AceShowbiz - Blackalicious rapper Gift of Gab has died, aged 50.

The sad news was confirmed in a statement from hip-hop collective Quannum on Friday (25Jun21) - a week after his passing.

"It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother, Timothy J. Parker a.k.a. The Gift of Gab," the announcement read. "Tim peacefully 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 rapper died of natural causes but previously suffered from kidney failure and underwent dialysis multiple times a week, receiving a new kidney in January, 2020.

Blackalicious bandmate Xavier "Chief Xcel" Mosley was among the first to pay tribute to Parker, writing, "Our brother was an MC's MC who dedicated his life to his craft. One of the greatest to ever do it."

"He's the most prolific person I've ever known. He was all about pushing the boundaries of his art form in the most authentic way possible. He truly believed in the healing power of music. He viewed himself as a vessel used by a higher power whose purpose was to give positive contributions to humanity through Rhyme."

Gab and Xcel formed Blackalicious while students at the University of California Davis.

DJ Shadow also paid tribute to Gift of Gab following the news of the rapper's death, calling him "the most preternaturally gifted MC I've ever worked with."

"Our brother Tim, having walked this earth as a student of life for over 50 years, has graduated to the next plane of existence," DJ Shadow wrote in an Instagram post. "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."