Phife Dawg passes away at 45

Washington: Phife Dawg, a member of the iconic rap group ' A Tribe Called Quest,' took his last breath on March 23, at the age of 45, confirms his family.

Phife battled health problems for years as he suffered from Type 1 diabetes and underwent a kidney transplant in 2008, TMZ.com.

"We regret to share the news that on Tuesday March 22nd, 2016, Malik has passed away due to complications resulting from diabetes," read the statement.

"Malik was our loving husband, father, brother and friend. We love him dearly.

"How he impacted all our lives will never be forgotten. His love for music and sports was only surpassed by his love of God and family," the statement added.