total absence from last week’s Grammy Awards, where the trio had previously received an award for their Gorillaz collaboration “Feel Good Inc.” 

In addition, their group, “De La Soul,” was honored during this year’s ceremony as part of an all-star hip-hop commemoration that covered five decades of the genre. Only Kevin, who sang a small excerpt of their hit song “Buddy,” was in attendance.

De La Soul

The group didn’t only celebrate this; in fact, last month, they revealed that their sample clearance issues had been handled and that their back catalog will be streamable on digital platforms starting on March 3.

If you recall, after one of the tracks from their debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising,” titled “Transmitting Live from Mars,” contained an unauthorized sample from the Turtles, who eventually sued them for $2.5 million in 1991, the group and local producer Prince Paul found themselves in legal difficulties.

According to The Guardian, although the dispute was resolved outside of court, their sample usage negatively impacted their career, preventing them from putting their music online.

Dave-Jolicoeur-performing

The rapper and producer had reportedly been dealing with congestive heart disease in recent years and had LifeVest equipment attached to his body. 

Moreover, in a music video for the De La Soul song “Royalty Capes” in 2018, he spoke about his battle with congestive heart failure and expressed his desire to return to the stage because he missed it.

Tributes from fans immediately flowed on social media, along with other musicians who paid tribute to the rapper. Prince Paul was one of them who wrote, “You have no idea how much pain in this last year . Dave love you bro ❤️ a blessing we got a chance to unite again .Divine power . Literally no words anymore 😪. De la soul forever 🙏🏽”

Dave was one of the three founding members of the hip-hop group “De La Soul,” which gained popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s because of its avant-garde and genre-defying sound. Together with Kelvin Mercer and Vincent Lamont Mason Jr., Dave contributed to the development of a fresh hip-hop style that was influenced by jazz, funk, and soul music.

The debut album by De La Soul, “3 Feet High and Rising,” is regarded by many as one of the most influential hip-hop records ever. The album’s first single, “Me, Myself, and I,” was a commercial triumph, solidifying De La Soul’s legacy in musical history.

The death of Dave is felt deeply by music fans worldwide and in the hip-hop industry. He was a real pioneer, and he will be genuinely missed.

Reactions to David Jolicoeur Of "De La Soul" Passed Away At 54

Rest in Peace Plug Two. Trugoy the Dove. Dave Jolicoeur. 🕊️☮️

@_ANTG0N_

Since everyone is honoring Trugoy The Dove (Dave Jolicoeur), let me post that time De La Soul went on #ChappellesShow and killed it And it's sad because they FINALLY got ownership of their masters recently #DeLaSoul #HipHop #HipHopMusic #TrugoyTheDove #DaveJolicoeur

@chillin662

I'm still processing the Trugoy death. De LA Soul has been such an integral part of my life. Out of all of the Hip Hop greats that we've lost over the past few years - this one cuts the deepest. My prayers go out to all of Dave Jolicoeur's loved ones, friends and fellow fans.

@HumanityCritic