James Mtume, a musician, songwriter and producer who played in Miles Davis’ electric band of the early and mid-1970s before founding the eponymous R&B group whose 1983 hit “Juicy Fruit” became one of the most recognizable samples in hip-hop history, died Sunday. He was 76.

His death was announced by his family in a statement that didn’t specify a cause or say where he died.

Described in the artist’s words as “sophistifunk,” Mtume’s sleek yet finely detailed music layered lush, jazz-inspired chord arrangements over uncluttered post-disco grooves that could make slow jams feel like club tracks and make club tracks feel like slow jams.

In 1994, the Notorious B.I.G. prominently sampled the song for his own “Juicy,” which got to No. 3 on Billboard’s rap tally and has been streamed more than 1 billion times on Spotify and YouTube.