Trugoy the Dove Was the Most Unassuming Emcee of the Them All

On Sunday afternoon, while most of the country prepared to watch the Super Bowl, the news hit that Trugoy, the Dove (Plug Two), AKA Dave Jolicoeur—part of the trio De La Soul—died at the age of 54. No details were released about the cause of his death, though it is known that Jocilier suffered from congestive heart failure. When he didn’t appear with his partner-in-rhymes, Posdnuos (Plug One) at the Grammy's "50 Years of Hip-Hop" tribute last week, it was hard not to be concerned.

Dove was possibly the most unassuming emcee that ever lived—yet that was only part of his make-up. A dough-faced man with a gap between his front teeth, Dove gave the impression of a person who tolerated, but did not enjoy having his picture taken. His laid-back countenance, as well as his warm voice and melodic phrasing, complemented Pos’s acerbic, edgy demeanor. Trim, bespectacled—always with the Potemkin glasses—Pos forever has the mocking, insistent look of a question mark. He’s long been singled out for his brilliance, and rightfully so. Back in 1996, Ego Trip, the seminal hip-hop magazine, featured Pos on the cover alongside Q-Tip and Large Professor under the headline: “Hip Hop’s Holy Trinity.”

Dove never received that kind of adoration. I’m not sure why. Perhaps he didn’t want the attention. His reserve belied his artistry, which was devoid of cuteness or preciousness. Instead, it was full of irreverence, ingenuity, and bite. Dove’s tone—unhurried but always crackling—is what gives De La that dreamlike quality; a sublime invite to an alternative view of hip-hop culture.

De La's debut album, Thee Feet High and Rising (1989), revolutionized American music. De La was the antidote to the street life that dominated hip-hop: angsty yet hopeful, playful yet mindful, a meditative yin-yang on wax. On their early albums, De La Soul is Dead (’91), and Buloone Mindstate (’93)—both masterpieces—De La featured convoluted lingo, slang, and language that was weird, smart, and downright funny.

From “Plug Tunin”:

De La’s style called attention to itself because it was so peculiar, but it distanced many listeners. You had to want to go into De La’s world. They weren’t trying to meet the masses. (Unlike their peers, A Tribe Called Quest, whose appeal proved far broader.) For those of us who loved them, that was perfectly okay. But the band changed direction with 1996’s Stakes Is High—also a classic—leaving behind their signature obscurity (and brilliant collaborator, producer Prince Paul) for a blunt, far more direct approach.

“I don’t appreciate people lying to my kids,” Dove told The Source that summer, referring to the fantasy gangster life that comprised much of commercial rap at the time. “If we all gonna be in this together and we all trying to get paid and do music, let’s have a bit of respect for what we’re doing and the people listening to it. I know everybody wakes up and yawns. I know people wash their clothes and people mow the lawn sometimes. I mean we ain’t gotta rap about that, but there are other things going on besides shooting and smoking weed. Ain’t there more to life than Versace, Moet and Alize?”

As he rhymes on title track “Stakes Is High”:

Dove is certainly one of the most overlooked lyricists of his time, so underrated that he never even comes up in "most underrated" conversations. This might be because, as a group, De La has always been so cohesive. DJ P.A. Mase (Plug Three), the third member of De La, traditionally served as the group spokesman. Sure, you can decipher a Pos and Dove verse, but they complement each other so seamlessly—vocally, lyrically, spiritually—that you sometimes don’t distinguish their verses from each other. And there was never any sense of competition between them. This was not Q-Tip and Phife.

When we talk about Dove being underrated, it’s because of that unassuming nature: people naturally overlook his contributions. But then if you go back and read or listen to his lyrics, you’ll be surprised at how much you missed.

There is a bittersweet note here. De La’s early catalogue has not been available on streaming platforms because of legal issues. They group has been working on rescuing their classic albums for years—and next month you’l be able to dive into De La’s full catalogue on your streaming platform of choice. For Dove, at least he lived long enough to know that his work would be available to the masses again. For those of you who aren’t familiar with De La, congratulations: your mind will be split open, and your soul will be touched. You will laugh and hear lyrics that discreetly embed themselves into your DNA. You will nod your head as you appreciate one of the finest to ever bless the mic.

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