This is the official memorial thread for The Gift Of Gab of Blackalicious, Solesides, Quannum MC’s and The Mighty Underdogs.

There will be zero tolerance for disrespectful comments in this thread. All songs by the artist and non-news posts about the artist (e.g. reactions, tributes, etc.) should be posted within this thread, any posted outside of this thread will be removed whether or not they violate subreddit rules.

R.I.P. Timothy Jerome Parker, October 7th, 1970 – June 18th, 2021

Chief Xcel of Blackalicious

My Brother

It is with much sadness and a heavy heart I announce the passing of my friend and brother of 34 years, Timothy Jerome Parker aka The Gift of Gab. He returned peacefully to the essence on June 18, 2021.

I met Tim Parker aka The Gift Of Gab in September of 1987 at John F. Kennedy High in Sacramento. He was a junior and I was a sophomore. I had moved to Sac earlier that summer from Union City. Gab had moved there two years prior from Pacoima. We had a home economics class together, Mr. Hightower, third period. He sat in the row directly behind me. Tim being from So Cal and me being from the Bay, we would argue all class period about who was doper, Ice T or Too Short. A friend of mine, Armstead Jackson, played a mixtape for me he had from New York and on it was “Top Billin” by Audio Two. It blew my mind. Armstead let me borrow the tape. I played it for Tim that same day in class. It blew his mind and we knew we actually had the same love for Hip Hop.

At the time his rap name was Tiny T. I knew he rhymed because of a mutual friend, Justin aka Homicide. Homicide approached me one day and said, “We should form a group. You be the DJ and me and Tiny be the MC’s. Tiny’s Dope.” I said, “Cool” and we set out to be Sac’s version of Run DMC. Plans were put to an immediate halt when Homicide dropped out of school. We never heard from him again. About six months passed and out of the blue, Tim who had now changed his rap name to Gabby T, calls me and says ,“Yo X, I need a DJ”. So I’m thinking he’s asking me to DJ for him for a talent show or school dance so I say, “For when?”. Tim then replies “Forever” and I say “Cool”. That day marked the beginning of our journey. 34 years of brotherhood, deep friendship, artistic inspiration, and musical exploration.

While at UC Davis I met Tom Shimura aka Lyrics Born (then Asia Born), Jeff Chang aka DJ Zen, Josh Davis aka DJ Shadow, Joseph Patel aka Jazzbo, Benjamin Davis aka Mack B Dog, and a year later Lateef Daumont aka Lateef The Truthspeaker. A crew of MC’s, DJ’s, Producers, and Writers we would form SoleSides, a record label at KDVS the University radio station. At the time we were all working on projects separately when Jeff Chang inspired us to pool our talent (which we had a lot of) and resources (which we had very little of) and take our destiny in our own hands.

This was a period of intense growth for Tim. He, Lyrics Born, and Lateef would be either be at KDVS or at one of our respective apartments rapping for hours upon hours almost daily. He was discovering artists from other genres like Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. He’d study their styles, cadences, and phrasing to figure out how he could apply similar concepts and principles to his own craft. He’d start studying principles of metaphysics, searching for a deeper meaning of life and begin to express that through his art. He began diving deep into a book called “The Artist Way” and his creative output kicked into another gear. He learned to tap into what he called the essence. A creative reservoir, a spiritual force that he drew from. He believed that music was from us it was channeled through us. He believed that when we step out of the way we can express art at its highest form. He was a traveler, an explorer, and a scientist all rolled into one being.

In 1995 we did our first tour of the UK and Europe. This marked the start of our touring career giving us the opportunity to tour internationally. This would also mark the beginning of a 25 year touring career of many countries and continents. Through touring we learned the power of connecting with audiences. It taught us the universal power music has of connecting with people and connecting people to each other. It showed us first hand the purpose of our craft. To make a positive contribution to this world through our art. To give people inspiration through our work. He wanted to help people through expressing what he’s learned on his journey. He knew both his triumphs and challenges were universal and that his listeners might be able to find them applicable to their own lives. He was a compassionate man that cared deeply about people. He was my brother.

We often said that each project we recorded (3 Lp’s and 2 Ep’s) were snap shots of our lives. Gab always strove to do it with as much honesty and integrity as possible. In 2014 when his kidneys failed he began to work with even more fervor. He would do dialysis 4 days a week for eight hours a day and still tour, write, and record. He felt that after 3 decades of working together we were just hitting our stride. I wanted to capture as much of his greatness as possible while he was still here for the world to hear. I know he’ll live forever through his art but I miss my brother. Until we meet again.

Much Love Always,

Chief Xcel

Lyrics Born of Latyrx

4 the past few yrs there was an ongoing discussion amongst X, Lateef, & myself that Gab may not be with us forever, & that we agreed 2 making the most of what time we did have together. This is why I took every Quannum MCs “reunion” show I could. I didn’t care how much money we made, I didn’t care how many tickets we sold. All I cared abt was having those moments with my brother. I’ve known Gab since we were teenagers, & he is the best rapper I’ve ever known. His monk-like commitment 2 his music was the same @ 19 yo as it was @ 50. He never had many worldly possessions, & not because he couldn’t afford them, he simply wasn’t interested. He had helllla books, tho. Books on history, metaphysics, spirituality, & most notably, towers & towers of RHYMEBOOKS. Frayed spiral notebooks by the dozen, with an untold number of songs & verses, all in his trademark handwriting that always reminded me of a 5th grader. ☺️He didn’t care abt accumulating the material trappings of life, he only cared about understanding the ultimate MEANING of life. Personal & spiritual growth is what drove him, & he kept himself on a perpetual path of discovery. He documented that journey in all those Blackalicious & solo albums we love & connect with so deeply. 4 me his arc as a human being was equal parts joyful, humorous, & terrifying 2 watch. The pain his body endured was exceeded only by the beauty his spirit radiated. This past year, we would speak every 3 wks or so, mostly abt our fave rappers, politics, religion, quarantine life, & abt how fortunate he was 2 receive not 1, but 2 kidneys in an operation just before lockdown began. Altho confined, he had a renewed vigor, & we were all eagerly anticipating his triumphant post-quarantine re-emergence in life as a fully functioning Gift of Gab. Well, unfortunately that just wasn’t God’s plan. What I’m struggling w/the most rn is him not having that walk in the sun. That part is hardest 4 me. We’ll have 2 let his legacy take that walk 4 him I suppose. Im just grateful I was able 2 accompany him on that walk 4 @ least part of the time. I am a better EVERYTHING bc of the Gift of Gab. Rest easy my dear brother. I love U forever. -LB 🙏🌹

Lateef of Latyrx

It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother Timothy J Parker aka The Gift of Gab,” announces his crew Quannum. “Tim departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021.

He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across the globe. We ask that the family’s privacy is respected as we mourn the tremendous loss of our dear brother.

The first time I met Tim Parker, AKA The Gift of Gab, Jazzbo introduced us.

KP (the Cheeze It Terrorist) had introduced me to Jazzbo, and Jazzbo instantly wanted to introduce me to Gab after hearing me rap.

Gab & I met & immediately rapped for about 3 or 4 hours straight in the KDVS A listening room to instrumental after instrumental.

We took a break and went over to my dorms- The Malcolm Dorms- to get some smoke… & we freestyled across the quad on the way to the dorms.

Then we freestyled back. The shit was like a real life musical except we were completely serious and absolutely trying to destroy and upstage each other, until we earned each other’s respect.

We kept rapping until 4am.

Then we linked up the next day and we did it again.

& we started rapping- freestyling mostly- all the time. LB jumped in with us quickly, Gab having already been building with Lyrics Born. We all just rapped ALL THE TIME. Thousands and thousands of hours of rapping.

I was 17.

Gab would become the greatest creative foil of my life. If you were going to link up with Gab you better had done some work since last you saw him. If you didn’t have something to contribute to the conversation, he would end up playing you song after song…

& you would just have to…listen.

Or, you could work, & those interactions could become conversations. Learning exchanges. Gab & I could talk about anything both within the structure of lyrics, and beyond. More than creatively, more than business, Tim and I were brothers.

We supported each other before I even understood what that meant. I was invested in helping him shine his light, and, I always felt, Vice versa.

Tim Parker, AKA The Gift of Gab was one of the greatest rappers ever.

But more than that, he was an incredible person.

The world was lucky to have him for the time it did.

We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy during this trying time.

DJ Shadow

Our brother Tim, having walked this earth as a student of life for over 50 years, has graduated to the next plane of existence. He begins his renewed travels accompanied by the many spiritual attributes developed during his time among us mortals: his wry sense of humor, his unlimited kindness, his abundant humility…his ability to entertain, to awe…his adeptness not only at teaching, but at learning. His willingness to admit wrongs and defend truths; his voracious admiration of knowledge and wisdom, his contempt for deceit. Characteristics all sharpened by the blades of hardship and achievement forged of a life lived fully and genuinely.

“It is not done ’til it’s done.” -The Gift Of Gab, from the Blackalicious song “Changes.”

Tim was many things to many people, but to most of us he was a rapper, and it was in the context of rap that I first met him nearly 30 years ago. At the time, Xavier, Tom, Jeff and I were at UC Davis getting our label Solesides together. Gab hadn’t formally joined the collective yet, but X used to talk about him all the time: “Wait ‘tit you hear him, he’s super dope.”

One day, X invited me to co-DJ an impromptu MC session at his crib. Right there, in that tiny apartment, I heard Tim rap for the first time. His voice was perfect, his wordplay endlessly inventive. “Dope verse,” I enthused. “Nah, that was freestyle,’ Tim smiled. “Want to hear more??” I was dumbfounded, and whispered to X, “You mean that whole 5-minute verse was off the head?” I couldn’t believe it. I had heard so many rappers talk about freestyles, but almost every one of them were fronting. We all knew Freestyle Fellowship was legit, but I figured they were an outlier…I never thought I’d cross paths with an actual rapper like them that valued skills and expressive freedom over image and aesthetic. In an industry with so many frauds and followers, Tim Parker was more than just original; he was unique. And he was, quite simply, the most preternaturally gifted MC I’ve ever worked with.

Gab loved to think of life as just a momentary stage of a much longer journey, and all its trials and tribulations as “training” for the adventures to come after. If there’s one thing I know, wherever Gab is, he’s SOARING right now. We love and miss you, Tim.

Cut Chemist

Video

Timothy Parker, ladies and gentlemen

This was the last time I saw him. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ thanks @therealtracip @ispiklz and @boilerroomtv for hooking this night up. This song is so special to me. I don’t think I ever stopped playing it in my shows. Gab was a meta human. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with him and know him. He was an artist up for any challenge. That challenge was met with such grace and humility in one hand and complete iron fist obliteration in the other. I can’t say Ive known anyone else quite like that. Much love to the Quannum crew and his family. You will be missed my brother ❤️🙏

2Mex (Of Mexican Descent)

Video

The Grouch

Artificial Amatuers Aren’t At All Amazing! We Love You Gab!! You are a Legend and a Lyrical Genius! I will remember you as kind and easy to be around brother. Lots of laughing and smiling! You have a special place in my daughters heart based on your song that she learned as an 8 yr old & the love you showed her when you came to Maui. You have inspired me in positive ways. I wish that you were still here and hope to see you you again. Since the first time I heard Swan Lake 🕊🕊🕊✌️❤️❤️🕊🕊🕊

Eligh

My brother, my friend, Tim, Gift of Gab, rest easy on your next journey. We walked the road of recovery together. We made music together. We shared fears and solutions, we debated, we talked about projects we wanted to make, tours we could set up. We talked about books, life experiences. We did shows together. Your music will be cherished forever. And your friendship. Love you bro. Rest In Peace.

DJ Z-Trip

Man, RIP to my very talented friend, Gift of Gab. You were such a unique voice in all of this… Thank you for allowing all of us to “feel that way” many times over. Gonna miss you, bro. Sending all my love to the whole Quannum family ❤️ @iamthegiftofgab

Zion I

This is how I always felt around @iamthegiftofgab Inspired, elevated, curious about life, and pushed toward greatness. We had been talking during Covid about ideas around how to continue on this path and maintain our health and wellness. He always kept me on my toes. I will miss my brother. Rest well homie..gone but never forgotten 🙏🏾☯️

R.A. the Rugged Man

💔 Heartbroken !!! Rest In Peace to the legendary mc GIFT OF GAB of Blackalicious. Not only a friend and a great humble human being but a super influential West Coast monster technician. One of the Best !! RIP to a Hip Hop king

Open Mike Eagle

damn. rest in peace Gift of Gab. one of the greatest rap songwriters ever. this man definitely did not get his flowers. he was a giant.

Blockhead

Man, shit. RIP Gift of gab. Dude was an innovative legend and blazed a trail for a lot of mcs. He WAS underground indy rap before that was even a thing.

I was fortunate to play a show with him some years back in atl and he was such a sweet and genuine dude. His health was pretty bad even then but he still proceeded to get on stage and annilate his set without even moving. One of the most impressive live sets I ever saw.

This (“Lyric Fathom”) is one of those rare songs I clearly remember hearing for the first time and being like “what did I just listen to?!”cause I had never heard a rapper rap like that. I must have rewound that tape 20 times in a row.

THIS SHIT CAME OUT IN 94*…like, can you comprehend how ahead of its time it was?! It was them and freestyle fellowship/good life really pushing the boundaries of rap at that time. They did shit then that people still tried to do a decade later.

*”Lyric Fathom” was released locally in 1993

clipping.

RIP Gift of Gab. Can’t even describe what a huge influence Blackalicious had on us. The storytelling, the fast rapping, the structural experiments—you think Story 2 or Shooter would exist without Alphabet Aerobics?! Legendary

L’Orange

My heart is so heavy. Even though I am heartbroken today, I will always be grateful and honored to have gotten the chance to get to know the man behind the music that enriched my life so much. He was humble, kind and brilliant. Gift of Gab was a hero and a friend. RIP

I wasn’t planning on sharing anything today. But, listening to my unreleased music with Gift of Gab, I suddenly felt very selfish to be the only one who could hear this song today.

“I Once Was” RIP Gift of Gab

Dumbfoundead

R.I.P. to Gift of Gab of Blackalicious an amazing rapper and big influence on me in high school, made great albums too, was so stoked to play a show with him back in 2012. You are appreciated thank you 🙏

Questlove

Man. Gab was really a beautiful soul. I really don’t have it in me to write something in depth. I wrote like 4 long drafts & erased em. I’m just sad man. He was really a special soul & one of the truly nicest humans ever. Rip #GiftOfGab may your words last forever. @iamthegiftofgab. Condolences to #chiefxcel : the work you two achieved made me a fan & it made me step my craft up. @officialblackalicious #Blackalicious

Coverage

• The Sacramento Bee: Sacramento rapper Gift of Gab, of duo Blackalicious, dies at age 50
• CBS SF BayArea: Talented Bay Area Rapper Gift of Gab from Blackalicious Dead at 50
• KQED: Blackalicious’ Gift of Gab, a Celebrated MC, Dies at Age 50
• AV Club: R.I.P. Blackalicious rapper Gift Of Gab
• Pitchfork: Gift of Gab, Blackalicious Rapper, Dies at 50
• Vulture: Blackalicious Rapper Gift of Gab Dead at 50
• The Fader: Blackalicious rapper Gift of Gab has died
• Billboard: Blackalicious MC Timothy ‘Gift of Gab’ Parker Dies at 50
• Rolling Stone: DJ Shadow, Blackalicious’ Chief Xcel Pay Tribute to Gift of Gab

Discography

Singles

• Blackalicious – “Swan Lake”
• Blackalicious – “A2G”
• Blackalicious – “Alphabet Aerobics”
• Blackalicious – “Deception”
• Blackalicious – “If I May”
• Blackalicious – “Passion”
• Blackalicious – “Make You Feel That Way”
• Blackalicious – “Blazing Arrow”
• Blackalicious – “It’s Going Down”
• The Gift Of Gab – “The Writz”
• The Gift Of Gab – “Rat Race”
• Blackalicious – “Your Move”
• Blackalicious – “Rhythm Sticks”
• Blackalicious – “Powers”
• The Mighty Underdogs – “Want You Back”
• Blackalicious – “The Blowup”
• The Gift Of Gab (f. R.A. The Rugged Man & A-F-R-O) – “Freedom Form Flowing”

Selected Features

• DJ Shadow – “Midnight In A Perfect World (Gab Mix)”
• Haiku d’Etat – “Top Qualified”
• Guru of Gang Starr – “Infinite”
• Grouch & Eligh – “All In”
• L’Orange – “All I Need”
• Chali 2na – “Guard The Fort”

Singing (Credited as Tim Parker)

• Smoov-E & Andre Nickatina – “Whole Lotta Freakin’ Going On”
• Smoov-E – “I Funked Her First”
• Smoov-E – “Funkin’ Off My High”
• Andre Nickatina – “Rose”
• Young Lay – “Get Down”
• Young Lay – “2nd Life”

Misc.

• Daniel Radcliffe Raps “Alphabet Aerobics” (The Tonight Show)
• Blackalicious – “Sports Alphabet” for Bleacher Report
• Blackalicious – “The Blow Up” (Fantastic Mr. Fox Video Mashup)
• Blackalicious – DoorDash Commercial