Trugoy the Dove Cause of Death Mysterious: De La Soul's Founding Member Died of Health Issue?

Trugoy the Dove, famously known as a member of the hip-hop group De La Soul, has died. He was 54.

The rapper, whose real name was David Jude Jolicoeur, notably founded the hip hop trio in Long Island, New York, in 1988. He also went by the name Dave and Plug Two in the hip hop industry. Fans and supporters of the group, however, received heartbreaking news about Trugoy the Dove's death.

Associated Press cited his representative Tony Ferguson's statement Sunday, confirming the reports. Sources also shared the same news with a news outlet and said he died at a hospital in Maryland.

Both posts did not disclose Trugoy the Dove's cause of death, but unnamed insiders said he appeared to have passed from natural causes. He was also reportedly struggling due to an undisclosed disease.

In the past years, the rapper publicly spoke about his battles with congestive heart failure. He also wore a LifeVest defibrillator machine. It remains unknown whether the condition caused his death, or whether it triggered another health issue.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, congestive heart failure (also called heart failure) is a serious condition in which the heart pumps blood less than it should. Having CHF does not mean a person's heart completely fails. Rather, it means that the organ's muscle becomes weaker over time, limiting its original capacity to help in the circulation of the blood.

Remembering David Jude Jolicoeur, AKA Trugoy the Dove

Following the announcement of Trugoy the Dove's death, colleagues, fans and other artists paid tributes to him through heartfelt posts.

Eric Alper wrote, "De La Soul's Trugoy the Dove has died at age 54, just weeks before their music was set to arrive on streaming and digital platforms on March 3. One of the great rap groups of all time, and one thing is for sure: The world will fall in love with them all over again next month."

Before his passing, the musician sparked worries after he missed De La Soul's appearance at the Grammys. The group was honored during an all-star hip-hop tribute for the band's contribution to the genre in the past five decades.

Trugoy the Dove formed De la Soul in 1988 after meeting Posdnuos (Kelvin Mercer) and Vincent Mason in high school. Their demo caught local producer Prince Paul's attention, helping them to formally release their first album in 1989, "3 Feet High and Rising."

The trio continuously released records and collaborated with famous artists, including Snoop Dogg, Little Dragon, David Byrne, 2 Chainz, and Damon Albarn.

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De La Soul