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David Jolicoeur, aka Trugoy the Dove, co-founder of De La Soul, passed away at 54

Clay Cane
February 13, 2023

FILE - De La Soul's Vincent Mason, left, and David Jude Jolicoeur perform at Rachael Ray's Feedback Party at Stubb's during the South by Southwest Music Festival on Saturday March 18, 2017, in Austin, Texas. Jolicoeur, known widely as Trugoy the Dove and one of the founding members of the Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul, has died at age 54. His representative Tony Ferguson confirmed the reports Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)

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David Jolicoeur, also known as Trugoy the Dove, a co-founder of the groundbreaking hip-hop group De La Soul, has passed away at the age of 54, Rolling Stone confirms.

De La Soul’s unique sound and style blended elements of jazz, funk, and soul. Their 1989 debut album “3 Feet High and Rising” was a breakthrough success and is widely considered a classic.

In 2018, Trugoy revealed he was battling congestive heart disease and said he was having difficulty not being able to perform. Just last week, Trugoy was absent from the group’s performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards’ Hip-Hop 50th celebration.

David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur will always be remembered as a pioneering figure in the world of hip-hop and a beloved member of De La Soul.

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Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane