Tony! Toni! Toné! Guitarist D’Wayne Wiggins Dead at 64 — His Cause of Death Revealed
D'Wayne Wiggins is remembered by his fellow Tony! Toni! Toné! founding members and relatives, Raphael Saadiq and Timothy Riley.
Published March 7 2025, 4:23 p.m. ET
We are sad to share Tony! Toni! Toné! guitarist D'Wayne Wiggins died on Friday, March 7, at the age of 64. D'Wayne was also one of the R&B group's founding members.
D'Wayne's death was confirmed by his bandmates, which includes his brother, singer-songwriter Raphael Saadiq. As fans are reeling from his loss, here's what's been shared about his cause of death.
D'Wayne Wiggins of Tony! Toni! Toné!'s cause of death revealed.
D'Wayne's cause of death was bladder cancer. In Tony! Toni! Toné's Instagram post confirming his death, the group shared that he was "privately and courageously" battling his cancer diagnosis, only sharing it with his family and close friends.
"With broken hearts, we share with you that our beloved D’Wayne passed away this morning surrounded by family and loved ones," the statement read. "Over the past year, he has been privately and courageously battling bladder cancer."
"Through this fight, he remained committed and present for his family, his music, his fans, and his community," the post continued, adding elsewhere, "He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many."
Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., D'Wayne became passionate about music at a young age.
In the 1980s, he, Raphael, and their cousin Timothy Christian Riley formed Tony! Toni! Toné'. The group rose to fame with its first single, "Little Walter," in 1988, then continued creating songs that would become R&B staples, such as "Anniversary," "Whatever You Want," and "It Feels Good" in the 1990s. In addition to performing, D'Wayne was a music producer and owner of his company, Grass Roots Entertainment. The label is responsible for being the first to sign Destiny's Child in the group's early days.
While Tony! Toni! Toné members explored other projects, they remained committed to the group that started it all. D'Wayne was set to join his group at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts in Tracy, Calif., on March 22 before he died. Two days before his death, the singer confirmed he wouldn't be attending the show due to his illness, stating he was experiencing "medical complications."