Rap legend and Mr. Big Stuff himself, Heavy D, has died. TMZ reports he was rushed to a LA hospital this afternoon and was pronounced dead an hour later. Heavy D (real name: Dwight Arrington Myers) was just 44 years young. A 911 call was placed from his home to report an unconscious male on the walkway. But, he was said to be conscious and speaking when help arrived to take him to the hospital. There’s no sign of foul play but the details of his death are under investigation.

UPDATE: TMZ reports Heavy D had just returned from shopping and walked up some stairs when he began having trouble breathing. Adam Mills, a designer who was in the building and knew Heavy D, found him leaning against a railing and clearly in distress. Adam tells us he cradled Heavy D in his lap as others called 911. Adam says Heavy D was conscious and said to him, “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.” When paramedics took Heavy D to the hospital he had a pulse. People in the building are saying he died of a heart attack, but we [TMZ] have not been able to confirm that. Law enforcement sources tell us … no foul play was involved and so far they only know the cause of death was “medical.”

A friend of Heav’s also says the rapper had pneumonia.

Heavy D just rocked the BET Hip Hop Awards last month, dancing through a medley of his hits from the 90s, reminding us all of a time when Hip Hop was fun and it didn’t matter what you looked like or how expensive your clothes were. Back when “you’re a chicken McNugget, I’m a Big Mac” was a serious diss. Back when rappers actually wrote odes to black women that didn’t include instructions on how to “drop dat azz.” Back when you danced. You smiled. You sang. And you diddly-diddly-diddly-deed.

Here’s a stroll through some of Heavy’s hits and two of his last performances.

An October performance at a Michael Jackson tribute with LaToya Jackson:

At the BET Hip Hop Awards in October:

#RIP Heavy! Say what’s up to Trouble T Roy when you get there.

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