In Memoriam : Heavy D dies at 44

Dwight Arrington Myers better known as Heavy D has died. He was 44.

Circumstances surrounding his death

TMZ reported yesterday, Heavy D died around 1 p.m. after having difficulty breathing as he walked into his Beverly Hills, CA condo. Dwight Meyers had just returned from a shopping trip. As he began walking up the steps, he started having trouble breathing.

The Los Angeles coroner’s office confirmed the death Tuesday evening. Heavy D collapsed at his home and was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He died a short time later. The cause of death was not known as of Tuesday night. Coroner’s believe there was no foul play and the death appeared to be medically related.

In the 90s, Heavy D was one of the most influential rappers in hip-hop. He had massive hits including “Now That We Found Love.” He wrote and performed the theme song for “In Living Color”. Heavy D also appeared as an actor in the movie “Life.”

About Heavy D

Dwight Arrington Myers emerged in the late 1980s as the frontman of Heavy D and the Boyz. He formed the influential hip‑hop group with neighborhood friends Eddie F (Edward Ferrel), G‑Whiz (Glen Parrish), and Trouble T‑Roy (Troy Dixon). The Boyz became the first act signed to the rising Uptown Records label.

Their 1987 debut, Living Large, reached No. 10 on the Billboard R&B/Hip‑Hop Albums chart. The group’s 1989 album Big Tyme went platinum and delivered major hits, including “We Got Our Own Thang,” “Somebody For Me,” and “Gyrlz, They Love Me.”

Heavy D and the Boyz released three more albums and recorded theme songs for In Living Color and MADtv. Myers later launched a successful solo career that expanded his influence in hip‑hop.

Born May 24, 1967, in Jamaica, Myers was the youngest of six children. His mother, Eulah, worked as a nurse, and his father, Clifford, was a film technician. The family moved to Mount Vernon, N.Y., when he was young.

Myers found success despite leaving school after the eighth grade. Fans and critics praised his radio‑friendly, playful flows. Female fans embraced him as an unlikely sex symbol and affectionately called him a “big teddy bear.”