Heds and Dreds: Remembering The Big Belly Gorgon, Heavy D

Words by Jesse Serwer

Yesterday came the sad word that Dwight Errington Myers—Heavy D—died suddenly at the young age of 44. The news stings on several levels. Coming up on hip-hop in New York in the late ’80s and early ’90s, his music was a part of everyday life. While he gained pop crossover status with songs like “Is it Good To You” and “Nuttin But Love” and cameos on Michael Jackson’s “Jam,” he simultaneously fed mixshows with underground classics like “Don’t Curse” and put us on to people like Pete Rock and Biggie. We’d also hoped to link with him for a feature on LargeUp shortly. In fact, I already intended to make him the subject of my next Heds and Dreds column—next week—before fate intervened to put this piece on the fast track.

Though raised in the hip-hop hotbed that is Mount Vernon, N.Y., Heavy D was born in Jamaica, and he repped his homeland throughout his career—most famously with his cover of Third World’s “Now That We Found Love.” With the exception of KRS-One and producer Salaam Remi, the Overweight Lover did more than anyone to infuse dancehall style into hip-hop’s DNA in the late ’80s and early ’90s, from his collaborations with Super Cat and Buju Banton to his patois-laced intros on songs like “Jam Session” (one of two, pre-Ready to Die tracks Heavy recorded with fellow Jamaican Biggie Smalls). His final album, 2008’s Vibes, saw him leave hip-hop entirely to fully envelop himself in reggae, earning him a Grammy nomination. Whether it was a pop-house record, some grimy hip-hop or a M.J. cameo, you could feel Jamaica everywhere in Heavy D’s music. And, for that, we give him nuttin’ but love. What follows is a quick rundown of some of the big belly gorgon’s biggest excursions into Caribbean sounds.

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Mood for Love” (1989)

The flagship group on Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records and one of the earliest projects of Teddy Riley, Heavy D. & the Boyz were central to the burgeoning New Jack Swing movement in the late ’80s. While Riley remained involved in 1989’s sophomore effort Big Tyme, it also featured the very first production credits from Hev’s Mount Vernon neighbor and cousin Pete Rock, who would continue to work with the group throughout its lifespan. A Jamaican himself, the Chocolate Boy Wonder gave Heavy just the right riddim to flex his Josey Wales-style deejay muscles on “Mood For Love.”

Super Cat feat. Frankie Paul and Heavy D, “Big and Ready” (1991)

Rappers and dancehall artists collaborated in great numbers in the early ’90s but how many carried the clout to do a combination tune with Super Cat and Frankie on Cat’s own Wild Apache label? Heavy really held his own, too, showing he could chat with the best of ’em. Also known as “Big ‘n Broad,” this tune on the In the Mood for Love riddim would later appear on Super Cat’s 1992 album Don Dada.

Supercat feat. Heavy D, “Dem No Worry We (Reggae Version)” (1992)

…And the Big Belly Gorgon was on Don Dada‘s opening track, too. Hard to say which bangs more, the single version or Eddie F’s “hip-hop ragga” remix, which substituted Robert Livingston’s original riddim for the beat from Poor Righteous Teachers’ “Shakiyla.”

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Now that We Found Love” (1991)

This Gamble and Huff-penned song was originally recorded by the O’Jays but Hev’s hip-house lite interpretation (featuring Aaron Hall) favored reggae group Third World’s classic island pop version.

Heavy D and Buju Banton, “Hotness” (1993)

Every self-respecting hip-hop head in 1993 went out and saw Doctor Dre and Ed Lover’s Who’s The Man? but today the movie is best remembered for having the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Party and Bullshit” on its soundtrack. This collaboration between don gorgons Buju and Big Belly is of less prominence, but historic nonetheless.

Heavy D & the Boyz, “Nuttin’ But Love” (1994)

Sure, you can cite all the lyrics to “Nuttin’ But Love”—Fancy food, lobster, sushi, yeah Versace, Gucci, crazy Lucci— but whatchu know about Red Hot Lover Tone’s “hip-hop reggae” remix? The O.G. version is still my favorite Heavy D. song, due in no small part to the unusual deejay chat breakdown that comes in after 3:00. Video side note: look out for cameos from Chris Tucker, Rebecca “Noxema Girl” Gayheart, comedian Talent and at least one Real Housewife of Atlanta.

Heavy D, Courtney Melody and Brigadier Jerry, “Modern Connection” (1995)

From the 1995 Ras Records compilation. Robert Ffrench, Heavy D…and Friends. Yeah, we hadn’t heard of it, either, but Heavy really shines on this obscure combination with ’80s dancehall dudes Courtney Melody (“Bad Boy”) and Brigadier Jerry (“Jamaica Jamaica”).

Heavy D, “Queen Majesty” (2008)

Heavy’s early dabbling in dancehall typically found him playing the role of deejay but the 2008 album Vibes saw him get his singer on, with a little help from Autotune. Amidst tunes with Sizzla and Barrington Levy, the set’s heavyweight selection is this version of Curtis Mayfield/The Uniques/Dennis Brown’s “Queen Majesty.”

BONUS: Heavy D and Super Cat on Yo! MTV Raps

Shortly after the release of Super Cat and Heavy D’s “Dem No Worry” video, Fab Five Freddy met up with the duo at a show rehearsal in LA. Among those in their entourage that day were a young Puff Daddy and the late Prince Ital Joe, of Marked for Death/Marky Mark sidekick/Tupac’s “Hail Mary” fame.

Back at the Yo! studio in New York, Ed Lover proclaims Heavy D “the Don Dada of rap,” while Heavy toys around with [East Coast] Doctor Dre’s turntables and Super Cat breaks down the state of Jamaican music circa ’92, before performing “Ghetto Red Hot.”