Heavy D facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heavy D
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Heavy D in 1991
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| Born |
Dwight Arrington Myers
May 24, 1967 Mandeville, Jamaica
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| Died | November 8, 2011 (aged 44) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1986–2011 |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Pete Rock (cousin) |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Mount Vernon, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
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Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011) was a famous rapper, producer, and actor. He was known professionally as Heavy D. He was born in Jamaica and later became an American citizen. Heavy D led a popular music group called Heavy D & the Boyz. This group was very well-known in the United States throughout the 1990s. They released five successful albums. Heavy D also released four albums on his own. He helped discover other music artists like Soul for Real and Monifah.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Dwight Arrington Myers was born in Mandeville, Jamaica on May 24, 1967. His mother, Eulahlee Lee, was a nurse. His father, Clifford Vincent Myers, worked as a machine technician. In the early 1970s, his family moved to Mount Vernon, New York. This is where Heavy D grew up. His mother shared that he spent much of his childhood with his brother Floyd and a friend named Mo.
Music Career Highlights
Heavy D & the Boyz was the first group to sign with Uptown Records. Heavy D was the main rapper and leader. Eddie F was his business partner, the group's DJ, and a producer. The other two members, T-Roy and G-Wiz, were dancers.
First Albums and Success
Their first album, Living Large, came out in 1987. It was a big success. Their next album, Big Tyme, became a breakthrough. It featured four hit songs. Sadly, "Trouble T. Roy" (Troy Dixon) died in 1990 at age 22 from a fall. The group's next album, Peaceful Journey, was a tribute to him. It sold over a million copies. The hip hop group Pete Rock & CL Smooth also made a classic song called "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" in T-Roy's memory.
Guest Appearances and Acting
In 1989, Heavy D was a guest rapper on Janet Jackson's popular song "Alright". This was an early example of rappers appearing on pop songs. It was also his highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1992, he appeared on Michael Jackson's song "Jam". He also sang the theme songs for TV shows like In Living Color and MADtv.
Heavy D then started focusing on acting. He appeared in several TV shows. Later, he returned to music with his hit album Nuttin' But Love. After acting in a play, he released another successful album called Waterbed Hev. In 1997, Heavy D worked with the legendary blues musician B.B. King. He rapped on the song "Keep It Coming" from B.B. King's album Deuces Wild. Heavy D was also mentioned in Notorious B.I.G.'s famous song "Juicy". He also appeared in Notorious B.I.G.'s music video for "One More Chance".
Behind the Scenes in Music
While still a music artist, Heavy D played a key role at Uptown Records. He helped convince Andre Harrell to hire Sean "Diddy" Combs for his first job in the music business. Heavy D later became the president of Uptown Records himself. During this time, he helped create the boy band Soul for Real. He was also the main writer and producer for many songs on their hit album, Candy Rain. Later, he became a senior vice president at Universal Music.
Acting Roles
Besides music, Heavy D was also known for his acting. He appeared in the 1999 movie The Cider House Rules. In this film, he played a character named Peaches, who was a migrant worker. He also had a daughter in 2000.
Film Appearances
Heavy D appeared in several films throughout his career.
- 1993: Who's the Man? as Himself
- 1995: New Jersey Drive as Bo-Kane
- 1997: B*A*P*S as Himself
- 1997: The Deli as Bo
- 1999: Life as Jake
- 1999: The Cider House Rules as Peaches
- 2002: Big Trouble as FBI Agent Pat Greer
- 2003: Black Listed as Frankie
- 2003: Dallas 362 as Bear
- 2004: Larceny as Charles
- 2006: Step Up as Omar
- 2011: Tower Heist as Court House Guard
- 2012: H4 as Archbishop Scroop
Television Appearances
Heavy D also had many roles on television.
- 1989: A Different World as Himself
- 1990: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air as Himself
- 1992: Booker as Fatz Turner
- 1992: Tales from the Crypt as Farouche
- 1993: Roc as Calvin Hendricks
- 1994-96: Living Single as Darryl
- 1996: Waynehead as Himself (voice)
- 1997: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as Drexel (voice)
- 1999: Martial Law as Gordon Ganza
- 2000: For Your Love as Dexter
- 2000-03: Boston Public as Bob 'Big Boy' Lick
- 2003-04: The Tracy Morgan Show as Bernard
- 2005: Yes, Dear as Charlie
- 2005: Bones as Sid Shapiro
- 2011: Are We There Yet? as Craig
- 2011: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Supreme
Later Life and Passing
Heavy D's last live performance was at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards. He performed with Eddie F on October 11, 2011. This was their first televised performance together in 15 years. Heavy D passed away on November 8, 2011, in Los Angeles, California. He was 44 years old. An autopsy report later showed that he died from a blood clot in his leg. This clot traveled to his lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism. He also had heart disease.
Heavy D's Music Albums
Heavy D released many albums both with his group and as a solo artist.
Albums with Heavy D and The Boyz
- Living Large (1987)
- Big Tyme (1989)
- Peaceful Journey (1991)
- Blue Funk (1993)
- Nuttin' But Love (1994)
Solo Albums
- Waterbed Hev (1997)
- Heavy (1999)
- Vibes (2008)
- Love Opus (2011)
