Kangol Kid, a legendary pioneering rapper in the hip hop group the Untouchable Force Organization (UTFO), passed away Saturday (Dec.18) at a hospital in Manhasset, New York. He was 55.

According to a statement released by his family, Kangol Kid, born Shaun Shiller Fequiere, died peacefully around 3 a.m. Saturday after a battle with colon cancer. He was initially diagnosed with cancer in February. REVOLT reported that the rapper was hospitalized in October for cancer-related complications, and underwent surgery at the time for the condition.

Kangol Kid was born in Brooklyn, NY on Aug. 10, 1966. He was one of four members in UTFO — the hip hop group whose hits such as “Ya Cold Wanna Be With Me, “Leader of the Pack,” “Fairy Tale Lover,” and “Roxanne, Roxanne” permeated throughout clubs in the 1980s. The latter, “Roxanne, Roxanne” became UTFO’s most notable song, a cultural classic charting as high as No. 10 on Billboard’s R&B chart, and spawning countless remakes known as the Roxanne Wars.

The most popular remix of the song — which was originally produced by the group Full Force — was made by Roxanne Shante and dubbed “Roxanne’s Revenge.” On the original, Kangol Kid started the song by rapping, “She wouldn’t give a guy like me no rap. She was walking down the street so I said, ‘Hello I’m Kangol from UTFO.’ And she said ‘So?’ And I said ‘So? Baby don’t you know?’ I can sing, rap and dance in just one show.’Cause I’m Kangol, Mr. Sophisticator. As far as I’m concerned, ain’t nobody greater.”

UTFO released five studio albums — their first self-titled project dropped in 1985 and their last, Bag It & Bone it, was released in 1991. A compilation album filled with the group’s greatest hits came out in 1996.

Kangol Kid earned his nickname because he was known for wearing Kangol hats. He sported the headwear so much that the company would eventually work out a sponsorship deal with the rapper. Even before he was diagnosed with cancer, Kangol Kid was involved with cancer charities. He co-founded the Mama Luke Foundation with Minister Shaunda Lumpkin, after Lumpkin’s mother passed away from breast cancer in 2010.

Kangol Kid is survived by his parents; three brothers, Joel, Andy and Alix; his three sons, T. Shaun, Andre and Giovanni; his daughter, Amancia; and seven grandchildren.