(AllHipHop News) It has been almost 10 years since the world has lost the late great rapper, Heavy D.
The original “Overweight Lover” brought a savoir-faire to the game that simply could not be duplicated.
But in tribute, his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York will sure try to.
The Uptown rapper, whose birth name was Dwight Errington Myers, will be memorialized through a sculpture that will be aptly named, “Peaceful Journey,” the title of the Jamaican-American’s third album.
The sculpture of Heavy will be located in the Fleetwood area of the city known as “Money Earning Mount Vernon.”
Created by New York polymedia artist Eto Otitigbe, this piece will be the latest work that has the themes of Blackness, power, and technology woven throughout it.
Otitigbe said he wanted to work on it because Hev inspired him so much as a young person.
“The sounds coming out of Mount Vernon with Heavy D, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth were really unique,” Otitigbe confessed. “I wanted to pay homage to the Mount Vernon community that had such an important place in hip-hop with this work of art.”
Heavy D died at the age of 44 in 2011 from a blood clot in his lung, leaving tons of heartbroken family, friends, and fans.
He is truly missed. Peaceful Journey, the album, produced the following chart-topping and hit songs, “Is It Good To You” and “Now That We Found Love.” It also gave Hip-Hop the fire joint “Don’t Curse.”
From 1989 to his death, Heavy D and the Boyz pushed out feel-good songs, priding themselves on never using curse words or vulgarity and still was considered one of the most beloved emcees to touch the mic.