Grammy-winning hip-hop collective Arrested Development is mourning the death of Baba Oje, the group’s longtime spiritual elder, who died at age 87 on Friday (10/26) following a long battle with acute leukemia.

“Hip-Hop culture just lost a soldier. #RIPBABAOJE,” group leader Speech wrote in a tribute to Oje on Saturday (10/27). “BABA OJE the elder from the 2x Grammy Award winning group ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT passed this morning at 4am after fighting acute Leukemia, he was 86 years old. Baba was the oldest member of any hip-hop collective and his mere presence in rap spoke volumes for the genre and for a generation looking for symbolic wisdom and answers. He was an activist for the homeless, a military veteran, a world traveler, spiritual advisor to the group, strict vegan, dancer, vocalist and avid roller skater.”

Speech said that Oje’s friends and family are planning a funeral service for him on Friday (11/2). The leader of the sprawling rap crew founded in Atlanta in 1988 as a response to the graphic gangsta rap of the era described meeting Oje when he was a college student. Recalling how Oje would hang “with the young dudes,” Speech said his mentor was “always super cool and always willing to talk to the youth! I gathered up the nerve to ask him to be in my hip hop group, he at first said no. But he later reconsidered when he thought about the fact that a young black man was striving to start a positive rap thing. However, we both found out that this partnership was bigger than we even knew.”

He later discovered that Oje — the non-performing member of AD affectionately known as the “oldest man in hip-hop” — knew his parents and had served as the best man in his parent’s wedding. “That’s the spiritual bond we shared, he was literally like family to me, I will miss him terribly.” The group paid tribute to Oje during a performance of their signature hit “Everyday People” at a show in Toulouse, France, over the weekend, calling the gig the “toughest show we’ve ever had to play emotionally.”

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Probably the toughest show we’ve ever had to play emotionally. We love you always @babaoje_ ❤️🎶 Oct 26th will never be the same. 🙏🏾 #rainingrevolution #arresteddevelopment #babaoje #concert #live #europentour #rip #ripbabaoje #elder #hiphop #Repost @mstashalarae ・・・Toulouse France

A post shared by Speech (@speech__) on Oct 27, 2018 at 5:38pm PDT

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October 26, 2018. Hip-Hop culture just lost a soldier. #RIPBABAOJE BABA OJE the elder from the 2x Grammy Award winning group ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT passed this morning at 4am after fighting acute Leukemia, he was 86 years old. Baba was the oldest member of any hip-hop collective and his mere presence in rap spoke volumes for the genre and for a generation looking for symbolic wisdom and answers. He was an activist for the homeless, a military veteran, a world traveler, spiritual advisor to the group, strict vegan, dancer, vocalist and avid roller skater. His family & friends are scheduling service arrangements for him next week Friday. We will deeply miss Baba Oje and ask for prayers for his family. I met Baba hanging with the young dudes while I was in college, he was always super cool and always willing to talk to the youth! I gathered up the nerve to ask him to be in my hip hop group, he at first said no. But he later reconsidered when he thought about the fact that a young black man was striving to start a positive rap thing. However, we both found out that this partnership was bigger than we even knew. We both learned later that Baba knew my parents and in fact, was the best man in my mother and fathers wedding way before I was even thought of! That's the spiritual bond we shared, he was literally like family to me, I will miss him terribly. – Speech

A post shared by Speech (@speech__) on Oct 26, 2018 at 6:13am PDT

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We are speechless to have learned that our elder Baba Oje passed on early last Friday morning. His life and legacy deserve so much respect. I made a short tribute to him on my YouTube channel. Link in bio. He is "The Oldest Man in Hip Hop" Rest well Baba.

A post shared by Speech (@speech__) on Oct 29, 2018 at 10:03am PDT

I love you so much Baba Oje❤️I will miss our many talks.. my dear friend. Your energy and fiery spirit will be missed. My dancing partner on stage… the elder of Arrested Development!May your soul REST IN POWER. You will forever be my Baba Oje!!!!😍Rest In Power💔 pic.twitter.com/lCnnkcqdw1

— MONTSHO-ESHE (@ESHE2xGrammy) October 26, 2018

This article originally appeared on Billboard.