Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 11/08/2011 at 8:45 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: heavy d, youtube roundups

Legendary ’80s and ’90s rapper Heavy D (real name Dwight Arrington Myers) has died at the age of 44, and while his passing is obviously a huge loss to the hip-hop and pop communities, we’re glad that it at least gives a chance to look back on some of our favorite D-related YouTubes from his quarter century in the public limelight. We posted some in our eulogy for Myers, but there’s plenty more where that came from, and if you’re also currently binging on Heavy D nostalgia, be sure to check some of these out.

“Don’t Curse,” a 1991 anti-censorship posse cut featuring just about the entire early ’90s alt-rap scene:

“We Write the Songs,” D’s 1988 Barry Manilow-sampling duet with Biz Markie:

The In Living Color season three theme song, performed by D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_M_2PyJQcU

Heavy D in his recurring role as Darryl, Regine’s ex-boyfriend on Living Single:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocz4O4uCOjw

Kiddie R&B quartet Soul for Real’s 1995 pop smash “Candy Rain,” written by Heavy D & the Boyz and featuring D in the video’s intro:

Heavy D’s last top 20 hit, 1997′s “Big Daddy”:

Beanie Sigel’s excellent 2005 single “Feel It in the Air,” produced by Heavy D:

And finally, the two best namechecks of Heavy D by other rappers, one flattering, one less so: