Malik B., Founding Member of the Roots, Dead at 47

Malik B., the Philadelphia artist who was a founding member of the Roots, has died, the group announced. “May he be remembered for his devotion to Islam, His loving brotherhood and his innovation as one of the most gifted MCs of all time,” the Roots wrote. A cause of death has not been revealed. Malik B. was 47 years old.

Malik B. joined the first iteration of the Roots and started performing with Questlove and Black Thought in Philadelphia and New York City in the late 1980s. He was an official Roots member for the group’s first four albums—Organix (1993), Do You Want More?!!!??! (1995), Illadelph Halflife (1996), and Things Fall Apart (1999)—before departing during the recording of 2002’s Phrenology.

The terms of Malik B’s departure from the Roots were unclear, but Black Thought alluded to Malik’s departure on the Phrenology song “Water.” While Malik was not a regular member following Things Fall Apart, he would appear as a guest on future Roots albums such as Game Theory and Rising Down. In a 2015 interview, Malik stated that he was never fired from the Roots and did not quit the band. That same year, he released a collaborative album with producer Mr. Green called Unpredictable.