Malik B., distinctive rapper who worked with the Roots, dies at 47

Malik B., the elusive emcee best known for his work with the Roots, died Wednesday. He was 47.

His death was confirmed by his cousin Don Champion. Members of the Roots also posted public statements on their Instagram and Twitter accounts, though the statements did not say where he died or specify the cause.

Malik joined the hip-hop group then known as the Square Roots after he met the founders, Questlove (Ahmir Thompson) and Black Thought (Tariq Trotter), in 1991 at Millersville University in rural Millersville, Pa. By 1993, the Roots had dropped “Square” from their name and self-released their debut album, “Organix.” Touring relentlessly, they soon developed a cult following in Europe.

New members filtered in and out each year. Malik appeared on three more albums — “Do You Want More?!!!??!” (1995), “Illadelph Halflife” (1996) and “Things Fall Apart” (1999) — and then left the band.

Before Malik’s departure, the Roots were churning out critically acclaimed albums and inching further into the hip-hop mainstream. Collaborating with artists such as D’Angelo, Common and Erykah Badu, the Roots made their name merging the seemingly disparate worlds of live jazz and gritty East Coast rap.

Though none of the members ever explicitly said why Malik left, “Water,” a song off the group’s album “Phrenology” (2002), openly referred to his departure. Black Thought recalled meeting Malik — whom he called “Slacks” — and as he rapped about the group’s journey toward mainstream success, he hinted at the ways they grew apart:

“But inside people down with me started to change/It was a couple things, lil’ syrup, lil’ pills,/Instead of riding out on the road you’d rather chill.”

“Things Fall Apart” — the title was taken from a...