De La Soul's Maseo and Posdnuos share tributes to Trugoy The Dove
"You were the heart of our group," said Posdnuos of the late rapper
De La Soul's Maseo and Posdnuos have shared tributes to their fellow group member Trugoy The Dove following his death earlier this month.
Both tributes are written in letter form and addressed directly to the late rapper, real name David Jolicoeur. Writing via Instagram, Posdnuos said: "You were the heart of our group. You brought so much creativity, energy and passion to our music, and your influence will be felt for years to come.
"This is heavy on our hearts and minds but we are smiling and even laughing at all the great times we shared with you. As we attempt to navigate this world without you, we stand grateful and proud of all you accomplished on this earth.
"We would like to say thank you Dave for being a big brother. Thank you for being a friend. Thank you for the wise words placed in your verses. Thank you for the music you produced that is loved by so many. Thank you for never wanting to compromise the quality of our brand. Thank you for helping us become a group that will remain etched in the timeline of hip hop culture as well as the fabric of music and from now on when we perform 'Ring Ring Ring Ha Ha Hey', we will say '2-2-2-2-222 we got an angel in heaven who can talk to you'."
Also writing via Instagram, Maseo said: "Thank you so much for being in my life. Although you and I would argue like hell, we would both admit when we were wrong and totally come full circle and say, 'I love you'.
"I want to truly thank you for having the bird's-eye view of our collective vision to be a group. Before Trugoy The Dove, I met J.D. Dove aside being called Dave in 1985. I remember your mom calling you Dove, so you've always had wings, so go on and fly into the light, Merce and I will make sure your legacy is well preserved.
"On one end I'm happy you no longer have to suffer the pain of your condition but on the other hand I'm extremely upset at the fact that you're not here to celebrate and enjoy what we worked and fought so hard to achieve. Unfortunately, emcees that are in groups very rarely get mentioned, you and Merce are top tier, your contribution as emcees and song writers have inspired many to step up their game.
"Let me just end off by saying I am very content and more than reassured about our relationship as brothers because we discussed it thoroughly and solidified what is necessary just in case something happened to any of us, but who would've thought so soon when there was so much to live for."
Jolicoeur passed away at the age of 54 having been diagnosed in recent years with congestive heart failure.
Next month, De La Soul's back catalogue will hit streaming services for the first time.
