Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, the longtime bass guitarist and founding member of the award-winning Philadelphia hip-hop group The Roots, passed away at the age of 62.
Hubbard’s death was confirmed by his wife Stephanie. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, who stated that the cause of his death was multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer with which he was diagnosed in 2007.
Hubbard was hospitalized on December 15, despite being in remission until last month, his wife added that his health “deteriorated swiftly.”
The Roots paid respect to their old bandmate on social media a couple of days after Hub’s passing, saying “We say farewell to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard with the heaviest of hearts,” the band stated. “May your transition offer peace to your family, friends, admirers, and everyone who cared about you.”
Hubbard was a member of The Roots from 1992 to 2007. He joined the band just before their debut album, Organix, was published in 1993, and he participated on six more albums until leaving: Do You Want More?!!!??! Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), and Game Theory (1995), Illadelph Halflife (1996), Things Fall Apart (1999), Phrenology (2002), The Tipping Point (2004), and Game Theory (2006).
Leonard Hub Hubbard continued to appear with the band even after his departure in 2007. His most notable reappearances include performances at the Roots Picnic events in 2008 and 2010.
Hubbard later sued his former Roots bandmates in 2016, alleging that his contract with the group constituted him a co-owner and that he was not properly compensated. The case has yet to be resolved.
Leonard Hub Hubbard has lately been putting together an album of recordings under his own name, which he composed with musicians such as Jill Scott, Ben Harper, Vernon Reid, and Jeff “Tain” Watts, according to Stephanie Hubbard’s comments to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Stephanie Hubbard reflected, “He wanted to be known for the style of music he was composing.” “He was sitting there at night, listening to his own music, and he was so happy with it before he died.”
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