Breaking News: Hip Hop artist, Heavy D, dead at 44

Hip Hop fans are mourning the loss of Hip Hop legend, Heavy D (Dwight Errington Myers), who died suddenly yesterday.  Hip Hop culture often gets a bad rap for re-producing, circulating and maintaining sexist representations of women in general and black women in particular. However, to reduce Hip Hop to this unfortunate reality, is to ignore the beauty of Heavy D, the “overweight lover” who brought us dance tunes like, “Nuttin but Love,” “Is it Good to You?” and “Somebody for Me” in the late 1980s and 90s.  Given the rise of gangsta rap flowing out of the West coast at this time from artists like N.W.A and others, Heavy D’s emphasis on love and beauty was no small feat. For many of us, he was a lillie in the growing valley of Hip Hop misogyny and colorism.  Not only was he light on his feet and easy on the eyes, Heavy D gave us music that made our bodies bounce and images of youthful courtship that continues to make us smile.  To be sure, we got “nuttin but love” for you, Heav. RIP.