Malik B., the elusive M.C. best known for his work with the Roots, died on Wednesday. He was 47. His death was confirmed by his cousin Don Champion. Members of the Roots also posted public statements on their Instagram and Twitter accounts, though the statements did not say where he died or specify the cause. Malik joined the hip-hop group then known as the Square Roots after he met the founders, Questlove and Black Thought, in 1991 at Millersville University in Millersville, Pa. By 1993, the Roots had dropped “Square” from their name and self-released their debut album, “Organix.” Touring relentlessly, they soon developed a cult following in Europe. New members filtered in and out each year. Malik appeared on three more albums - “Do You Want More?!!!??!” (1995), “Illadelph Halflife” (1996) and “Things Fall Apart” (1999) - and then left the band... Though none of the members ever explicitly said why Malik had left, “Water,” a song off the group’s album “Phrenology” (2002), openly referred to his departure. Black Thought recalled meeting Malik, whom he called “Slacks,” and hinted at the ways they had grown apart: “But inside people down with me started to change/It was a couple things, lil’ syrup, lil’ pills/Instead of riding out on the road you’d rather chill.” “Things Fall Apart” - the title was taken from a 1958 novel by the Nigeran writer Chinua Achebe - became the group’s breakthrough album, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard chart...
Though Malik left the ground around that time, the other members have continued to acknowledge his influence as the grounded emotional core of the group. “I always felt as if I possessed only a mere fraction of your true gift and potential,” Black Thought wrote on Instagram after Malik B.’s death. “Your steel sharpened my steel as I watched you create cadences from the ether and set them free into the universe to become poetic law, making the English language your bitch.” Malik released solo music after leaving the Roots, including the EP “Psychological” in 2006, and two studio albums: “Street Assault” (2005) and “Unpredictable” (2015), which was a collaboration with the producer known as Mr. Green. He also returned as a featured artist on the Roots’ albums “Game Theory” (2006) and “Rising Down” (2008). Malik Smart Abdul-Basit was born on Nov. 14, 1972, in Philadelphia. Information on his survivors was not available. - NY Times. Playlist via Philaflava below...
Though Malik left the ground around that time, the other members have continued to acknowledge his influence as the grounded emotional core of the group. “I always felt as if I possessed only a mere fraction of your true gift and potential,” Black Thought wrote on Instagram after Malik B.’s death. “Your steel sharpened my steel as I watched you create cadences from the ether and set them free into the universe to become poetic law, making the English language your bitch.” Malik released solo music after leaving the Roots, including the EP “Psychological” in 2006, and two studio albums: “Street Assault” (2005) and “Unpredictable” (2015), which was a collaboration with the producer known as Mr. Green. He also returned as a featured artist on the Roots’ albums “Game Theory” (2006) and “Rising Down” (2008). Malik Smart Abdul-Basit was born on Nov. 14, 1972, in Philadelphia. Information on his survivors was not available. - NY Times. Playlist via Philaflava below...