Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, a founding member of The Roots, passed away on Thursday.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia’s 6 ABC, The Roots’ longtime bassist died from multiple myeloma, which is a form of blood cancer. He was 62.
Leonard “Hub” Hubbard had been battling multiple myeloma since 2007. His step-daughter India Owens said he was in remission until last month.
Hubbard’s wife Stephanie brought her husband to the hospital after his health took a turn for the worse on Wednesday night. She was unable to stay with him in the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was called to the hospital,” she told Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate. “They told me what had happened that he had passed. I went to the hospital and was able to sit with him.”
Hubbard joined The Roots in 1992 when they were still known as Square Roots. He played on all of their albums spanning from their debut, 1993’s Organix, to their first LP for Def Jam, 2006’s Game Theory.
The veteran bassist left the group after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2007. He played with The Roots on a handful of occasions following his departure.
In 2016, Hubbard sued Questlove, Black Thought and The Roots’ manager Shawn Gee for allegedly not paying him what he was owed as a co-owner of the band. His wife told Philadelphia’s 6 ABC the suit still hasn’t been settled.
