Phife Dawg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phife Dawg
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Phife Dawg in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Malik Isaac Taylor |
| Also known as | Five Foot Assassin Phife |
| Born | November 20, 1970 |
| Origin | St. Albans, Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 22, 2016 (aged 45) |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1988–2016 |
| Labels | Jive Groove Attack Records |
| Associated acts | A Tribe Called Quest De La Soul Jungle Brothers J Dilla Hi-Tek Pete Rock Busta Rhymes Queen Latifah Monie Love Supa Dave West TLC One_Over |
Malik Isaac Taylor (November 20, 1970 – March 22, 2016), known as Phife Dawg, was an American rapper. He was a key member of the famous hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest. Phife Dawg was known for his clever lyrics and unique voice. He helped create some of hip-hop's most important albums.
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Early Life of Phife Dawg
Malik Izaak Taylor was born on November 20, 1970, in Queens, New York City. His parents were immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago. His mother, Cheryl Boyce-Taylor, was a poet. Phife Dawg grew up in the St. Albans neighborhood of Queens.
He met his friend Q-Tip when he was only two years old. When Phife Dawg was nine, he heard "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. This song made him suggest to Q-Tip that they should start rapping. He went to Pine Forge Academy for his first year of high school. Later, he moved to Springfield Gardens High School in Queens.
Phife Dawg's Music Career
Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad formed a group in 1985. They first called themselves Quest. Later, Jarobi White joined them, and they became A Tribe Called Quest. This group was part of a larger music family called the Native Tongues. Other groups like De La Soul and Jungle Brothers were also part of this family.
A Tribe Called Quest signed with Jive Records in 1989. They released their first album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, in 1990.
Growing as a Rapper
Phife Dawg's role in the group grew with their second album, The Low End Theory, released in 1991. On this album, Phife, who sometimes called himself "the Five-Foot Assassin," rapped about important social and political topics. Critics and other musicians have praised this album a lot.
The group released three more albums in the 1990s: Midnight Marauders (1993), Beats, Rhymes and Life (1996), and The Love Movement (1998). After these albums, the group broke up for a while. A documentary film in 2011, Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest, showed some of the challenges the group faced.
Solo Work and Reunion
Phife Dawg also worked on his own music. In 2000, he released his first solo album, Ventilation: Da LP. He was also working on another solo album called MUTTYmorPHosis. After his death, two singles from this project were released: "Sole Men" in March 2016 and "Nutshell" in April 2016.
On November 13, 2015, A Tribe Called Quest performed together again. This was for the 25th anniversary of their first album. That night, Phife and Q-Tip decided to work together again. They secretly recorded a new group album, We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service. Phife worked on this album for four months before he passed away. The other members finished the album, and it was released on November 11, 2016.
In February 2017, it was announced that Phife's second solo album would be released. A single called "Wanna Dance" came out that month, featuring Dwele and Mike City. His second solo album, Forever, was released on March 22, 2022. This date was the sixth anniversary of his passing.
Phife Dawg's Personal Life
Malik Taylor was married to Deisha Head-Taylor. They had two children, a daughter and a son. Phife Dawg was a big fan of the New York Knicks basketball team. He even appeared as a playable character in the video games NBA 2K7 and NBA 2K9.
Health and Passing
In 1990, Phife Dawg was diagnosed with diabetes. This is a health condition where the body has trouble controlling blood sugar. In 2008, he had kidney problems and received a kidney transplant from his wife. However, he needed another transplant by 2012.
On March 22, 2016, Malik Taylor passed away at age 45. He died at his home in Oakley, California, due to complications from his diabetes.
