In very sad news, Hip Hop pioneer, mother, and daughter Ramona Scott, most commonly known as Ms. Melodie, has passed away.

While the exact cause of death has not been revealed, a source close to her family has confirmed that she has died due to an undisclosed illness.

For those of you who don’t know, Ms. Melodie was part of Boogie Down Productions in the early 80s and released her first single “Hype According To Ms. Melodie” in 1988. That same year, she married KRS-One.

In 1989, she put out her debut album Diva along with the single “Live on Stage.” But Ms. Melodie was probably most known for her contribution on “Self Destruction” and Queen Latifah‘s “Ladies First.”

She is survived by her two sons and mother. Condolences, thoughts, and prayers go out to her family. May she rest in peace.