Heavy D Dead at the Age of 44

Rapper Heavy D, who’s real name was Dwight Arrington Myers, died after collapsing outside his condo in Beverly Hills on Tuesday of this week. According to reports from the Los Angeles times, Heavy D appears to have died of complications related to pneumonia.

Heavy D hit the rap and hip-hop scene in the late 1980’s, with “Heavy D & the Boyz” and was a critical player of the individuals who, according to insiders, helped to develop what is today’s hip-hop sound. Like others of his time, including Public Enemy and Big Daddy Kane, Heavy D blended rap with R&B to create a new music culture.

One of his most commercially popular songs was “Now That We Found Love.” Heavy D made a recent appearance in the new film “Tower Heist.” Over his career the rapper wrote many songs including the theme songs to “MADtv” and “In Living Color.” When pop legend Michael Jackson died, Heavy D was among those who were asked to perform at a tribute concert in the United Kingdom in October.

Russell Simmons, renowned music producer was quoted saying “Rest in peace Heavy, you were the only rapper everybody always loved. You never rapped a mean word about anybody … you only spread love. You were truly the overweight lover. You will be greatly, greatly missed.”