"We regret to share the news that on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016. Malik has passed due to complications resulting from Diabetes," said Malik Taylor's family in a statement. Malik Taylor, widely known as Phife Dawg was the founding member of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest died at the age of 45.

Although Taylor was very vocal about his medical issue. In the 1999 song "Oh My God"(he rapped "When's the last time you heard a funky diabetic?" The death of Phife Dawg left many shocked and saddened.

Taylor formed A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with his childhood friend Kamaal Fareed, Ali Muhammad and Jarobi White, who left the group after the fourth album in 1991. A Tribe Called Quest went on to create five albums from 1985 to 1998.

Phife Dawg was known for his high-pitched voice, and clever punch lines notably 1991's The Low End Theory and 1993's Midnight Marauders, as the high-pitched, vocal opposite to Q-Tip's smooth, low-pitched flow, and even if you're too young to have grown up with the music of A Tribe Called Quest their jazz-infused hip-hop, influenced present day artist such as OutKast, Kanye West, Common, Pharrell Williams, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, and many others.

While Phife Dawgs lyrics will live on forever, his death cannot help but remind us the effect diabetes has on the black community.

Alarming Statistics

“Knowing is half the battle, Once you know where you are, you can work on controlling it." says Phife in an article by Diabetes forecast.

The American Diabetes Association reports that 26 million Americans are living with diabetes; of that number, 4.9 million are African-Americans. That’s 18.7 percent. According to Dr. Elizabeth R. Seaquist,former president of Medicine & Science for the American Diabetes Association, "Diabetes affects every community, yet the rate of diabetes among African Americans is 1.8 times more likely than non-Latino whites.” And in 2010 diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the based on the 69,071 death certificates according to American Diabetes Association.

Having a history of diabetes in my family makes the topic very near and dear to my heart. Diabetes, heart disease and hypertension plagues our community, and if you're not taking health issues serious the time is now. Eating healthy, exercising and routine checkups are important.

While we will always remember the Funky Diabetic. The greatest tribute we can give to him and so many others is to make healthier decisions.