Family, friends and fans lost a pivotal figure in the hip-hop community last week when revered rapper Phife Dawg passed away. At the age of 45, the Queens representer died from complications due to diabetes.
Tons of messages on his impact in the music realm or on people’s personal lives poured out following the news, including a heartfelt letter from Busta Rhymes to his rap collective A Tribe Called Quest.
“Thank you for the outpouring of prayers and support from the fans, fellow artists, music outlets, blogs, radio stations, DJ’s, social media and the music community at large,” ATCQ wrote. “This too is part of his joy and means a lot to him. His family is overwhelmed by the support, well wishes and are thankful. His music and what he’s contributed is seismic and hard to measure.”
The famed lyrical group also took to Twitter on Tuesday (Mar. 29), to share with fans that they can view Phife Dawg’s memorial service on Periscope.
Watch the service here.