Heavy D: Reggae's new champion

For those who grew up on hip-hop music in the late 1980s, Heavy D is a familiar name. The "money earnin'" Mount Vernon-raised rapper was a fixture on BET and urban radio stations nationwide, and scored crossover R&B hits with songs such as "Somebody for Me," "Now That We Found Love"
and "Gyrlz, They Love Me."

Now, the onetime self-professed overweight lover (who has slimmed down considerably since topping the scales at 250 pounds back in the '80s) is tackling a new genre, reggae, with a full-length release, "Vibes," out Tuesday via iTunes. A physical release will follow in early 2009.

“If you go back and follow my career, you’ll see that I’ve always had reggae influences,” the rapper said earlier this month from his house in Beverly Hills. "I’ve always toyed with the idea of doing a full reggae album, but I wasn’t feeling I could live up to the standard."

With “Vibes,” Heavy D, born Dwight Errington Myers, has arguably lived up to the standard his fellow countrymen (Myers was born in Jamaica) demand from their top musicians. Tracks such as "Love You Like This" (stream a sample here of his collaboration with Barrington Levy) pulse with infectious rhythms that could fill a dance floor in a Kingston minute. 

"The drums are hip-hop with pop-ish melodies," the 41-year-old said of "Vibes," adding that the full-length "has a ska throwback feel."

The rapper smartly shares the stage on "Vibes" with a number of collaborators, often contributing just a verse or two on several tracks. "My best days are behind me as an MC," he lamented. "I can give you 16 bars, but I could not give you a hot hip-hop album anymore. But a lot of us in hip-hop get stuck if we don’t change."

Not that Myers is shying away from the genre that made him famous. His verses still hit, even if they are shorter. And Myers certainly hasn’t forsaken his love for rap music. "I do like Lil’ Wayne for his efforts," he said. "I love whoever is an artist."

And while Myers will likely always be associated with pop-influenced rap music in the 1980s, he is hoping to be known for more than just "Now That We Found Love."

"I want to take reggae out of that box that America puts it in," he said. Myers’ passion for reggae has even taken him to the upper echelons of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, where is currently lobbying for more Grammy Awards in the reggae arena.

"We also need to get recognized at the award committees," he sighed. "I'm in the process of becoming a board member, and I’ve already had meetings [regarding adding more reggae categories at the Grammy Awards]."

Myers, who is already a member of the academy, points out that hip-hop wasn’t always recognized by the music industry as a genre worthy of awards. "When hip-hop first started, there was just one category. Reggae is in the same predicament, but that may change soon."

If Myers’ infectious passion for reggae (he has done records with dancehall legends such as Super Cat and Buju Banton in the past) translates to academy higher-ups the way it has been resonating with fans, look for more reggae recognition in the very near future on a Grammy Awards show near you.

-- Charlie Amter

Photo: Cover of "Vibes" courtesy Heavy D/by Brett Ratner

Comments

[sandman]

Heavy was the man back in the day! I'm curious to hear the new stuff.

[Freddie]

yo! i've been waitin 4 this 4 a long time. I been lookin 4 heavy stuff 4 years and no one has it.Big ups!