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A Tribe Called Quest co-founder Phife Dawg dies

Phife Dawg
Phife Dawg performs at the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards at Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center.
Chris McKay | Getty Images for BET 2012

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Today's Morning Edition music is from "Jazz (We've Got) Buggin' Out" by A Tribe Called Quest.

We learned this morning that Phife Dawg, one of the founders of that group, has died. He was 45 and had been poor health due to diabetes. He received a kidney transplant from his wife in 2008.

Born Malik Isaac Taylor in New York City, he co-founded the philosophically-focused A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with his classmate Q-Tip.

Fellow rapper Chuck D paid tribute on Twitter this morning, calling him "a true fire social narrator."