Heavy D. Dead at Age 44

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Breaking News: Heavy D. Dead At Age 44

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Heavy D. was pronounced dead at a Los Angeles hospital this afternoon.

Details are sketchy, but after a tweet from Grandmaster Flash, the news spread quickly.

The rapper, born Dwight Arrington Myers, was taken to a Los Angeles hospital about noon.

He was pronounced dead at 1 pm.

Heavy D, who made a tremendous impact in the 80s and 90s, recently performed at the BET Hip-Hop Awards.

He was the closing act and didn’t appear to have any health issues. At press time, the cause of death is unknown.

SOURCE: AllHipHop.com

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Of course, for AT40 listeners, Heavy D (& The Boyz) was the one behind these two charting hits:

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Almost forgot these two collabos with the most prominent of the Jackson siblings, even though: a) he was just a featured performer; b) most Top 40 stations at the time didn't play the edits with him on.

[Shadoe Fan]

^^I believe Shadoe's AT40 played the version of "Jam" with him in it. Not sure about CT40...

[OldSchoolAT40Fan]

I wouldn't be surprised if Heavy D. died of a heart attack. After all, he was "Heavy D." for a reason.

R.I.P., Heavy D.

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Rapper Heavy D Has Died


Dwight Arrington Myers, better known as Heavy D, died today in Los Angeles at the age of 44. The rapper's death was reported this afternoon on Twitter and TMZ. The cause of death has not been reported.

The 250-pound rapper made his weight into a theme of his early career, especially in his early albums with his backing group The Boyz. Their first album, Living Large, released in 1987, included the singles "The Overweight Lover's In The House" and "Mr. Big Stuff." The latter is perhaps the best example of Heavy D's particular brand of witty party rap, a lightweight track that flips a sample of Jean Knight's dance-funk classic about an egotistical man into a boast about the virtues of his size.

He had a bigger hit four years later with the song "Now That We Found Love," which he described, in a recent interview on the BBC's Radio 1Xtra as "a bit of an anomaly."

"It was less of a hip-hop record and more of an R&B/pop record. And that was one of the first times that something like that really took flight and was accepted," he said.

As his rap career faded in the late 1990s, he turned to acting, with roles in films like The Cider House Rules and TV shows including Boston Public and Bones. In recent months a spate of activity had put Heavy D back near the spotlight. In addition to acting in the Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller film Tower Heist, he released a new album, Love Opus, in September. Last month, he closed the BET Awards with a medley of his hits.

SOURCE: NPR

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Heavy D, Smooth-Talking Hip-Hop Star, Dies at 44

Heavy D, the smooth-talking and cheerful rapper who billed himself as “the overweight lover M.C.,” died in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was 44.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed the death Tuesday evening, saying that Heavy D had collapsed at his home and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died shortly after noon. The cause of death was not known as of Tuesday night, but the Beverly Hills police said that there was no evidence of foul play and that the death appeared to be “medically related.”

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Heavy D was one of hip-hop’s most popular and charismatic figures, a girthy slickster who was an eager seducer and was unafraid of the dance floor. He was the frontman of Heavy D & the Boyz, which became the first act signed to Uptown Records, the label that was integral in building the bridge between hip-hop and R&B.

Thanks in part to production from the New Jack Swing auteur Teddy Riley that matched hard-snapping drums with sensual melodies, Heavy D & the Boyz became key figures in the softening of hip-hop’s sharp edges. The group released five albums between 1987 and 1994, three of which went platinum: “Big Tyme” (1989) “Peaceful Journey” (1991) and “Nuttin’ but Love” (1994).

At the time, blending hip-hop and R&B was still something of a novelty, but Heavy D’s work felt seamless. He was a nimble and jubilant-sounding rapper who always chose charm over aggression.

Most of the group’s early hits — songs like “Mr. Big Stuff” and “Gyrlz, They Love Me” — were cheeky, as Heavy D, a flamboyant dresser and an outsize personality, set the template for plus-sized hip-hop Lotharios. By 1991 he had moved on to straightforward love songs like “Is It Good to You” and his group’s biggest hit, “Now That We Found Love,” based on a cover version of a classic O’Jays song by the reggae band Third World.

“Peaceful Journey,” the 1991 Heavy D & the Boyz album, was dedicated to the dancer Trouble T-Roy, one of the Boyz, who died from a fall while the group was on tour in 1990. Mr. Dixon’s death also inspired Pete Rock & CL Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.),” one of hip-hop’s essential tribute songs.

Heavy D was born Dwight Errington Myers on May 24, 1967, in Mandeville, Jamaica, and grew up largely in Mount Vernon, N.Y. His mother worked as a nurse and his father as a movie equipment repairman.

In the mid-1990s he became the president of Uptown Records, and in several other ways his influence extended beyond his albums. He recorded the theme song to the popular comedy variety show “In Living Color”; recorded hit songs with both Michael Jackson (“Jam” in 1991) and Janet Jackson (“Alright” in 1990); and had a hilarious cameo in the video for “One More Chance,” an early hit for the Notorious B.I.G., who followed in Heavy D’s big-man footsteps.

Though Heavy D continued to record music — including a reggae-influenced album, “Vibes,” in 2008 — and performed as a rapper as recently as the 2011 BET Hip-Hop Awards this summer, he was better known in recent years for his acting work. He had recurring roles on TV shows including “Roc,” “The Tracy Morgan Show” and “Boston Public,” and parts in films including “The Cider House Rules” and the current “Tower Heist.”

Survivors include a daughter, Xea.

SOURCE: New York Times

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Heavy D: He Did His Own Thang
We reflect on late hip-hop legend's career and impact on the next generation.

There was this odd but super cool sound that rolled off Heavy D's tongue that we all tried to emulate. It was his melodic calling card; it was the key thing he inserted into Heavy D & the Boyz' "We Got Our Own Thang."

Its significance was cemented in pop culture when he guest-starred in a 1989 episode of one of the era's hottest sitcoms, "A Different World." He was set to be a featured performer at a fundraiser on the show, and the pompous, pretentious Whitley wasn't having it.

"I'll tell you what lacks melody is that diddly diddly diddly diddly diddly dee," she drawled, displaying her disgust for hip-hop, completely unaware that she was, in fact, bemoaning Heavy D himself.

Heav, playing a caricature of himself (and an old junior high friend of Dwayne Wayne), laughed and shrugged it off. We all chuckled with the laugh track as Whitley realized her mistake and Heavy showed her the right way to do the thing that had all of us — in the 'hood, in the 'burbs and in the sticks — trying to copy him every time we heard one of his wicked, uptempo tracks. We next see him onstage, doing that infamous Heavy D shake, performing the track "Somebody for Me," the single that questioned — and longed for — a woman's affections for the man who dubbed himself the Overweight Lover.

Heavy D, born Dwight Arrington Myers, died Tuesday (November 8) at an L.A. hospital. He was a young 44.

TMZ is reporting that a 911 call was placed from his Beverly Hills home around 11:25 a.m. PT to report an unconscious male on the walkway. When help arrived, the entertainer was conscious and speaking and was taken to the hospital.

He died shortly thereafter.

Heav was that kind of touchable performer. We felt comfortable with his Overweight Lover nickname — he was the big guy who could move. His size never stopped him. He moved in ways that intimidated the slimmest dude in the crowd.

He was smooth, dapper and celebrated the around-the-way-girl through song; his music helped soundtrack 10th-grade dances near and far, and his colorful, danceable and at times sensitive brand of hip-hop clearly proved to be wildly influential to new-millennium household names like Diddy or Drake.

In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who came up after Heavy D that doesn't cite him as an influence — and if they didn't say it out loud, their showmanship certainly was a giveaway.

He brought professionalism to live hip-hop shows, and because he fancied a variety of music and musical stylings, his shows were thought-out, deliberate and defined all that New Jack Swing embodied.

Heavy brought the bounce to hip-hop and his smooth delivery made every woman look at big boys with new eyes. He was sexy — so were his lyrics, and so was his style. He was one of few rappers to collaborate with Michael Jackson (he rapped on "Jam"), and we all applauded when he linked up with Janet Jackson for an "Alright" remix.

His death is tragic for a number of reasons. Until last month, we hadn't seen Heavy perform live onstage in 15 years. When he hit the stage back in October for the BET Hip Hop Awards, he showed the young guys that he could still swing with the new New Jacks.

He also showed off an amazing 135-pound weight loss, but his hip-hop moniker was still fitting for a guy who gave so much to a musical genre that continues to shape pop culture.

Even past his hit-producing hip-hop prime, Heavy continued to be a force in entertainment. He'd often dabbled in film and television, and most recently. we saw him in an episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and the just-released "Tower Heist."

Some of hip-hop's biggest luminaries tweeted their affections for the rapper Tuesday. It was undeniable what he brought to the genre.

He was one of the biggest who ever did it — and he got there because he did his own thang.

SOURCE: MTV

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Rapper Heavy D Dead at 44

Heavy D, a rapper whose imposing size and crossover success helped make him a major rap star, died Tuesday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital. According to confirmed reports, the 44-year-old rapper was found conscious on the walkway near his Beverly Hills home around 11:25 am when a 911 call was placed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1 p.m. PST. Police are investigating, but foul play is not suspected.

Grandmaster Flash was one of the first in the media to relay the news when he took to Twitter, saying "I was just told Heavy D passed away." That message created a snowball of reactions -- and prayers -- from fans.

Heavy D last tweeted late on Monday or early Tuesday on Joe Frazier's death, "SMOKIN JOE FRAZIER..RIP.. truly one of the best heavyweight champs that ever lived.. GODS SPEED, MR FRAZIER!' An hour later tweeted,"BE INSPIRED!."

Born Dwight Errington Myers in Jamaica in 1967, Heavy D moved to the Bronx in 1967 and became friends with Glen Parrish (G-Wiz), Eddie F (Eddie Ferrell) and Troy Dixon (Trouble T-Roy), who formed the rap group Heavy D & the Boyz. In 1986, their demo reached Uptown Records head Andre Harrell, and the group became the first artist signed to the label.

"Living Large," Heavy D & the Boyz's debut album, was released in 1987 and spawned hits like "Mr. Big Stuff," while 1989's "Big Tyme" served as the group's commercial breakthrough with tracks like "We Got Our Own Thang" and "Somebody For Me." Following Dixon's death in 1990, Heavy D released the 1991 tribute album "Peaceful Journey."

His first No. 1 on the Rap chart was 1989's "Somebody for Me" and he later scored crossover hits with 1991's "Now That We Found Love" and "Big Daddy" in 1997. His highest charting single came in 1990 when he teamed up with Janet Jackson on the No. 4 Hot 100 hit "Alright (Remix)."

Following a familiar path for many rappers, Heavy D eventually began exploring the acting world, with movie roles in 1999's "Life" and 2002's "Big Trouble" as well as a recurring role on the Fox drama "Boston Public." He also wrote and performed the theme song for the landmark TV sketch comedy, "In Living Colour."

After collaborating with artists like K-Ci & Jojo, Big Daddy Kane and Gang Starr as an artist, Heavy D contributed production work to tracks by Beanie Sigel and Timbaland & Magoo in the 2000s. Heavy D's final album, "Vibes," was released in 2008 and favored a reggae fusion sound instead of the rapper's accessible brand of hip-hop.

Last month, on Oct. 1, Heavy D performed 80s classics -- "Nuttin' But Love," "Is It Good to You," and "I Want Somebody" -- at the 2011 BET's Hip-Hop Awards. Tyrse joined him on stage to sing the chorus to "Now That We Found Love," widely considered the star's most identifiable track. He also performed the song "Jam" at the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales on Oct. 8 in a duet with La Toya Jackson.

SOURCE: Billboard

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Five Overlooked But Epic Facts About Heavy D

Heavy D has always been lauded as a pioneer among “big men” in the rap industry, but his impact and influence went far beyond his own career pursuits over the past 25 years. He was a triple threat – an artist, producer, and actor – who rubbed elbows with some of the best, and sometimes unlikely, names in the business.

As the Hip-Hop world pauses to mourn the loss of one of its heroes, AllHipHop.com takes a moment to examine five, little known facts about the late, great Heavy D:

1) BIGGIE’S LAUNCH PAD – Another “big man,” Brooklyn’s late Notorious B.I.G., made his first introduction to the rap world way back in 1993 on a Heavy D track entitled “Buncha N*ggas” from the album Blue Funk. The track also included verses from Busta Rhymes, Guru, Rob-O, and Third Eye.

Ironically, three of the six MCs on the track are now deceased.

2) DIDDY’S IMAGE-MAKER INSPIRATION – Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, is said to have modeled Biggie’s image largely off of Heavy D’s fashionable influence from his Uptown Records days. Way before Biggie, the Mount Vernon native was the first of the big-statured MCs to embrace the luxurious, brand name life of Versace, Gucci, and others.

Recall how clean he and The Boyz always were every time they hit the stage? Check them on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1989:

3) BEANIE’S “EMO” MOMENT – Heavy D was responsible for launching the careers of several rap and R&B artists, including Soul 4 Real, Monifah, and legendary DJ/producer Pete Rock.

Even so-called gully MCs called on Heavy D for help – few realized back in 2004 that he was the producer for one of Philly rapper Beanie Sigel’s most prolific and respected tracks, “Feel It In The Air.”

4) JAMMING WITH THE KING – Michael Jackson, who only invited a handful of rappers to drop verses on his songs over the years, shared the booth with Heavy D on the hugely popular “Jam” in 1991. One of the first rap/R&B collaborators, just a year earlier, Heavy D collaborated with Jackson’s little sister Janet on “Alright.”

In another ironic death twist, Heavy D’s untimely death came just one day after a jury found Dr. Conrad Murray liable for the untimely death of Michael.

5) RAP’S MR. CLEAN – While other rappers such as Uncle Luke were pushing for freedom of speech in their lyrics, Heavy D – always the gentleman – was busy taking his own stand on the 1991 track “Don’t Curse.”

Proof positive that he was “the man” among other mega-rappers of the time, he even recruited Kool G Rap, Grand Puba, C.L. Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip to help promote his clean-mouthed lyricism on the song.

As Pete Rock underscored in his bars, “I can’t curse/’cause Heavy D said so…”

There are countless examples of how Heavy D left his good-natured, talented mark on Hip-Hop culture and the entertainment world. Truly, he was larger than life, and will be greatly missed. Share your own memories and little known facts below!

R.I.P. to the Overweight Lover!

SOURCE: AllHipHop.com

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Hip-hop star Heavy D dies aged 44

US recording artist Heavy D, the self-proclaimed "overweight lover" of hip-hop, who became one of rap's biggest stars in the 1980s, has died aged 44.

He died on Tuesday after being found unconscious at his Los Angeles home.

Born Dwight Arrington Myers in Jamaica in 1967, Heavy D found fame with his band "The Boyz", scoring hits with such tracks as Now That We Found Love.

He appeared on Michael Jackson's 1991 song Jam and recently performed at the singer's tribute concert in Cardiff.

"My heart goes out to the family and [loved] ones of Heavy D," tweeted Jackson's sister La Toya, who appeared with Heavy D at the event on 8 October.

Although he was known for his big frame, Heavy D never let his size become his defining characteristic.

The charismatic MC was more often a seducer and a comedian. "What's it going to be, me or the TV?" he chided his lover on Now That We Found Love, his biggest UK hit.

With his band, The Boyz, he set the tone for New Jack Swing - sparse production, big R&B hooks and metallic drum loops - paving the way for the likes of Bobby Brown and Blackstreet.

Three of his albums - Big Tyme (1989), Peaceful Journey (1991) and Nuttin' but Love (1994) - went platinum in the US.

In the early 1990s, he duetted with the likes of Notorious BIG and Janet Jackson, cheekily branding the latter "a walking bank vault" on her hit single Alright.

His music suffered as his acting career took off, with appearances on TV shows such as Law & Order: SVU and Boston Public in the early 2000s.

He also made select film appearances, with roles in The Cider House Rules and, most recently, alongside Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in the comedy Tower Heist.

However, he continued to create music and his last album, Love Opus, was considered a return to form when it was released in September this year.

Heart of gold

Rapper Ice T was among the rapper's peers expressing condolences, saying he felt "sick" at the news of the Heavy D's death.

"Stop for a second, take a breath and realize how lucky you are to be alive," he wrote after hearing the news.

"We had a lot of great times touring together," tweeted MC Hammer. "He had a heart of gold."

According to Lt Mark Rosen of the Beverly Hills police, the rapper experienced breathing difficulties while returning home from shopping.

After collapsing in an exterior hallway, he was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center where he later died.

The musician is survived by family members including his daughter Xea.

SOURCE: BBC

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Heds and Dreds: Remembering The Big Belly Gorgon, Heavy D

Yesterday came the sad word that Dwight Errington Myers—Heavy D—died suddenly at the young age of 44. The news stings on several levels. Coming up on hip-hop in New York in the late ’80s and early ’90s, his music was a part of everyday life. While he gained pop crossover status with songs like “Is it Good To You” and “Nuttin But Love” and cameos on Michael Jackson’s “Jam,” he simultaneously fed mixshows with underground classics like “Don’t Curse” and put us on to people like Pete Rock and Biggie. We’d also hoped to link with him for a feature on LargeUp shortly. In fact, I already intended to make him the subject of my next Heds and Dreds column—next week—before fate intervened to put this piece on the fast track.

Though raised in the hip-hop hotbed that is Mount Vernon, N.Y., Heavy D was born in Jamaica, and he repped his homeland throughout his career—most famously with his cover of Third World’s “Now That We Found Love.” With the exception of KRS-One and producer Salaam Remi, the Overweight Lover did more than anyone to infuse dancehall style into hip-hop’s DNA in the late ’80s and early ’90s, from his collaborations with Super Cat and Buju Banton to his patois-laced intros on songs like “Jam Session” (one of two, pre-Ready to Die tracks Heavy recorded with fellow Jamaican Biggie Smalls). His final album, 2008′s Vibes, saw him leave hip-hop entirely to fully envelop himself in reggae, earning him a Grammy nomination. Whether it was a pop-house record, some grimy hip-hop or a M.J. cameo, you could feel Jamaica everywhere in Heavy D’s music. And, for that, we give him nuttin’ but love.

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Mood for Love” (1989)

The flagship group on Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records and one of the earliest projects of Teddy Riley, Heavy D. & the Boyz were central to the burgeoning New Jack Swing movement in the late ’80s. While Riley remained involved in 1989′s sophomore effort Big Tyme, it also featured the very first production credits from Hev’s Mount Vernon neighbor Pete Rock, who would continue to work with the group throughout its lifespan. A Jamaican himself, the Chocolate Boy Wonder gave Heavy just the right riddim to flex his Josey Wales-style deejay muscles on “Mood For Love.”

Super Cat feat. Frankie Paul and Heavy D, “Big and Ready” (1991)

Rappers and dancehall artists collaborated in great numbers in the early ’90s but how many carried the clout to do a combination tune with Super Cat and Frankie on Cat’s own Wild Apache label? Heavy really held his own, too, showing he could chat with the best of ‘em. Also known as “Big ‘n Broad,” this tune on the In the Mood for Love riddim would later appear on Super Cat’s 1992 album Don Dada.

Supercat feat. Heavy D, “Dem No Worry We (Reggae Version)” (1992)

…And the Big Belly Gorgon was on Don Dada‘s opening track, too. Hard to say which bangs more, the single version or Eddie F’s “hip-hop ragga” remix, which substituted Robert Livingston’s original riddim for the beat from Poor Righteous Teachers’ “Shakiyla.”

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Now that We Found Love” (1991)

This Gamble and Huff-penned song was originally recorded by the O’Jays but Hev’s hip-house lite interpretation (featuring Aaron Hall) favored reggae group Third World’s classic island pop version.

Heavy D and Buju Banton, “Hotness” (1993)

Every self-respecting hip-hop head in 1993 went out and saw Doctor Dre and Ed Lover’s Who’s The Man? but today the movie is best remembered for having the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Party and Bullnuts” on its soundtrack. This collaboration between don gorgons Buju and Big Belly is of less prominence, but historic nonetheless.

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Nuttin’ But Love” (1994)

Sure, you can cite all the lyrics to “Nuttin’ But Love”—Fancy food, lobster, sushi, yeah Versace, Gucci, crazy Lucci— but whatchu know about Red Hot Lover Tone’s “hip-hop reggae” remix? The O.G. version is still my favorite Heavy D. song, due in no small part to the unusual deejay chat breakdown that comes in after 3:00. Video side note: look out for cameos from Chris Tucker, Rebecca “Noxema Girl” Gayheart, comedian Talent and at least one Real Housewive of Atlanta.

Heavy D, Courtney Melody and Brigadier Jerry, “Modern Connection” (1995)

From the 1995 Ras Records compilation. Robert Ffrench, Heavy D…and Friends. Yeah, we hadn’t heard of it, either, but Heavy really shines on this obscure combination with ’80s dancehall dudes Courtney Melody (“Bad Boy”) and Brigadier Jerry (“Jamaica Jamaica”).

Heavy D, “Queen Majesty” (2008)

Heavy’s early dabbling in dancehall typically found him playing the role of deejay but the 2008 album Vibes saw him get his singer on, with a little help from Autotune. Amidst tunes with Sizzla and Barrington Levy, the set’s heavyweight selection is this version of Curtis Mayfield/The Uniques/Dennis Brown’s “Queen Majesty.”

BONUS: Heavy D and Super Cat on Yo! MTV Raps

Shortly after the release of Super Cat and Heavy D’s “Dem No Worry” video, Fab Five Freddy met up with the duo (somewhat awkwardly directing all of his questions to Heavy, and not Super Cat) at a show rehearsal in LA. Among those in their entourage that day were a young Puff Daddy and the late Prince Ital Joe, of Marked for Death/Marky Mark sidekick/Tupac’s “Hail Mary” fame.

Back at the Yo! studio in New York, Ed Lover proclaims Heavy D “the Don Dada of rap,” while Heavy toys around with [East Coast] Doctor Dre’s turntables and Super Cat breaks down the state of Jamaican music circa ’92, before performing “Ghetto Red Hot.”

SOURCE: LargeUp

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Rapper and actor Heavy D dies aged 44
Hip-hop veteran hailed by peers, including LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj, collapsed with breathing problems and died in hospital

Rapper and actor Heavy D, one of the defining voices of hip-hop's late-80s and early-90s golden age, has died. The 44-year-old was taken to hospital with breathing problems, just hours after he wrote to his followers on Twitter, "BE INSPIRED!"

Paramedics arrived at Heavy D's Beverly Hills condo at around noon on Tuesday, after receiving a 911 call from a neighbour. The rapper was conscious and talking, but had collapsed after returning home from a shopping trip. "There doesn't appear to be any foul play," police lieutenant Mark Rosen told the New York Daily News. "We believe it was medically related." According to LA's KTLA News, Heavy was suffering from pneumonia after a recent trip from Europe. He was taken by ambulance to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he died at about 1pm. Autopsy results are forthcoming.

Born Dwight Arrington Myers in Jamaica and raised in New York state, Heavy D barrelled into hip-hop history alongside G-Whiz, Trouble T-Roy and Eddie F – collectively known as Heavy D & the Boyz. Discovered by Def Jam exec Andre Harrell, who had helped launch the careers of LL Cool J and Run-DMC, the group's debut album came out on his Uptown Records in 1987.

Although Heavy's 300lb swagger became notorious with the single The Overweight Lover's In the House, it wasn't until 1989's Big Tyme that the Boyz really hit the mainstream. They mixed nimble rhymes with snatches of R&B and reggae, becoming key players in the genre known as new jack swing – and offering a playful alternative to contemporaries such as Public Enemy and NWA.

With 1991's Peaceful Journey, Heavy D & the Boyz went platinum; the singles Now That We Found Love, Is It Good To You and Don't Curse were cemented in hip-hop history. The group gained further prominence by recording the theme-song to sketch show In Living Color, and Heavy later collaborated with acts including BB King, Notorious BIG, and with Michael Jackson, on the 1991 single Jam. After their last album, 1993's Nuttin' But Love, Heavy continued releasing solo albums – most recently Love Opus, released in September this year.

Heavy also became an actor, appearing in episodes of Boston Public and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. His film roles included The Cider House Rules, and a cameo in recent release Tower Heist.
Heavy D speaks to DJ Tim Westwood on BBC Radio 1Xtra

Despite his acting appearances, Heavy D hadn't performed live in 15 years when he made his return last month. He joined La Toya Jackson for a rendition of Run at the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales, and delivered a medley of hits at the Bet Hip-Hop awards. Just this week, he spoke to DJ Tim Westwood on BBC Radio 1Xtra, saying he prepared for the Bet show by practicing eight hours a day for six weeks.

Hip-hop stars were expressing their sorrow over Heavy's sudden death, writing mini-eulogies on Twitter. LL Cool J, Common, Estelle, Usher, Timbaland, Big Boi and Nicki Minaj were among those who posted messages. "I can't even think right now yall [sic]. Heav was my dude. What a friend. My heart is heavy," wrote Q-Tip.

"U will be missed Heavy D so many laughs we've shared but your Music is Timeless and will Always be Around 4ever," added Missy Elliott. Brandy paid tribute by referring back to the rapper's final message. "I am shocked, overwhelmed, and all of the above at the death of @heavyd," she said. "May you rest in peace!! I love you and I promise to live INSPIRED!"

SOURCE: Guardian

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Heavy D, R.I.P.

​Mount Vernon-raised rapper Heavy D passed away yesterday. The artist, born Dwight Errington Myers, was found having problems breathing outside his home in Beverly Hills; he was taken to the emergency department of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and died later in the afternoon.

For many, Heavy D's musical legacy is synonymous with his uptempo, R&B-leaning song "Now That We've Found Love," credited to his group Heavy D & The Boyz. The first signing to Andre Harrell's Uptown Records, Heavy D found a way to craft rap songs that managed to appeal to the R&B set as much as straight-up hip-hop heads. But before "Love" hit in 1991, Heavy D had already been attempting to make songs that crossed over without appearing to make him a sellout. Living Large, his 1987 debut, balanced the Al B Sure!-assisted ballad "Don't You Know" with the rugged "The Overweight Lover's In The House," which was produced by golden era hip-hop genius Marley Marl and hooked around a sample from The J.B.'s "Pass The Peas."

This duality was something a young Sean Combs—now known as Diddy—was paying attention to first hand, as he interned at Uptown during Heavy D's years at the label. It wouldn't be long before Combs would launch the career of The Notorious B.I.G., who at one point was signed to Uptown; Combs' plan was to endear Biggie to the mainstream with radio-friendly songs like "Juicy" while keeping his roots in the street by packaging the single with the raw, DJ Premier-crafted "Unbelievable." Heavy D seemed to appreciate the benefits of this tricky balancing act; on Eddie F's "Let's Get It On," a posse cut with Biggie, 2Pac, Grand Puba and Spunk Bigga, he rapped, "I get love from all the thugs 'cause them is still my people." (Heavy D's relationship with Combs and Biggie seemed one of reciprocal respect; he appeared in the opening to Big's "One More Chance" video and is shouted out in rhyme on "Juicy." Yesterday, Diddy was moved to tweet, "Heavy D is the person who gave me my first chance in the music industry. He got me my internship at Uptown. He believed when no one else did.")

Heavy D's skill is the underappreciated part of his musical career. He held his own not just in the monolithic presence of Biggie, but also when sparring with the revered likes of Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, C.L. Smooth and Q-Tip on "Don't Curse," and while lining up alongside Biggie (again), Busta Rhymes, Guru, 3rd Eye and Rob-O on "A Buncha Niggas," the closing track on his '92 album Blue Funk. He was possessed with a jovial, likable timbre, but he was also fleet and skillful with his syllables, a talent other rappers clearly appreciated; he also etched out a sideline ghost-writing rhymes for his cousin Pete Rock and Queen Latifah.

At publication time, Heavy D's death was being reported as "medically related," with the gossip site TMZ claiming that he had recently battled pneumonia. The final tweets on his Twitter account eulogized Smokin' Joe Frazier and proclaimed positivity through slogans like "Never stop believing" and "Be inspired!", while his bio on the social-networking site still reads, "I have relentless optimism." Now it's left to his music to inspire the same uplifting feeling.

Heavy D was 44.

SOURCE: Village Voice

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Rapper Heavy D dies after collapsing outside his home

Photo: Rapper Heavy D arrives at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. Credit: Frazer Harrison / Getty ImagesHip-hop legend Heavy D died Tuesday afternoon after collapsing on the walkway outside his Beverly Hills home, according to authorities. He was pronounced dead Tuesday in the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. It was reported by The Times' Andrew Blankstein that Heavy D may have died of complications related to pneumonia, authorities said.

Heavy D was 44 years old.

Authorities were called to the 400 block of North Maple Drive about 11:25 a.m. after a report that a man in his 40s had been found unconscious on a walkway near a building, Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen told L.A. Now. Myers was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he died a short time later.

Los Angeles County coroner’s officials told L.A. Now that they would be handling the investigation into the cause and manner of the death.

Rosen did not identify Heavy D as the victim. However, another law enforcement source confirmed to L.A. Now that it was the rapper born Dwight Arrington Myers.

Heavy D had a string of hip-hop and dance hits, starting in 1987, as the then-leader of the hip-hop group Heavy D and the Boyz.

Myers eventually went on to release a number of hits including "Now That We Found Love" in 1991. He also wrote and performed the theme songs for the comedy sketch shows "In Living Color" and "MADtv."

Myers had a handful of film credits, including "The Cider House Rules," "Life" and the recently released "Tower Heist." He can also be seen on recent episodes of "Law & Order SVU" and "Tyler Perry's House of Payne."

Myers had just performed at a Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales on Oct. 8, singing "Jam" with La Toya Jackson. He also recently performed at the BET Hip Hop Awards.

Prolific on Twitter, his last message, which he tweeted earlier Tuesday, read, "BE INSPIRED!"

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times