The late Tribe Called Quest rapper was working on new material at the time of his death.
A new charity Phife Dawg single is to be released today. 50% of proceeds from the track, which premieres on Beats 1 today, will be donated to the American Diabetes Association and National Kidney Foundation. Hear a snippet of ‘Nutshell’ below.
Featuring a beat by another late hip-hop icon, J Dilla, the track’s video will debut at Harlem’s The Celebration of Phife, an event taking place tomorrow at the Apollo Theater.
Phife’s band mate Q-Tip meanwhile paid tribute on Twitter to the rapper over the weekend, who died of complications from diabetes on March 22. “I miss my lil brotha so much right now,” he wrote. “He is my hero. I’ve never seen such a fighter… Know that in death there is signs and gifts abound. He left me with the gift of unconditional love and brotherhood that will NEVER be lost with me… Ever.
“I take comfort in knowing that GOD is the best of planners. I take comfort in knowing that divine order is certain…I take pride in having the blessing of knowing and having Malik in my life.”
Listen to a tribute mix from Q-Tip’s Abstract Radio Beats 1 show below, featuring live A Tribe Called Quest performances and rare remixes, as well as spoken contributions from Kendrick Lamar, Andre 3000, and Chuck D.
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