On February 12, news broke that David "Trugoy the Dove" Jolicoeur, a co-founder of the groundbreaking hip-hop group De La Soul, passed away at the age of 54.

Now, Maseo and Posdnuos, the two remaining members of the legendary hip-hop trio, are officially breaking their silence over the tragic passing.

In a post shared to the New York group’s Instagram page, which featured a picture of the group signing their first record deal with Tommy Boy, Maseo wrote: “Dave, thank you so much for being in my life. Although you and I would argue like hell, we would both admit when we were wrong and totally come full circle and say, ‘I Love You.’ I want to truly thank you for having the birds eye view of our collective vision to be a group.”

He continued: “Before Trugoy The Dove, I met J.D. Dove aside being called Dave in 1985. I remember your mom calling you Dove, so you’ve always had wings, so go on and fly into the light, Merce and I will make sure your legacy is well preserved. ‘We Are De La Soul’ for life and afterlife, but obviously, it will never be the same. On one end I’m happy you no longer have to suffer the pain of your condition but on the other hand I’m extremely upset at the fact that you’re not here to celebrate and enjoy what we worked and fought so hard to achieve.”

Posdnuos also shared his own tribute: “You brought so much creativity, energy, and passion to our music, and your influence will be felt for years to come. Your passing is a great loss not only to us, but also to the entire hip-hop community. You were a true artist who used music to inspire and uplift others, and you will be deeply missed by all who knew you.”

He continued: “This is heavy on our hearts and minds but we are smiling and even laughing at all the great times we shared with you. As we attempt to navigate this world without you, we stand grateful and proud of all you accomplished on this earth.”

“We would like to say thank you Dave for being a big brother,” Pos concluded. “Thank you for being a friend. Thank you for the wise words placed in your verses. Thank you for the music you produced that is loved by so many. Thank you for never wanting to compromise the quality of our brand. Thank you for helping us become a group that will remain etched in the timeline of hip hop culture as well as the fabric of music.”

De La Soul made news recently when it was announced that the group's music would be available on all streaming platforms on March 3, 2023 – the 34th anniversary of the release of their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising. Shortly after that announcement,  Trugoy was noticeably absent from the group's performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards' Hip-Hop 50th celebration.

In 2018, in a video posted to Instagram, Trugoy noted he’d been battling congestive heart disease and it was difficult for him to adjust to his inability to perform.