Rap icon and hip-hop pioneer Trugoy the Dove dead at 54

David ?Trugoy The Dove? Jolicoeur, a member of the hip-hop trio De La Soul, has died at the age of 54.

His passing was confirmed by his management team, All Hip-Hop first reported.

Jolicoeur?s official cause of death has not been announced ? but the rap pioneer had been open about his struggles with congestive heart failure over the past few years.

The veteran performer was with the group since it launched in Amityville, Long Island, circa 1988. The group was formed with his two friends from high school, fellow rappers Posdnuos and Maseo.

De La Soul caught the attention of record producer Prince Paul when they recorded their first demo called ?Plug Tunin. Prince Paul ended up recording their first three albums, according to Okay Player.

The group?s first breakthrough album was titled ?3 Feet High and Rising,? and debuted in 1989. They had a strong influence on their genre throughout the 1990s and beyond.

Some of their other hits included iconic tracks such as ?Breakadawn,? ?Stakes Is High,? and ?Me, Myself, and I.? Their works appeared on MTV, among others.

In 2006, the group won their first Grammy Award for ?Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals,? for their collaboration with Gorillaz, Jamie Hewlett, and Damon Albarn for their song, ?Feel Good Inc.?

Their music has repeatedly been cited as inspiration for artists like Tyler, The Creator, Pharrell, and Jurassic 5, among others.