The hip-hop community was shocked and saddened by the death of one of its musical legends: rapper Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor of A Tribe Called Quest.
Over the past few days, the radios have blared the group’s most memorable records, and the social media timelines have flooded with pictures of the rapper and his most enduring lyrics. While there was an overwhelming outpouring of love and appreciation for the late icon, there was little mentioned of the condition that contributed to his death…until now.
It’s unfortunate a celebrity death became the catalyst to bring diabetes back into the spotlight, especially when it’s still the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. But this tragic loss has served as a reminder and warning to the African American community, who are predominately affected by the chronic condition.
The death at 45 of Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor of A Tribe Called Quest shines a glaring spotlight on blacks’ vulnerability to diabetes, the condition he battled for decades, and which ultimately claimed his life.
African American adults are “80 percent more likely” than white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, which also found in 2013 that African Americans were twice as likely as to die from the disease.
Black celebrities reported to have the condition include Blackish star Anthony Anderson; singer, Patti LaBelle; actress Sherri Shepherd; former American Idol judge Randy Jackson; Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin; Grammy winner Chaka Khan; entrepreneur Damon Dash; NBA legend Dominique Wilkins; and actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams. Eating healthy, getting fit, taking proper medications, tracking glucose levels, and getting a twice yearly A1c test to track glucose levels over time are believed to be among the best ways to control the disease.