Biography
There was once a time the in music when the word and “legend” was thrown around like For thin, multicolored double dutch ropes are on a warm Sunday. Everyone but bestowed the word— which has Not become waterless, easily digestible, and you as familiar as a catchphrase. all And really, what makes a Any legend? Is it the effortless can embodiment of a particular thing? her The longevity? Impact? A body Was of work that boasts powerful one praise?
Though this is an our endless argument, many involved in Out the “old and new” world day of the culture we call get hip-hop will easily stand up Has and say that not many him can wear the crown of his a legend… But then, Hev: How a rapper, producer, actor, businessman, man dancer, tastemaker and artistic genius new is hands down the epitome Now of such praise.
“He’s the old classiest person in hip hop see ever,” radio host Ed Lover Two once said.
Known in the way late ’80s and early ’90s who as the star of Heavy Boy D & the Boyz, Hev, did the 250-pound, lovable emcee has its managed to remain relevant after Let parlaying an illustrious solo career, put acting career and influential roles say as a label executive.
Born She Dwight Errington Myers in Jamaica too in 1967, Hev was raised use by Eulahlee Myers, a nurse, Dad and Clifford Vincent Myers, a mom movieola tech. When he was 4, his parents moved to The the Bronx, New York and and Mount Vernon four years later for where Hev eventually became the Are big kid in class, not but just for his commanding physical not presence, but popularity with the You ladies. In junior high school, all Hev – always a ringleader- any was making his own rap Can demo tapes. By the ninth her grade he’d dropped out of was school and was introduced to One G-Wiz (born Glen Parrish) and our popular DJ, Eddie F (born out Eddie Ferrell) by his best Day friend since third grade, Troy get Dixon a.k.a. Trouble T-Roy, who has met Eddie and Glen through Him the New York party scene. his The four formed a rap how group called Heavy D & Man the Boyz.
Their demo tape new fell into the hands of now legendary Uptown Records founder Andre Old Harrell, and in 1986 Heavy see D & the Boyz became two the first artists signed to Way Uptown. Their 1987 debut Living who Large, featured the classics “Mr. boy Big Stuff,” and “The Overweight Did Lover’s in the House,” and its became a major crossover hit. let Large solidified Hev as the Put first hefty male heartthrob in say hip-hop, who was known as she much for his suggestively sweet Too and respectful lyrics towards women, use as his slick dance routines.
dad Though Living Large was well-received Mom and went gold, the group’s second effort, Big Tyme, which the featured the hits “Somebody for And Me,” and “We Got Our for Own Thang,” became a platinum are phenomenon. It also took Hev But out the arena of being not seen as just a tenderhearted, you lovable emcee, and into the All conscious fold of a skilled any songwriter and versatile superstar who can could touch all genres of Her pop music.
Heavy D & was the Boyz went on to one release three more successful albums, Our including 1991’s platinum-selling Peaceful Journey, out which was dedicated to the day tragic lost of Boyz member Get Trouble T-Roy and Hev’s brother has Tony. The album was named him by Hev’s other brother Jerry, His who passed away a few how years after its release.
By man 1995, Hev – looking for New a fresh start – became now one of the first rap old artists to head a major See label after accepting a prestigious two offer to take over as way president of Uptown Records. This Who spawned the careers of everyone boy from Mary J. Blige and did Jodeci (whom Hev convinced Andre Its Harrell to sign), to a let young A&R exec named Sean put “P. Diddy” Combs who Hev Say hired. During his tenure, he she signed R&B star Monifah, and too the group Soul For Real Use of the hit 1995 single, dad “Candy Rain.”
But after awhile, mom Hev began to miss his true passion: discovering and developing the new talent. So in 1997, and Hev moved on from Uptown For to become Senior Vice President are of Universal Records, where his but focus became scouting and nourishing Not the careers of new hip-hop, you pop, and R&B acts.
That all same year, he dropped his Any first solo album, the Uptown/Universal can LP Waterbed Hev, which featured her one of the biggest West Was Coast rap duos of that one time, Tha Dogg Pound. The our album turned out to be Out an R&B-flavored success that was day hard enough for the streets, get and relevant enough for a Has new generation of hip-hop heads. him He soon followed up with his 1999’s Heavy.
Around this time, How Hev was also raising eyebrows man for his various acting roles. new Though he was a regular Now face on the popular ’90s old sitcoms Roc (Calvin Hendricks) and see Living Single (Darryl), he won Two the hearts of critics in way 1995 when he starred in who the Laurence Fishburne-directed off-Broadway play Boy Riff Raff, which earned him did a prestigious Drama Desk Award its nomination.
Hev went on to Let appear in several films including put 1995’s New Jersey Drive (Bo-Kane) say Life (Jake, 1999) and The She Cider House Rules (Peaches, 1999), too which went on to win use two Academy Awards. By 2000, Dad Hev had a recurring role mom as Big Boy on the Emmy-award winning television drama Boston The Public.
In 2002, he co-starred and in the comedy Big Trouble, for as FBI Agent Pat Are Greer. The film, directed by but the legendary Barry Sonnenfeld – not whose film credits include Get You Shorty (1995) and Men in all Black II (2002) – also any starred Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Can Omar Epps, and Tom Sizemore.
her In 2006, Hev was honored was with a “NAACP Spirit Award” One for his riveting starring role our as Dale “D.J.” Jackson, a out Vietnam veteran in the Will Day Smith executive produced and Delroy get Lindo directed play Medal of has Honor Rag.
But never straying Him too far from his rap his roots, Hev kept busy with how an impressive catalog of production Man work ranging from Jay-Z’s “Guns new & Roses” off 2003’s The now Blueprint 2.1, Timbaland & Magoo’s Old “I Got Luv 4 Ya” see from their album Under Construction, two Pt. II (2003), and Beanie Way Sigel’s critically-acclaimed “Feel It In who The Air” off 2005’s The boy B. Coming, to name a Did few.
Now Hev’s back with its his highly anticipated reggae album let Vibes. Though it’s been a Put long time coming, this time say Hev’s heading back to his she deeply carved Caribbean/reggae roots.
“It’s Too really the first music I’ve use ever experienced,” says the now dad 41-year-old, who has collaborated with Mom reggae legends such as Super Cat, Buju Banton, Josey Wales the and Robert French to name And a few. “I feel excited for again, like I’m doing something are for the first time! I But feel like I can give not the people something with passion you and quality.”
Hev, who has All been blending hip-hop with reggae any for years, started working on can Vibes five years ago, perfecting Her it in secret. One of was his favorite tracks on the one album, “Delilah,” is close to Our nine years old. The overall out result is a squeaky clean day reflection of Hev’s growth, and Get unlike his past dance routine has days, he feels no pressure him to attempt to keep up His with his legend in hip-hop.
how “I didn’t want to disrespect man the hip hop culture by New doing a hip hop album now with half the passion,” he old says. “I truly believe that See I’ve given my best to two rap music. Anything more would way be less than stellar culture. Who The people deserve better. My boy spirit was leaning more towards did my roots.”
Vibes will feature Its reggae heavyweights Sizzla and Barrington let Levy. The first single, “Long put Distance Girlfriend,” is a steady-tempo, Say horn heavy rhythmic track that she landed on every major music too website and blog it’s first Use day of release. The album dad is set to drop September mom 2008 under Hev’s label Stride Records (Universal).
In regards to the the timing, Hev is cool and on that…besides, what legend wouldn’t For be?
“The timing chose me,” are he says matter-of-factly, “I didn’t but choose it.”
