Leonard ‘Hub’ Hubbard has died at the age of 62.
The late musician – who played bass for The Roots from 1992 to 2007 – has passed away after a battle with multiple myeloma, which is a rare form of blood cancer he was diagnosed with 14 years ego.
His wife Stephanie confirmed the sad news to the Philadelphia Inquirer, and revealed he had been in remission until last month.
Hubbard had continued to work on more music in recent years, but he was hospitalised on Wednesday night (15.12.21).
He had been working on a new album featuring artists like Jill Scott, Vernon Reid and Ben Harper, which was completed just last week.
Stephanie added: “He wanted to be known for the type of music he was composing.
“And before he died, he was sitting there at night listening to the music, and he was so happy with it.”
Taking to social media, The Roots said in a statement: “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard.
“May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans and all of those who loved you.”
Hubbard joined The Roots just before their debut album ‘Organix’ dropped in 1993, and he went onto play on a number of records such as 1996’s ‘Illadelph Halflife’, 1999’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ and 2004’s ‘The Tipping Point’.
His final LP with the band was ‘Game Theory’ in 2006 as he left the following year, but he had occasional reunions with the group over the years.
In 2016, he sued his former bandmates Black Thought and Questlove as he alleged while his contract with the group made him a co-owner, he wasn’t being compensated as one.
The lawsuit is yet to be settled.
LadBaby were “overcome with emotion” when Sir Elton John sang ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone’.
The festive comedy hitmakers – made up of married couple Mark and Rox Hoyle – couldn’t believe the “surreal moment” the ‘Rocket Man’ legend joined them on their latest Christmas single, which also featured Ed Sheeran.
Mark told the Daily Star newspaper’s Wired column: “It was a surreal moment when we met Elton, and I was overcome with emotion when he started singing because it’s Sir Elton John”
“I went, ‘Oh my God that’s his voice singing about sausage rolls, this is insane! It was a real moment, me and my wife stood there and the whole room went silent.
“And he did it in one take unlike me who had to do it about 40 times. Talking about it just gives me goosebumps.”
He revealed the collaboration was Ed’s idea as he encouraged them to release another single, while Elton through himself into the session.
Mark added: “What a legend, in the morning Elton was getting something above a knighthood at Windsor Castle and then he comes and sings about sausage rolls with us in the afternoon.
“What was quite sweet is we recorded with Elton at his company Rocket and it turned out being the last song recorded there before their move offices.”
LadBaby has raised millions of pounds for the Trussell Trust charity with their previous three festive parodies – ‘We Built This City’, ‘I Love Sausage Rolls’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Eatin” – all making it to Christmas Number One.
However, LadBaby aren’t concerned about landing a fourth chart topper this year, although he’s worried people won’t stream support the track because they think it’s a done deal.
Mark explained: “The thing I’m most nervous about is there are a lot of people thinking we’ve already done it and that LadBaby is number one because the bookies have us as favourites.
“You often see it on Saturday night TV like ‘X Factor’, ‘Ah, they’re gonna win it’, then nobody votes for them because they think they’re gonna walk it.”