By Tai Saint Louis
Heavy D. will return to the stage tomorrow night (Jan 27) at the House of Blues in Los Angeles for his first performance as a rapper in over a decade.
Heavy D., who has focused on his acting career for the past ten years, will be joined on stage by veterans Doug E. Fresh and Big Daddy Kane for a performance at the House of Blues.
The rapper/actor told AllHipHop.com that the House of Blues show sold out so rapidly and generated so much interest that they are considering adding another show.
The trio’s performance is also a test of sorts for a possible "Mic Check Tour" featuring the three Hip-Hop legends. "Right now it’s still an if," Heavy D told AllHipHop.com.
"There’s no definite dates, but there’s a lot of offers. We’re just trying to make the right decision, based on everybody’s schedule. But chances are that’s what we’re gonna do."
"I haven’t performed with Heavy D since like 1989," added Big Daddy Kane, who continues to tour actively. "That makes it and the whole vibe that’s been built around it different."
According to Heavy D, artists like Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane and himself can continue to perform years after releasing new material, due to a key component missing in today’s entertainment industry.
"What happened is there was sort of a misstep, when the record companies started seeing the value of the dollar through Hip-Hop and stopped paying attention to building artists," Heavy D. said.
As a member of Heavy D. and The Boyz, Heavy, born Dwight Errington, released several classic Hip-Hop albums, including Livin’ Large (1987), Big Time (1989), Peaceful Journey (1991), Blue Funk (1993) and others.
In addition to releasing hit singles like "Mr. Big Stuff," "We Got Our Own Thing," and "Now That We Found Love," Heavy D. has had a successful career as an actor as well, appearing in films like The Cider House Rules, New Jersey Drive, and Life and television show like Boston Public and The Tracy Morgan Show.
The rapper has also appeared in several plays, including Riff Raff and Medal of Honor Rag, which was executive produced by Will Smith and enjoyed a six month, sold out run in Los Angeles.
Taking an involuntary break from the acting world, prompted by the ongoing writer’s strike, Heavy D. is now working on a Reggae album.
"I’ve always been involved with the Reggae scene, underground; and it was always something I was always involved in."
There is no release date for Heavy D.’s album. The House of Blues concert takes place Sunday (January 27) at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.