“A(n) MC CALLED PHIFE.”

In supreme dedication to Phife Dawg - Limited Edition Shirt Release

March 2016

“Ayo, Bo knows this, and Bo knows that,

But Bo don’t know jack, ‘cause Bo can’t rap,

Well what do you know, the ‘Di-Dawg’ is first up to bat

No batteries included, and no strings attached.”

Phife Dawg

“Scenario”

Verse 1

Malik Izaak Taylor.

Professionally and affectionately known to the musical masses as:

Phife Dawg. Phife. The Phifer. Phife Diggy.

The Five-Foot Assassin. The Five-Footer.

A supreme MC/rapper, and a member of the group A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ), with Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi White.

On March 22, 2016, the Hip Hop world lost a legend.

On April 1, 2016, in supreme dedication to this true master of ceremony, I released 2 limited edition shirts (sold out in less than 24 hours) inspired by and in commemoration of Phife, who along with his lyrical counterpart Q-Tip, started a movement that challenged the macho posturing of Rap and Hip Hop music.

ATCQ were the pioneers of the Native Tongues Posse, a collective of conscious, alternative rappers. They focused on a variety of topics ranging from spirituality, race, sex, social justice, and social status. They were true innovators who thought outside of the box in which they lived, changing the rap music landscape by shifting the focus from a primarily gangster rap culture dynamic, to a one focused on self-expression and social awareness. They made rap a malleable apparatus that could be shaped and deployed to inspire fans and many future rap artists that followed behind them.

Phife was a central and crucial figure in this movement and output. His distinct voice and nimble flow helped anchor landmark hip-hop albums.

His loss resulted in a distinctive gap in the diversity of rap music. From his recognizable and nostalgic lines on tracks like “Electric Relaxation,” “Award Tour,” “Scenario,” “Jazz (We’ve Got),” “Buggin’ Out,” and on the Fu-Schnickens’s “La Schmoove" joint, his sharp lyrical acumen will eternally be imprinted with the best of the genre.

“Tell your mother, tell Your father, send a telegram …”