Heavy D Laid To Rest

November 19. 2011

Heavy D

Jamaican rapper, Heavy D, really name, Dwight Arrington Myers, was laid to rest yesterday in New York, after passing away on November 8, 2011 at age 44 of pneumonia and respiratory failure. Heavy D was born in Mandeville, Jamaica and moved to Mount Vernon, New York as a youth with his family. 

He made his debut in 1987 in the hip hop group Heavy D & The Boyz, as apart of the New Jack Swing musical movement, pioneered by producer Teddy Riley, who is the founding member of the R&B group Guy. His cousin Pete Rock of the rap group Pete Rock And CL Smooth ("reminisce") also served as producer for Heavy D. 

Heavy D and comedian/actor Martin Lawrence. Heavy D. appeared in Lawrence and Eddie Murphy's film "Life"

He enjoyed a string of hits, the most successful being the remake of "Now That We Found Love" originally performed by Jamaican reggae band Third World. During his time signed to Uptown Records as an artist, where he later served as CEO, the first rapper having done so, he had a hand in discovering and developing the R&B acts Jodeci, Mary J. Blige and Soul For Real.

He also hired a then unknown Sean Combs as an intern at Uptown, who later re-branded himself Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, founding his own record label Bad Boy. Heavy D did a number of musical collaborations with other artists, such as B.B. King, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Jodeci, Al B. Sure and Aaron Hall of Guy.  

Heavy D was name-checked by fellow Jamaican rapper the Notorious BIG on his debut single "Juicy" released on Sean Combs' Bad Boy Records. He performed at the Michael Jackson tribute concert last month. Heavy D also became an actor appearing on Broadway, television and in film. He is survived by his wife and daughter. His death is a reminder of the brevity of life and that anyone can go at anytime, so we must stay close to Jesus and treasure our loved ones.