TMZ is reporting that rap legend Heavy D, one of the most influential rappers of the '90s, died today. Born Dwight Arrington Myers, Heavy D was rushed to an LA hospital around noon today and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1 p.m. He was 44 years old.
According to the police, there are no obvious signs of foul play so far.
Heavy D was born on May 24, 1967; the Jamaican American actor, rapper, record producer, singer and former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, was most recently venturing into reggae music. He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2009 for his album Vibes.
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So when everything is said and done with your career, when you look back, what is Heavy D's place in hip-hop history?
I dont know if that's for me to decide. I think that I have the work,
I've put the work in, I love the art and the culture and I'm not ashamed
of anything I've done. I think that's a great way to be.
I'm only 41,
so I have a long life ahead of me, god willing. Ain't no telling what
I'll do in the next 20 years and I've already been doing this for 23
years, come this August. I don't think talent and age, I don't think one
has anything to do with the other. It's all desire. If you have the
passion, then you can do it. That's the bottom line.
But if you're out
there doing it, just to do it, then that's exactly how it's going to
feel. You can tell when that's the case. I was actually, hopefully,
smart enough to bow out at a good time. I know that people will
romanticize about what I've done, but if I really were to put out a
[rap] record, then it wouldn't live up to what they romanticize about,
and ultimately, it'd disappoint.” (Italics ours.)
