8 Million Stories 2.0

The Funky Diabetic, the one and only Trini-Gladiator
The original Rude Bwoy; Never minor you were always major
The 5-foot Assassin who instructed me to be the obeyer!
You didn't have to go yet, you could have waited 50 years later
Been trying to write this for a year now, still finding it hard to post
You were host with the most, quick to burn emcees like French toast!
You were the anti-hesitator who loved battling emcees from JFK to Russia
Short, dark, voice raspy! Step up, the Shorty Phifer was quick to bust ya
The lyrical Dynomutt! Man, we loved you more than the kids loved Barney
You were on point all the time 24/7/365, my all-time favorite emcee
In '14 you had asked Jay Dilla to come back to earth for you
Musta taken too long for him to respond cos two years later, you're joining the heavenly crew
It really makes no damn sense that you left when you had so much in you
What are we gonna do without you, Malik? Don't you know you still had a lot of work to do?
You let us know that you were the B-Ball player, the fly-rhyme sayer
And for you, Quality was Job 1, and you always got the job done!
In case you didn't know, you inspired a whole generation of lyricists
Poets, rappers and writers alike! Mutty Ranks, I hope you're hearing this
Strictly rugged and raw but funny was the material you brought forth
You were never soft, never had a problem with getting your point across
I still can't get over "No batteries included and no strings attached!"
And about you "sporting New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path!"
Did you hear that Tip, Shah, Jarobi, Busta and Cons shut the Grammies down?
Secretly wished you'd be right there, but The Phifer was nowhere to be found
I know for sure God had His reasons for taking you away when He did
I'm really struggling with the fact that you're gone..it's just so hard to believe
Your rhymes were similar to water, you who crushed emcees like Sgt. Slaughter
Rocking all the Pearly Gates shows; tell me, are you still smooth like butter?
It's hard to recite your lines but I can hear you say Easy, Fam! Yo, I'm wich'ya
Rest In Power, Malik "Phife" Taylor, @mycrafone signing out, I really miss ya.