Wiz Khalifa has joined the list of hip-hop artists honoring the legendary Phife Dawg, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 45. In the wake of the unfortunate news, Wiz has shared a tribute remix of ‘Electric Relaxation’, a seminal track by Phife and A Tribe Called Quest on the classic 1993 album, Midnight Marauders.
The Phife homage was posted on the Taylor Gang official website, racking up over 21 thousand plays at this time of writing. Out of respect to A Tribe Called Quest, which was co-founder by Phife, Wiz kept the original beat and reworked some lyrics of his own alongside the Five Foot Assassin's beloved verse. Check it out below:
To be honest, it’s not the strongest offering from Wiz Khalifa, which is to be expected considering his overall decline in quality over the past few years. BUT, with that being said, the good intentions are certainly there, as Wiz went above and beyond to acknowledge the influence and impact of Phife Dawg on modern day hip-hop.
What’s even better, though, is the reach that Wiz Khalifa has with contemporary music fans. He’s a very popular rapper, and by showcasing a track from 20 years prior, he could inspire many younger hip-hop heads to check out the timeless library of A Tribe Called Quest. With the help of Phife Dawg, ATCQ helped transform an entire generation of musicians and listeners alike, and it’s important that his memory is preserved through that catalogue. Props to Wiz for spreading the gospel of Phife, one of the illest rappers of all time.
Wiz Khalifa’s fellow Pittsburgh-native also shared a tribute to Phife as well. Check out Mac Miller’s salute to Phife Dawg below:
