Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, known for being the bassist of the Roots, has passed away at age 62. He was with the band for 15 years. The news of his death was confirmed by his step-daughter, India Owens. Owens informed the Philadelphia Inquirer that the cause of death was a form of blood cancer known as, multiple myeloma. Hubbard was first diagnosed with cancer in 2007. The bassist was in remission until last month.
As a tribute to their fallen member, the Roots wrote this social media statement for Hubbard,
“It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard. May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans and all of those who loved you. Rest in Melody Hub.”
The Roots are an American hip-hop band that formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1987. The band was started by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. Hubbard had joined the band 1992, when the band’s name was the Square Roots. The band went through numerous name changes over the years before landing on their current one, The Legendary Roots Crew and The Fifth Dynasty are some of their past names. Up until 2007, Hubbard had played on every Roots album. He left the band in 2006, just two years before the band became Jimmy Fallon’s house band.
Some of his other works include the 2002 Bertha Bay-Sa Pan film, Face, and the 2006 documentary Darfur Diaries: Message From Home. He then went on to sue Questlove and Black Thought in 2016 because he was owed money as a founder of the band.
Hubbard’s death follows the death of “Malik B.” Abdul-Basit, another Roots member who passed away last year.
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