Leonard “Hub” Hubbard has died at the age of 62.
The late musician — who played bass for The Roots from 1992 to 2007 — has died after a battle with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer he was diagnosed with 14 years ago.
His wife, Stephanie, confirmed the 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 hospitalized on Dec. 15.
He was 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.”
The Roots said in a statement on social media: “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 on to play on many 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 compensated as one.
The lawsuit has yet to be settled.
