Heavy D Dead: Rapper Dies Unexpectedly Aged Just 44
U.S. Hip-hop artist Heavy D has unexpectedly passed away at the age of just 44 on Tuesday. He was found unconscious at his Beverly Hills home and taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
"Upon arrival, officers discovered a male, 44 years old, conscious, communicative, but having difficulty breathing," the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a statement.
Heavy D had just returned from a shopping trip and experienced breathing problems before collapsing on Tuesday. He is believed to have had pneumonia and had visited a doctor about a cough just a few days before his death.
The police statement said: "There are no obvious signs of foul play, and at this time his death is believed to be medically related."
Heavy D, whose real name is Dwight Arrington Myers, rose to popularity in the late 1980’s with his rap group Heavy D & the Boyz.
Their first single “The Overweight Lover’s in the House” was a huge success. Heavy D also appeared in several sitcoms and movies afterwards.
Hip-hop producer Pete Rock, who is also the rapper’s first cousin, spoke of Heavy D’s death on New York City’s Hot 97 morning show saying, “Just trying to fathom the thought of all of this, it’s very hurtful. This man he gave me everything.”
“It's hard because it's still unbelievable. I didn't expect this to happen this fast, I was just with him a couple of weeks ago,” Rock said. “I spent the night; he didn't even want me to leave. It's like he didn't want me to go and I laughed at him ... it was crazy.”