David Jolicoeur, also known as Trugoy the Dove, was a founding member of the iconic hip-hop group, De La Soul. He passed away at the age of 54 after battling congestive heart problems according to cnbc.com. Jolicoeur’s contributions to the hip-hop genre were significant, as he helped shape the sound and attitude of the music in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Jolicoeur’s playful, experimental spirit was crucial in developing De La Soul’s unique sound and persona. He was known for his distinctive style and stage presence, which helped make De La Soul one of the most influential and innovative hip-hop groups of their era. Along with his bandmates, Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos) and Vincent Mason (Mase), Jolicoeur was part of the Native Tongues collective, a group of like-minded hip-hop artists who sought to promote consciousness, positivity, and community in their music. The group of artists included A Tribe Called Quest and The Jungle Brothers.
Jolicoeur was born to Haitian-American parents in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in East Massapequa in Nassau County, Long Island. He met his future bandmates when they attended Memorial high school in nearby Amityville. The name “De La Soul” was derived from the phrase “from the soul” in a French fashion magazine called Dépêche Mode. The group chose this name to reflect their focus on creating music from their own unique perspective and experience.
The stage name, Trugoy the Dove, was derived from spelling “yogurt” backward, as it was his favorite food. Mercer, on the other hand, called himself Posdnuos, which is the reverse spelling of his DJ name, Sound-sop. Vincent Mason was simply known as Mase. Within De La Soul, Mercer referred to himself as Plug 1, while Jolicoeur referred to himself as Plug 2. These monikers were part of the various characters and alter egos that De La Soul portrayed on their albums.
De La Soul’s debut album, “3 Feet High and Rising,” (1989) was a landmark release that incorporated a wide range of musical influences and showcased the group’s wit, humor, and positivity. Tracks like “Me, Myself and I” and “The Magic Number” became instant classics, and the album was widely regarded as a masterpiece of the genre. Later they released two other critically acclaimed albums, “De La Soul is Dead” (1991) and “Stakes Is High,” (1996) which showcased the group’s ability to evolve and stay relevant. Trugoy’s contributions to the group will be greatly missed by fans and fellow artists alike, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists to come.
Jolicoeur’s passing is a reminder of the importance of creativity, positivity, and individuality in hip-hop culture. As fans mourn the loss of this iconic artist, they can take comfort in the fact that his spirit will live on in the music that he helped to create.
