The Overweight Lover MC Heavy D: Hip Hop Pioneer and Bridge Builder

Episode Transcript

*DISCLAIMER: Transcripts are created using AI, and may not accurately represent the content exactly as presented. Transcripts are provided as a courtesy to our listeners who require them.

[00:00:00] How to Support Queue Points

---

Jay Ray: Hey, what's up? Good people. It's Jay Ray, the cohost of Queue Points. And I wanted to come to you because there are two really important ways that you can support our show. One is by subscribing to it, wherever you listen to, or watch your podcast. Queue Points is pretty much everywhere. The other thing that you can do is you can visit us on Apple podcasts.

On Spotify and on pod chaser, and you can leave us a star rating, please rate us five stars because you know, you love Queue Points and on Apple podcasts and on pod chaser, you can actually leave us a written review. It's not required, but it really does help to spread the word about the show and it helps people to discover it as they're looking for new podcasts to listen to.

We're always appreciative of you supporting Queue Points. We thank you so much for all that you've done for us so far and enjoy the show.

[00:00:50] Opening Theme (Music by Danya Vodovoz)

---

[00:01:21] Welcome to Queue Points Podcast

---

DJ Sir Daniel: Greetings and welcome back to another episode of Queue Points podcast. I am DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray: And my name is J. Ray, sometimes known by my government as Johnny Ray Cornegay the third. My mic is hot. How you doing people?

DJ Sir Daniel: That's what's up. That's what's up. Queue Points podcast is the podcast dropping the needle on black music history, and you are in store party people for another fantastic episode. But first I got to check in with you, Jay Ray. How are you feeling? How you doing?

[00:01:50] Birthday Celebrations and Fitness Goals

---

Jay Ray: I'm doing well, man. You know, um, I just celebrated my 47th birthday.

DJ Sir Daniel: hmm. Mm hmm.

Jay Ray: you so much for the birthday love. I really appreciate it. And thanks to everybody who's checking in, um, on the, the birthday front. So I'm feeling really good. Um, as I've mentioned on the socials, I bought my first piece of exercise equipment, Sir

DJ Sir Daniel: Yes,

I saw that.

Jay Ray: so I've been riding my spin bike. Okay. Bye. Um, you know, there's the, the women on the, the videos have been like giving me instruction and stuff, so I'm learning y'all. I'm learning. I'm slowly getting up to speed, but things are good. How are you?

DJ Sir Daniel: I am wonderful. Thank you for that inspiration. I need to get back into my routine of physical activity. You know, I was, I'm an avid swimmer. And before the past few months and a month, and it's some change, I haven't been going as much and that's work related and, but that needs to change. And a lot of things are going to change pretty soon, God willing.

And yeah, I'm going to get back on that train because we are on the The destination to better health around here. As Jerry said, he's another year older and, uh, we all want to get another year older continuously past 50 past the, um, because we deserve that.

[00:03:11] Remembering Heavy D

---

DJ Sir Daniel: There's a lot of black men that don't get to live beyond the age of 44, which is the age that our, the subject of this episode passed away at.

So both of us are actually older than, um, this gentleman. Uh, got to be, and it's a blessing that we're here and we're blessed to be talking about none other than Heavy D. Heavy D is just one of those people in hip hop history that is so universally loved. It's, it's funny, so J. Rae, we, you know, we're not blind to what's been going on.

There are figures in hip hop right now that are being, um, you know, highlighted or their, their past is being brought into the light now of all the despicable things that they have done to other people, to other members in the hip hop community, to people that they supposedly love.

But we have not been privy to, or have never heard anything disparaging about one Dwight Myers, AKA Heavy D, who is the topic of this episode.

And I got to say that in and of itself, Jay Ray is a. It's a wonderful accomplishment

to go through your life being admired and genuinely loved and genuinely loved and people knowing that you're a good character. And that's, that's something to be, um, celebrated in my opinion. I don't think we celebrated enough.

Jay Ray: I absolutely agree.

[00:04:41] Heavy D's Influence in Hip Hop

---

Jay Ray: I think the beauty of just reflecting on Heavy D's legacy as I was just kind of listening to Heavy D stuff in preparation for the show and just kind of reflecting on how Heavy D's music made you feel. So not only is it that piece that you talked about, right? Where it's just like, this is a figure that was universally loved within hip hop.

He worked with so many artists across his career, helped to launch careers. Of many people some we are talking about in pop culture today and did that um and really had um Just a spirit of excellence in what he did from a musical standpoint so heavy d was such a pioneer on just kind of the Hip house side of things but also the r& b and hip hop side of things where he was doing this Really really early But Going back to me personally, I remember in fourth grade in 1987, when I heard, uh, the overweight lovers in the house and I had never heard someone who was like fly talking about being a big guy because we had the fat boys, right?

But they had become a parody, right? Um, No diss to the fat boys, but we know what happened with their careers. They simply became like a parody kind of group Of themselves from when they started right but Heavy D didn't do that. Heavy D was like, I'm a rock I'm a rock the fly gear I'm going to get all the ladies and I'm going to rap you know what I'm saying as a big dude and I'm gonna celebrate that and Heavy D was kind of the We know that Big got some of his thing from what Heavy D had been doing.

There's no way that that didn't happen. Puff saw what was happening with Heavy and was like, we got to get you to do some of that, but in your own way.

DJ Sir Daniel: For sure. For sure. And definitely big. Definitely had an apartment, a deluxe apartment in the sky in the building that Heavy D built. You know what I'm saying?

Jay Ray: I like that. I like

DJ Sir Daniel: he, he,

Jay Ray: way.

DJ Sir Daniel: And, but when I think about my first recollection of Heavy D, I remember somebody referring to me as, um, the overweight lover, heavy, overweight lover, Heavy D, because, you know, growing up, I was about what, in seventh grade when, when that record dropped.

And if, you know, if you were a big boy, no matter how tall at that, they were going to call you, whatever they were going to call you, heavy D they tried to call me heavy, a blah, blah, blah, you know, just trying to make it stick and use it as a form of trying to be disparaging. But what I do think about heavy these legacy as heavy D reminds me of myself because he's, um, An immigrant, you know, from an immigrant family from Jamaica.

I'm West Indian as well. And to come here to this country, he truly was the epitome of what that, what did we call that group of West Indians? Anyway, for those of you who don't know, in New York in the 60s to the mid 70s, there was a huge influx of West Indians that came to New York. And Heavy D's family was part of that influx of, um, West Indians come to the New York area and it was just about making it in the United States the best way that you can, um, you know, West Indians have a history of being hardworking people and he took that and turn it into music.

Now, I'm sure he faced a lot of opposition because most West Indian parents don't want to hear anything about their children doing anything to having anything to do with music, much less rap. Um, At that time, not celebrated and was not the huge global financial success that it is. Oh, well, it was, um, in, in yesterday's it used to be.

Um, but yeah, so that was, he was part of that, but he still stuck it out. Um, Heavy also brought with him this, this knowledge of and showmanship of what it meant to be. Yes, I'm a big guy, but I'm going to present myself the best way I know how I'm going to be. I am representing hip hop. Um, which is for the streets.

I'm not completely the streets. I am from the suburbs. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay with, um, letting you know that. But I'm still not nothing to be played with on the mic. And so he gave, it was all these different levels to Heavy D that we could observe. And as a young, young guy coming up after Heavy D and seeing him, it was like, okay, okay, okay, Yeah, I could see, I see somebody that kind of reminds me of myself and I can emulate that, you know, of course, I so, so wanted, as a matter of fact, I think I went out and got one of those Nike sweatshirts just because, just on the strength, because I was like, Oh,

that's what I should look like.

That's fly. I like that.

Jay Ray: you know what's interesting about that? You know what? We're going to get to that in a second because I want, I do want to share for those folks who don't know. Cause I think the, one of the reasons why we wanted to do this show, sir, Daniel two is because we don't talk about heavy D. Enough, Heavy D such a bridge building artist when it comes to hip hop, like we talked about hip hop and R& B.

Like Heavy D was really like the artist that straddled all of these lines.

[00:10:49] Heavy D and the Boys: The Early Years

---

Jay Ray: And there's a real specific reason, but just to give folks who may not know just like a super quick history of Heavy D as an artist, as DJ Sir Daniel mentioned, so Heavy D grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. Heavy D and the boys. So you kind of can't mention Heavy D without mentioning Heavy D and the boys.

So Heavy D and the boys was the group. So it was Heavy D, Eddie F, G Wiz,

DJ Sir Daniel: I can

Jay Ray: Trouble T Roy. And they were Heavy D and the boys. And what's interesting. So they were the first group signed to Uptown. I forgot about that. They were the first group signed to Uptown. But the reason why. Have was able to straddle this line.

Of course, his first bait major producer. We've done a show on was Teddy Riley, Teddy Riley. Super producer all of the things, right? Teddy Riley was new. Mr. New Jack swing, but was heavy D's primary producer along with Eddie F and Tony dofat and have himself but it allowed have to have that R& B thing, but I want to go back to this fashion thing real quick, sir.

[00:12:07] Heavy D's Fashion and Dance Legacy

---

Jay Ray: Daniel because Have definitely had the street thing like so when we first started interacting with him, it was the street thing. You know what I'm saying? But that second album he put on the suits.

DJ Sir Daniel: The

Jay Ray: A rapper. In 1989, when all the other rappers were like hats and t shirts and whatever, Heavy D said, no, no, no, we're dressing up. Literally was rocking suits.

DJ Sir Daniel: bruh, silk suits, um, patent leather shoes with the big buckles on the side, a little polka dot splash here and there. It was, you know, it was giving, it was. It was the uniform. I remember that shift that summer after, uh, we got our own thing

dropped. I remember all of us at one point or another getting some type of silk shirt with a bold print on it.

And, and the, the, um, the, the slick patent leather bottom shoes so we can do, cause everybody was doing a running man at that point. And you needed, and you needed that slickness to get some motion.

Jay Ray: Mm hmm.

DJ Sir Daniel: made it shift. I remember all of us kind of like, specifically in seventh grade, no eighth grade, we went on a, um, on a field trip.

And I just remember specifically repeating the line, don't be down with anybody, let them all be down with you.

And it was like, it was, that was like gospel to a, to an adolescent, like who's trying to figure out their way In the world, who's trying to figure out their way, navigating the streets of Brooklyn, you know, um, and becoming who they're supposed to become or figuring the world out.

And, but who knew that that was going to be such a, uh, uh, a message that would be implanted into our brains.

[00:14:08] Heavy D's Mainstream Success

---

DJ Sir Daniel: But then not only J. Ray, simultaneously with that album coming out, remember, Heavy got the Sprite campaign.

Jay Ray: Absolutely.

DJ Sir Daniel: At the same time. So you couldn't, you couldn't go anywhere without seeing heavy D and the boys.

Imagine Sprite, a household brand, um, associated with Americana. Uh, and when I say Americana white people

now has entrusted their brand. With this hip hop band, this hip hop group, and they're, they're, they're still trying to figure it out. The world is trying to, still trying to figure us out and what we're all about, but we're giving them little peeks and glances into the culture.

And here's this, this guy who's not really threatening. He's not threatening like those other rap guys, those other rappers. He's kind of,

Jay Ray: I like the, I like this. I like this

DJ Sir Daniel: I like him. I like him. My mother likes that song, you know, the one that goes, Oh yeah, let's do great stuff. Yeah, so, so, uh, to your point earlier, he was perfect, the perfect bridge, but for us, the Gen Xers, and our parents, because he, um, skillfully selected records that would appeal to all of us and would reflect him and his stature.

He didn't mind using his stature as a way of getting people to listen. And that summer, that was just a fun summer of everybody being of kids growing up in the hood, getting a taste of what it was to be fly because all the other, you know, the older cats were really who were getting money the way that they could.

We saw that and we saw that them change from, You know, the troop suits and gold chains to being a little more polished looking, you know, you had to get your fade tight, get you a couple of lines in it. Some lines in your eyebrows, because you want to, this is a part of the, this was like the hip hop was going to the teen prom.

Jay Ray: You know, that is a perfect explanation because this was, to your point, right? The first sign of hip hop kind of growing up, right? So if we look at 1989 and what was happening, if we look at Heavy D as kind of like drawing a line, right? You have that aspect, definitely the fashion thing, but you know what else, Sir Daniel, right?

Was dancing y'all have had full choreography He was a big dude Who was dancing with g wiz and in t roy? And and was just staying in time with them and being the lead of this whole thing, so You not only have this man dancing in suits, right? Rapping his behind off, but also introducing this style of music out of Chicago.

That's now, of course, there's New York has a version of it and he's bringing that into it. So them BPMs, Teddy is bringing them BPMs and them songs up a little bit. Have is adding a little bit of his Jamaican roots into the rhymes. There was so. Much happening with all of the bridges he was building because he was the only one that was kind of doing all of that at the time

DJ Sir Daniel: you know, heavy, I'm sure our downstairs neighbors were just through with me. I was in my little room trying to learn those dance steps. Cause yes, at that time hammer was doing his thing. Hammer was making him making his own noise, but heavy D for sure. For sure, a consummate showman keeping up with, like you said, he could have easily let T Roy, Troy, and G Wiz do their thing behind him.

No, he was like, I'm going to learn these steps. I'm going to practice with y'all. I'm going to keep up with y'all. He knew the value of being an entertainer at an early age, early in his, um, In his career, he understood the value of going out where you go out on tour. You got to give people a show. And that's why, you know, when he went out with Salt N Pepa and Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince and you know, they had, can you imagine that those kids were giving you a full show, like dancing, DJ backup, all of that.

It was just a full experience that they gave to us back then. Yeah. And Heavy was not shy from leaning into his own version of being a sex symbol. Like from the first album, overweight lover, um, on over to big time where he girls, the girls, they love me. And continuing that lover boy, kind of the real lover boy, the first, probably the first one of the first lover boys, if no LL will always be the number one lover boy of hip hop. Like I almost, I almost choked on my words there. LL will always be the number one lover boy, but Heavy D was a close second. And, I don't think there was any Heavy D was sought after on all your favorite black sitcoms. Remember he did an episode of A Different World. Was he on The Cosby Show at one point?

Did he

pop up on the

Jay Ray: remember the Cosby show. I think I'm most and this was further along in his career But you know, we I most fondly remember him on living single Him and baby where he was about to marry that vivica fox character that episode Yep,

DJ Sir Daniel: this, who on this guy, who does he think he is? And she, she started falling for him. All, that's all the power of Heavy D. Like the likeability, the marketability. J. Rey, he went on to do the theme song for one of our favorite shows.

Jay Ray: he did

DJ Sir Daniel: living color.

Jay Ray: classic theme

DJ Sir Daniel: season. I'm, I'm partial to the second season because it had a little more bounce to it to me.

Jay Ray: I think that is, once again, to your point, the magic of Heavy D. Um, and I think another important kind of note, I might actually share a secret with you, Sir Daniel. I don't know if we have said this out loud publicly before, but when it was first released, Your boy did not like now that we found love. I did not like that song.

And here's why,

DJ Sir Daniel: Okay.

Jay Ray: because in 1991, that was like way too far on the pop side of things, right? You know what I'm saying? Like, we got our own thing. Was still black house dance, right now that we found love was like club mtv house dance And I was in my feelings when that came out and was like heath Why are you doing this?

And then is it good to you came out and I think who's the man or something came out I think they ended up having to do a whole thing where it was like He had to do a b side at some point in between all of this, but I just wanted to share When Now That We Found Love came out, which was on the Peaceful Journey record, which was the first record after Trouble T Roy passed away, um, or had actually died tragically in an accident, um, yeah.

And, uh, Now That We Found Love became a huge hit, of course. It's a, and then I grew to be like, I really like that song. But when it first came out, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, That was not it. I was like, this ain't it and it got him a hit though. I

DJ Sir Daniel: I didn't hate it, but I know where you're coming from because I kind of felt that way about a lot of my favorite. rap groups that were, you know, dipping their toe over into the pop side of things. And yes, Heavy D, Salt N Pepa, they were showing up. Cause I, okay.

Uh, just so that you're in good company, I'll share with you. I did not like, um, let's talk about sex. I did not like it. Especially when they made it real clubby. I hated it. I was like, uh, then it became a message and it became an anthem song. So I was like, okay, I gotta give, I gotta have, make space for.

Let's talk about sex, but back to heavy D, I think, like you said, um, you know, his, his star power is increasing. Um, the record label wants more cause they know what he's capable of bringing in. He's just complete. He's like a big marketing beast. And then on top of that, you throw in the fact that he. He, um, does music with not one, but two members of the most elite family in black music, pop music history.

You start, you start off with Janet with all right. And being in that magnificent movie style video.

Jay Ray: Yeah.

DJ Sir Daniel: And then a few years later, you come out with Michael. With jam and has heavy D heavy D was that dude because he invited people he had crisscross He gave he gave um Michael Some hip hop cachet by having heavy had those people come through naughty by nature was on kid in place podcast recently insane hot recollecting that moment when they were invited down to the jam video set.

Heavy D had invited them, Chris Cross, um, who else was down there? It was a lot of, you know, it was a few other rappers that were there sharing in that spotlight. And because of Heavy D, because Heavy, I'm sure Michael was like, Hmm, my sister likes this guy. Let me check, check him out and see what he's about.

And he brought his own magic to that song.

Jay Ray: Yeah, and to that point Janet has already gone on record She was like no the remix what heavy D happened because literally he said I want to do it I want to get on a remix to that song. It's just like I Like that, you know what I'm saying? Like and it became a classic joint to your point You just can't just magic right?

Um so This brother's career is so funny now that we are having this conversation.

[00:24:59] Heavy D's Later Career and Legacy

---

Jay Ray: It's even more important that we have more conversations about him because you realize just how important he really was, right? So he's doing the business stuff. He's doing the music thing. Um, movies. Oh, and the song, by the way, just came to me.

It was you can't see what I can see. That was the B side. Remember, they had to release that.

DJ Sir Daniel: Yes,

and you know,

Jay Ray: Heavy, back up.

DJ Sir Daniel: to talk about that. Like he, we gave that brother a little bit of flack and he was like, Oh no, I got to put on my

Tim

Jay Ray: rap.

DJ Sir Daniel: and I got a East Coast stomp and I need to come. So yes, we got, you can't see which is, which was a very competently done record. Like I believe in him. Like, It wasn't me.

We weren't looking at the listening to the record, like who is heavy kidding? No, we believed him. He did it with, with such conviction. There was that, there was don't curse. Um, and so he started doing, he started bringing back a little bit of, you know, a harder edge, but he wasn't, he wasn't stupid. He knew that he, his bread and butter was still entertaining people, specifically the ladies.

[00:26:07] Radio BSOTS Mid-Roll Ad

---

Jay Ray: We're not skipping over. Over blue funk on purpose like blue funk by executive produced by eddie f heavy d and diddy um Was his return to like rap rap rap for the most part Yeah, his return to the streets and let me see. How did this blue funk great record?

Um all music gives it four stars I checked in with it and getting ready for this and I was like, oh, this was like a competent record It was well laid out All of the things blue funk was on there uh first album that Teddy riley didn't have any production on it was pete rock tony doff fat We're going to talk about tony doff fat in a in a little bit, but it was um pete rock You Heavy D, Tony Dofat, um, Skeff Antelum had a joint on here, um, as you know, uh, who was famously name checked by Q Tip.

Skeff Antelum, he gets props too. So we're all on the Blue Funk album. But let's talk about the ladies because this also what, one of the things that triggered this conversation is because it is the 30th anniversary of the last Heavy D and the Boys album, which, uh, is Nuttin But Love. Um, of course famously first single got me waiting which is a total jam today Um, so we're kind of celebrating that album, but that was really heavy's album photo ladies, you know

DJ Sir Daniel: sure. Nothing but love. I. Quite honestly, still is one of my favorite Heavy D videos because he had all the supermodels in it. It

was funny.

Jay Ray: girl

DJ Sir Daniel: It was called the Noxzema girl. And you know, he had, uh, I can't remember that brother's name, but he had those comedians in

It It was just a fun fly video because at that time things were getting, were getting

Jay Ray: Very, very gritty.

DJ Sir Daniel: and but heavy was like, you know what we need to lighten it up a little bit We need to have a little bit of fun and I just like the the um Just the notion of the song. I got nothing but love for you and that's something that he's a he was always able to like be able to Talk to us in our age group and talk to our parents.

He just had that gift He was that, he was that guy, that guy in your friend group that you could always bring home to, you know, around your parents because he

Jay Ray: He wasn't going to embarrass y'all. I like that. I like that Dwight.

DJ Sir Daniel: I liked that Dwight boy. You could bring him around more often. He was definitely that kid with all the manners and everything.

But, um, yeah, I'm trying to remember, I think, was that the. No, he had, he, well, he started doing solo joints after that. Right. Cause the waterbed, waterbed head came after

Jay Ray: which was, let's, let's talk about that. Yes. Waterbed Hev came after Nothin But Love. Oh, one note I want to make before we leave Nothin But Love as an album. He also had one of the most competent odes to black women, black coffee, no sugar, no cream. That's the kind of girl I need down with my team. You wasn't dudes.

Wasn't talking like that.

DJ Sir Daniel: No, no, nobody was checking for the girls that were the complexion of coffee.

Jay Ray: exactly and have absolutely brought that to the, to the bear. And so, Of course, that was the last Heavy D and the Boys record, but Hev goes on to do solo albums. By then, what, 95, he took over Uptown because, uh, famously Andre Harrell went to Motown. Remember all the posters of Andre Harrell taking over Motown?

It was a whole media blitz.

DJ Sir Daniel: I'm trying to remember, what do the posters look like?

Jay Ray: Oh my goodness. There was a Andre Harrell. It was a back end of a chair and it was just like a cigar and it was like Motown. He is coming.

DJ Sir Daniel: Okay. Yes. You know, those guys, Andre, Sean, very ostentatious. They did not mind being flashy with it. They did not mind giving you an image of wealth. And Heavy, Heavy did that, but he was also still very genuine. To, to other people, like he did not have, he did not have a problem, uh, going and representing other people's videos.

One of my favorite videos is the one more chance video. And he shows up in that and it's like giving and dapping up big, like passing on the fly big boy baton to him. So you know that that did something to my heart. And he would, he would show up in numerous videos. Like you said, he was in the, who's the man video showing up for naughty showing up for queen Latifah.

I'm no queen Latifah loved her some heavy D. And so again, like I said, at the beginning, there was not too, there weren't too many people that were universally liked like heavy D and how many people. Had a movie where the subplot was me and my girl. We gonna become dancers and we gonna go out to LA because we want to be dancers in a heavy D

video.

who can say that they were the subplot for a movie.

Jay Ray: So not too many people and I think that um when we start talking about Heavy solo career. It's interesting, right? So the last three Heavy D albums, uh, before there's really like four, cause there's like an EP that I didn't know about until I was preparing for this, but I'm just focused on the records.

You have waterbed, have you have heavy and then you have vibes, vibes kind of sits to itself. And we'll talk about that in a second. Waterbed have. I don't remember. I didn't remember very well. Water bed head sits in the exact same category as salt and pepper's brand new heavy D released that record in 97 same year is brand new.

The industry changed on these folks, right? So heavy D is doing big daddy and he's, you know what I'm saying? You get in a groove and you get in a little bit of saying, saying the kids weren't doing that, right? The industry. Changed on them. And I think there was only two singles released from the waterbed have record and It was just kind of the the industry I think flipped like rug

DJ Sir Daniel: a

Jay Ray: out under this He he was a dinosaur at that point.

Like no one's doing that and so When he did do Heavy, which is my least favorite Heavy D album, it was because he was trying to do what everyone else was doing at that time. You know, uh, the N word was every other word. It was just like, Have, you're trying, you're trying, I know why you're trying. But it didn't work and and it so it made sense that he would basically kind of pseudo retire Cuz we didn't hear from him again until head until vibes came out and that was a completely different He went reggae then and that made sense, but literally hip hop.

He had nothing left to give rap by that point

DJ Sir Daniel: And, but I don't think he. Like, okay, so you brought up Salt N Pepa, like, I think Salt N Pepa kinda, in the eyes of the fans, kinda went out bad. Whereas, I don't think Heavy D suffered that kind of, um, second, that kind of embarrassment like the ladies did. Because he, he was just that, and it's probably because he was a man,

was just that

respected. And, you know, he was known in all the circles and, you know, he had his, his feet in Hollywood as well. So he, I don't think he was embarrassed, you know, made to feel embarrassed at that time. Like other people were kind of being slowly pushed out of the limelight of being an MC, being a rap artist at that time.

So him stepping off to do more executive things was just a natural progression and fit him well

[00:35:46] Heavy D's Final Performances and Reflections

---

DJ Sir Daniel: . Um, I do want to, before we move on, I do want to talk about one of my favorite performances by him. And it's that, that's it. That uptown MTV's up, um, uptown unplugged

Jay Ray: Oh,

DJ Sir Daniel: towards the end.

Jay Ray: know what? I have to revisit Mary overshadow. I still remember Mary's and, and stuff so vividly for that. I got to go back. I don't remember it. I would, do you do a medley or do he do a song? Do you remember?

DJ Sir Daniel: So it was like a posse. It was a posse cut. At the very end, and it was like a call out to all everybody that was there. So they called up heavy D heavy, ripped it. Then they had, um, who else was on father MC came through and did his thing. So they had the rappers come through. And then of course they had all the singers do their thing.

It was, it was literally a posse, a posse cut. Um, At the end of this to, to round up the, um, the MCV Unplugged performance and Heavy D was just killing. It was like, okay, that's why this man is so respected because it's one thing to see. It was one thing to see your favorite on, in a video or have them on, on, on a, um, record, but to see them perform live and like really bring home the bacon is two completely different things.

Like, oh. He's that dude, he means that, and had complete control over that mic and that crowd that whole time. And, um, yeah, it was just a really dope, dope appearance, one of his, you know, big performances that I can remember. And I just wanted to give light to that performance because it was really special.

It was really great and it showed his connection, the love between all the Uptown label mates. And just, How promising the future was for them as a label, as a unit, because they really, they really had it going on.

Jay Ray: I am going to go back and revisit that. That's something we should watch together. Let's watch the, the Uptown Unplugged. Let's add that to our list. Um, couple quick things

[00:37:53] Heavy D's Hidden Gem: A Dilla Production

---

Jay Ray: . Um, for folks that don't know, uh, Heavy D has the distinction of having a Dilla production. Um, so on the Heavy album, Listen, which features Q Tip, is produced by Dilla, actually.

Um, because at that time, of course, Q Tip was working really closely with JD. He was going by JD then. But, um, very few folks can say that. So Heavy D absolutely was rhyming on a, uh, a JD beat, um, on the Heavy album. So if you didn't know that, go and check it out

[00:38:26] Heavy D's Reggae Comeback

---

Jay Ray: . And real quick, I just wanted to show some love for, um, The Vibes record so Heavy D's Last full record came out in 2008.

It was it kind of showed up Because he had been gone since 90, like 99, 2000. So this is like, he'd been gone 20 years in hip hop years. Right. And he shows up with a reggae album. And, um, there's an interview where, at the time, and I was able to find this, we'll put it in the description where he talked about, you know, I had, I was done, like I was done with hip hop.

I just didn't know what else to do with that. So I'm doing this. So the music never left him. The industry certainly left him behind But he came back and he did something really good like vibe. He was singing on the vibes record in his heavy d voice and um on kind of a smaller label. Um, it was him tony dofat again Let's just show love to tony dofat One of those engineers and producers that has worked you want to talk about 90s New York hip hop and R& B.

Tony Dofat was probably there.

DJ Sir Daniel: Tony Dofat, um, his work is like the first lead single off of Queen Latifah's, um, Black Hand side that, um, give it to, no, bring it to, who brings the flavor?

Yes. I mean, that, Pooh, you talking about setting the tone for the album? Yes, this production is really, definitely the things that were. That was a classic 90s style.

He did, he definitely coined a 90s flavor sound that, you know, you can hear kind of reminiscent in P Rockin Seal Smooth and Ill and out scratched those kind of guys. It was it was this really smooth polished hip hop with a street edge to it But it was very polished. So shout out to don't you tony dofat?

um, I want to the real reason why we came we started discussing heavy d is because one It was coming up on his birthday

Jay Ray: Mm hmm.

DJ Sir Daniel: and two, we saw the news that his daughter,

Jay Ray: Mm hmm.

DJ Sir Daniel: his daughter, what's her name again? Jerry.

Jay Ray: Oh, you know what? Oh, uh, Zay Myers. Is that right?

DJ Sir Daniel: starts with the X. You're right. Zaya.

Jay Ray: Yeah. Zay Myers. Or is it, might be Zay, Zia or Zay.

DJ Sir Daniel: And she, the news was just broken that she

[00:41:17] Heavy D's Daughter Inherits His Legacy

---

DJ Sir Daniel: . Now has the rights to her father's estate, which is something that I think is very important. And I've always, I always harp on this because I, I feel like we don't hold on to our legacies as much as we should, like we need to hold on to the, not just the mechanical.

Rights of the music, but hold on, get those masters. So be in control of all of that. And when I see she's part of this generation of rappers that the kids are, are in their thirties now, they're grown

like, um, what was that picture you showed me was her. It was, um, Christopher

jr. And, um, some other

young

Jay Ray: it was uh, it was King Colmes. Yep.

DJ Sir Daniel: Right.

Jay Ray: Mm hmm.

DJ Sir Daniel: So, um, we just can't get around from this. You just can't get away from mentioning that name. But no, but it just, it's very heartwarming. And I have hope because I want These elements of hip hop to remain in these families is generational wealth. And I really hate when people sell off their, um, their legacy.

You know, I know that there are different reasons why people sell catalogs and all that other stuff, but it kind of breaks my heart because I really do think about all the blood, blood, sweat, and tears that these guys put in the long, hard yards on these tours and. Became icons at such young ages and I just want us to keep that history keep it And so hearing that the reason why she's just now getting control of it is because she's what

finally of

Jay Ray: yeah, I think she's 23 now. So it's time.

DJ Sir Daniel: I think It's really important to say that she's not in control of the estate because heavy's brother. Was in control of the estate. And I'm ecstatic that that happened. I'm glad that that happened. Somebody did their paperwork. Somebody did put, you know, did put things in place the way they should have.

And now she's of age. She can take it over and she's some, she's somewhat of her own star. She's got her own, her own, um, sense of celebrity and accomplishments that she's made on her own using the platforms of social media and whatnot. So. I'm hoping that she has the savvy and the connections to do something really special with her dad's legacy.

And, you know, keep that money in the family, you know, pass on that generational wealth. That's, that's always been my wish and my hope for all these people that have made some money, made some wealth in this game, and we're able to keep some of it.

Jay Ray: And Heavy's legacy, um, to that point deserves attention. Like, we need to be, just like we're doing this show here at Queue Points, we need to absolutely be. I'm talking about heavy D more. Um, because the brother was a pioneer and we absolutely salute you Heavy D, sending love to G Wiz and Eddie F.

Um, Eddie F still out here producing and doing everything possibly in Atlanta. Oh no, probably in Houston now. He's in the South. Doing all the things um, and so yeah, just keeping that legacy alive And I do one more one more thing to shout out to because like I see a heavy D is long like Pete Rock Still killing it.

You know what I'm saying? Um Who just

DJ Sir Daniel: special way.

Jay Ray: Yeah, who

DJ Sir Daniel: he just dropped the album with

Jay Ray: the joint with common. You know what I'm saying? Um, So I'm thinking about him. I'm thinking of my favorite name check of Heavy D in a song. Nas, 2012, Heavy D gave this beat to Salaam for me to rap to. The Don, Nas is the Don and you get that kind of name check to be like, nah, Heavy D gave this beat to Salaam Remy so that I could rap on it.

DJ Sir Daniel: That's right. You nailed it. What more can we say? He was definitely top billing.

Jay Ray: And you know, definitely I think this all underscores cause all the things that we've talked about. have, um, links back to Heavy D and Heavy D's work. So he wasn't just an artist at Uptown.

[00:45:53] Closing Thoughts on Heavy D's Impact

---

Jay Ray: He was part of the, the business of Uptown and, um, all of these artists, all of these connections, all of these things that we've talked about are so, the reason why hip hop is where it is today is because of the work that Heavy D put in.

Right? Heavy D, through his artistry, through his work, built all of these bridges to the stuff that we have now. And yo, he deserves all the love for that.

DJ Sir Daniel: He absolutely does. So, um, this has been a great conversation as always. We always.

bring the thunder.

Jay Ray: Daniel. This was fun. Yeah.

DJ Sir Daniel: and. Yeah, like I think I want to say, I appreciate our listeners for listening. Y'all blew up that, um, that live we did after the apology dropped. You guys really blew up that clip.

So I don't know. It's just, and I'm glad we did this conversation because it's such a dark time, it's, it's literally heavy, no pun intended. And for us heading into the summertime, you know, this was a time when. Back in the day, we knew we were going to get something from Heavy D and artists like him that were going to take us off into the summer and give us something fun and relaxing to, to bop to.

And right now we're in a place where we are just being bombarded constantly by day after day, revelation after revelation of some really dark things that have happened in the past to some people. And it's just really, it's really sad, you know, we got, um, Diddy getting his comeuppance, if you would, you know, Joe Budden needs to tread lightly.

He needs to tread very lightly right about

Jay Ray: I think you just sit this one out, bruh.

DJ Sir Daniel: Let it go.

Jay Ray: Dumb other, let them brothers, dumb brothers on your show, right. Dumb brothers on your show, let them do the talking. You just sit over there and be pretty. Don't say nothing. Ha ha ha.

DJ Sir Daniel: um, Amber Rose being a complete

incel now.

Jay Ray: now? I don't even know what, uh, uh, uh.

DJ Sir Daniel: The grift is real, but the grift is

real.

Jay Ray: know what that is really what it is these people be out here just like whatever's gonna bring them a coin They just gonna float on over there You ain't gotta worry about that with cue points. We are still doing black music history over here on cue points.

[00:48:26] Queue Points Podcast Wrap-Up

---

Jay Ray: So come on back Yes,

DJ Sir Daniel: got some stuff on the website that needs to be sold. As a matter of fact, somebody asked me about, Oh, where was I? I was at the, Oh, shout out to Alvin Aragat. And Craig Washington for, um, where we gather you guys, you guys are going to when this documentary hits the mainstream and gets out there, you guys are going to thoroughly enjoy this, this history about the paradise garage.

And what it meant to a community, it meant life for a community. It melts immense shelter. And it was really, I felt so proud just sitting down there and listening and watching the first cut of the documentary and just really happy for Alvin and all the hard work that he's put in. And you guys, when the time comes, you are.

Thoroughly going to enjoy it. Take it from DJ Sir Daniel. So shout out to him. But yeah, I went there and I had my, um, one of my cue points buttons on. And so somebody was inquiring about that. I was like, Hey, it's right there on the store. Go to it right now. Pull up your phone. It's on your phone right now.

Send in that order. But Jerry put the listener, remind them how they can get their own.

Jay Ray: Yo, y'all. So, um, visit our website. So if you visit our website, um, at Queue Points. com, um, Q U E U E. com. and click on the store. You can get to our store, check out all of our products and things that we have there. Um, in addition, yo, if you are hearing our voices, watching our faces, thank you so much. We appreciate that.

That is the most important thing that you can do. And please share the show with your friends, family, colleagues. If you enjoy Queue Points, chances are they will enjoy Queue Points too. So we encourage you to definitely share the show. And if you want to go a step further and become a member of Queue Points, Absolutely can.

You can sign up for our newsletter on the website as well. Um, as become a member, we really appreciate y'all.

DJ Sir Daniel: We absolutely do. And as I always say, Jerry, in this life, you have a choice. You can either pick up the needle or you can let the bone, I mean, you can let the record play. Uh, I was going to try it, but then I said,

Jay Ray: But I can't do it, but diddly D.

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah, I can't do it. There was, there was no other, like you heavy D that's for sure. Anyway, this is DJ. So Daniel.

Jay Ray: I'm Jay Ray y'all.

DJ Sir Daniel: And this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping the needle on black music history. We'll see you on the next go round. Peace.

Jay Ray: y'all.

[00:51:05] Closing Theme

---