Black Thought remembered Malik B as his “brother in a band of brothers” in his exclusive interview with Variety.
The Philadelphia rapper and founding member of The Roots passed away in July at the age of 47. His cause of death was not disclosed.
Black Thought spoke highly of Malik B saying he was a “class act” who always “made you feel as if you were the only person in the room.”
Malik to me was a brother within a band of brothers. At the point at which he and I met and started to collaborate, he helped me to keep my head in the game. There was a moment early on when I went away to school, a time when I was farthest from Ahmir (Thompson), who, up until that point, was the only other person that I had known as a partner.
Malik helped keep the Roots together because once he became part of the equation, he added a completely different dynamic, a new dimension to us as a unit. When he and I left school to re-establish the connection with Ahmir and Philly, I felt as if we were ready for the world. Malik represented a missing piece of the puzzle.
What I’ll remember about him most is how he made people feel. There will be valleys and peaks in a person’s life, but he remained the same person on a “heart” level. Maybe it had something to do with his upbringing, his dedication to Islam, or the time he spent in Saudi Arabia as a young person where his parents were educators — Malik was always a class act.
He made you feel as if you were the only person in the room.
Jaguar Wright, who was also very close with Malik B lashed out at The Roots and others because she felt as if they weren’t honoring the late MC’s legacy properly.
Rest in peace, Malik.
