Greg Tate Dies at 64, Pioneering Work in Hip-Hop Journalism Celebrated (UPDATE)

UPDATED 12/13, 1:15 p.m. ET: Greg Tate’s cause of death was cardiac arrest, his family confirmed in a loving statement in memoriam. It reads, per Vulture:

“Greg was an amazing son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, nephew, cousin—a family man in the deepest African sense. He was also a gentle giant of Black radical thought and creativity, an invaluable friend, and a generous mentor to many. We intend to honor him in a manner worthy of his legacy.”

The monumental writer’s loved ones also shared their appreciation for his readers and colleagues, saying the outpouring of tributes and stories about Tate “have sustained us at a time of unimaginable grief.”

See original story below.

Greg Tate, the acclaimed music critic dubbed a “godfather of hip-hop journalism,” has died at age 64.

Tate’s death was confirmed by a Duke University Press rep, according to Variety, and his cause of death has not been shared. Nate Chinen of WBGO initally broke the news on Twitter, according to Okayplayer, writing that the wordsmith was “a fiercely original critical voice, a deep musician, an encouraging big brother to so many of us.”

After getting his start as a film and journalism major at Howard University, the Dayton, Ohio native made his way to the Village Voice’s staff in 1987, where he made a name for himself as a titan of hip-hop coverage. Tate’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Essence, Vibe, and Rolling Stone throughout his decades-long career.

His 1992 book Flyboy in the Buttermilk, which featured essays on hip-hop and beyond, helped to propel his legacy, along with releases such as Everything But the Burden: What White People Are Taking from Black Culture, and Midnight Lightning: Jimi Hendrix and the Black Experience. Tate was a musician starting from his days in Ohio and the co-founder of the Black Rock Coalition in 1985. He taught classes at Princeton, Brown University, and Columbia University’s Center for Jazz Studies, where he was a Louis Armstrong Visiting Professor.

Readers, fans, and colleagues have been sharing tributes to the late journalism giant and sharing some of their favorite pieces he’s penned. Read some of the touching remarks below.