Heavy D

It makes perfect sense that Heavy D’s newest album would be called Heavy. Not just because it’s his moniker, but because the album is, in every sense of the word, heavy. It is his most personal album to date, and the range of topics and themes go from “go-for-yours” party jams, to songs dealing with grief, loss and pain.

The release of Heavy D’s seventh album, Heavy marks his 13th year of making hits and serving as a standard bearer in the rap game. Heavy is a milestone. And this is not lost on one of hip-hop’s most successful yet refreshingly down to earth artists. “That’s a real accomplishment, especially in hip-hop. I am always making records like I’ve got something to prove. I love making music, producing, I love performing.”

It has always been impossible to categorize Heavy D. He pioneered the luxury-loving style we’ve come to associate with the phrase Big Willie. In the late eighties, he gave us classic, fun, party records. With Teddy Riley, he is credited with marrying R&B and hip-hop at a time when the two genres were separate and unequal. His chart-topping songs convinced radio programmers and music lovers that rap and radio were indeed two words that could be uttered in the same sentence. He’s experimented with so many different rhyme flows that he is rarely associated with any particular style.

“In order to have longevity you have to change,” explains the three-time Grammy nominee. “But you don’t give up on yourself. You can switch things up a bit but still maintain yourself and your dignity.”

A rap fan since the age of 8, Heavy D (who was born Dwight Errington Myers in Jamaica and raised in Mount Vernon, NY) started making crude demos by the time he hit junior high, and emerged as a hip-hop hero in his neighborhood. Working with his childhood friends the late Trouble T-Roy, G-Wiz and Eddie F, Heavy D & The Boyz came to attention of then Def Jam Records executive Andre Harrell. In 1986, when Harrell formed Uptown Records, the first act he signed was Heavy D & The Boyz.

The group’s 1987 debut Livin’ Large went gold, and 1989’s Big Tyme and 1991’s Peaceful Journey were certified platinum. In 1992, the group released the gold album Blue Funk, followed by 1994’s platinum-certified Nuttin’ But Love. In between albums, Heavy, as VP of A&R of Uptown Records, had a hand in discovering and cultivating the talents of Sean “Puffy” Combs and the multi-platinum group Jodeci. In 1996, Heavy, now working as a solo act released Waterbed Hev, his first cd to be released during his brief, but successful tenure as President Of Uptown Records. While at Uptown, (Heavy resigned the position to concentrate on his music and acting) he signed chart-topping artists Soul For Real and Monifah. “I enjoy having that hand in someone’s career,” Heavy admits, “but the corporate life just wasn’t for me.”

His newest offering Heavy, demonstrates that Heavy has matured and is battle ready. Check out the first single, “On Point,” a throw down with heavyweights Big Pun and Eightball collectively known as “The Big Shots.” “On Point” is pure ballin’ & fun: masters at work spittin’ out the lyrics. The fun continues with “Listen ,” which features production and rapping from Q-Tip. With braggadocios rhymes, “Listen” brings Tip and Heavy together for the first time since Peaceful Journey ‘s landmark posse cut, “Don’t Curse.”

Another simpatico partner is Cee-Lo of ATL’s Goodie Mob, who goes for his on another syncopated jam, “You Know.” The track is flavored by the banging beats coming out of the Dirty South produced by Heavy’s longtime partner Tony Dofat, who also produced the bounce-blessed shimmy shake, “Don’t Stop.”

As you might expect 13 years deep, Heavy D has grown as a performer and that growth is reflected on several tracks. One of those tracks is “Dancing In The Middle Of The Night.” A moody alt-rock meets trip-hip-hop dream poem, ” Dancing In The Middle Of The Night” is guitar-fueled and lyrically adventurous.

Set to the familiar strains of “Stairway To Heaven,” “Ask Heaven” features Chico DeBarge’s haunting background vocals. One of the two tracks produced Erick Sermon, “Ask Heaven” is both a personal and universal tale of loss and regret. It is Heavy’s way of coming to terms with all of the hardship he has known, both before and after becoming famous. In the song, he details the experience of losing his brothers. “I could’ve never made this record five years ago. Even three years ago. Being able to address issues like death and drugs and family comes with my maturity.”

This maturity is also reflected in Heavy D’s other passion: acting. Over the past few years, Heavy has appeared on several TV shows and in 1996, made his New York Off-Broadway debut in the acclaimed one-act play “Riff Raff,” which was written and directed by Lawrence Fishburne. For his leading role opposite Fishburne, Heavy earned a nomination for a prestigious Drama Desk Award (the equivalent to a Tony Award for Off-Broadway). Since then, Heavy has expanded both his range and his avenues of expression. Not willing to merely play thugs or stereotypical “rapper” parts, Heavy appears in the Eddie Murphy/Martin Lawrence film, Life and the forthcoming drama The Cider House Rules, starring Delroy Lindo and Michael Caine. “I just love acting,” Heavy smiles broadly. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and something I work really hard at. I love being able to bring some new aspect of my talent to a different audience.”

Although he’s branching out, Heavy D has not abandoned his first passion. He remains one of hip-hop’s most admired, respected and committed performers. Ask Heavy D how he feels at this juncture of his career and he’s up front. “I am still building my history, but I’m just where I’d like to be right now.’”

Which, is of course right in front of the mike; delivering his patented, yet never predictable brand of hip-hop. Heavy reminds critics and fans of Heavy D’s position in the game he helped to create.