The passing of Trugoy weighs heavy on many of us, especially his fellow peers in the hip hop community.

The news broke yesterday (Feb. 12) that the De La Soul rapper made his transition. Confirmed by Tony Ferguson, the group’s publicist, the cause of death and where he was has yet to be revealed. Even though an official autopsy has not yet been made public, the Long Island rapper had seen his health impacted by congestive heart failure in recent years.

He first revealed the news to fans in a clip at the beginning of De La Soul’s 2017 video for “Royalty Capes” and was briefly hospitalized in 2020.

Of course, Trugoy was loved and appreciated deeply by the hip hop community for decades. He gained his wings just weeks before De La Soul’s catalog — including classic albums like 3 Feet High and Rising, Buhloone Mindstate, and Stakes Is High — made its way to streaming services following sample clearance issues with their former label, Tommy Boy Records.

Surrounding the news of his death, there were heartfelt and heartbroken social media posts from many fans and peers of the 54-year-old. “Trugoy Dave from De La Soul has gone up to be with the day of the stars with the Master,” Pharrell tweeted. “Sending love, light and positive vibrations to his family, The Soul and everyone whose lives have been touched by his existence. Oodles and Oodles and Oodles of O’s.”

Check out more reactions from the hip hop community below. RIP, Trugoy!