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How did Greg Tate die? Hip-hop critic, 64, penned books on African American culture

Greg Tate was one of the founding members of non-profit organization Black Rock Coalition and the leader of improvisational band Burnt Sugar

Acclaimed hip-hop journalist and author Greg Tate, who was best known for analyzing Black work and artistry, has died at the age of 64. One of Tate’s publishers, a representative for Duke University Press had shared the sad news to Pitchfork on Tuesday, December 7.
 
Greg Tate’s work largely took African-American music and culture into the spotlight. His debut book in 1992 called ‘Flyboy in the Buttermilk: Essays on Contemporary America’ got widely acclaimed. He also worked as a long-time critic for The Village Voice. Tate also made a name after he became one of the founding members of the non-profit organization Black Rock Coalition and the leader of the improvisational band Burnt Sugar. Speaking of celebrity deaths, we recently lost Lisa Banes in a hit-and-run accident. The 'Deliverance' star Ned Beatty too left us for the heavenly abode. Other celebrities that we lost in the last few months include Chick Vennera, Jay Jay Philips, DMX, Jay Black, Mort Sahl, Jeanette Maus, and others. 
 
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How did Greg Tate die?

The cause of Greg Tate’s death was not available immediately. MEAWW will keep you posted. Greg Tate was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and his family later moved to Washington DC when he was 13. He later attended Howard University to study journalism and film. Greg Tate soon became a known face as a writer in New York in the early 80’s.
 
The renowned journalist later also contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Vibe. The Source magazine had dubbed him as, “one of the godfathers of hip-hop journalism." He was also a Louis Armstrong Visiting Professor at Columbia University’s Center for Jazz Studies and lectured at New York's Museum of Contemporary Art.  After the success of his first book, he followed it up with ‘Flyboy 2’ in 2016 that included more of Tate’s critical essays. In a career spanning more than 35 years, Greg Tate will always be remembered for his insightful, and influential criticism on hip-hop to hardcore and free jazz. Rest in peace.

Internet says Greg Tate was ‘impossible to mimic’

Social media users thronged to Twitter to pay their final respects to Greg Tate. “All I can do right now is look at 2 recent pics of him & all I can say right now about my friend and mentor Greg Tate is that I'll miss him, I thank him--for everything he gave to me and to us--and I love him, just as he loved us all so good and so deeply RIP my dear, dear brotha.”, said one devasted user as another posted, “Our friend Greg Tate master of the understatement his resonant beautiful  words that thicken time. A heavy sadness fills these dark skies of winter. This shocking life.”
 
The next one shared, “My style could not be less like Greg Tate's, but when I was starting out as a cultural writer, his work in the Village Voice was GIANT to me. I couldn't believe a critic could make language stretch and sing and erupt the way he did. He thought big. RIP.” Meanwhile, one posted, “I can't even fathom that Greg Tate is no longer with us. Greg was one of my critical cornerstones and I was blessed to have him as a friend. Rest in power, King.” Another user shared, “Rip greg tate... impossible to mimic, though we all tried... a giant, a good and big-hearted person, the realest one... wrote this in 2016 and could have easily written 100,000 more words about his influence on us.” Another user concluded, “Hard to explain the impact that Flyboy in the Buttermilk had on a whole generation of young writers and critics who read every page of it like scripture. It’s still a clinic on literary brilliance. Godspeed, Greg Tate.”