Heavy D Albums (9)
What The Critics Say
Vibes is not only Heavy D's first album in nine years but a reggae-pop album on top of it, with a whole lot less rap than expected. The rapper, and now more often singer, has referenced his birthplace of Jamaica before, most notably with his hit cover version of "Now That We Found Love," which was based on reggae act Third World's take on the track . Here he is consumed by the sounds of Freddie McGregor, Beres Hammond, Morgan Heritage, and others who combine Island tones with grown folk's R&B. Another obvious influence, Barrington Levy, shows up for the great "Love Me Like This," one of the many songs based on cool lovers rock. This mostly smooth album isn't courting the Marley fans as there's not much political reggae here but the influence of roots music can be found in the cabinet rattling bass of "Queen Majesty" or "Long Distance Girlfriend," while "Private Dancer" is a one-drop lust number featuring modern dread Sizzla. With nylon-stringed guitars and soulful crooning, the pleasant "Delilah" ends up a more modest version of Wyclef's genre-blending, appearing right before the heartbroken but hopeful "Chasing Windmills" pulls out the metaphors for what's arguably the songwriting highlight of his career. On this aptly titled album, Heavy D does doubly duty, embracing his roots while relaunching his music career. Successful on both counts, this is a genuine find for lovers of the softer side of reggae plus the big payoff for the Overweight Lover's most patient fans. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Heavy D always favored laid-back grooves, championing their easy flow during the days when the Bomb Squad ruled. Ten years later, when gangstas all roll to moked-out beats, Hev sounds as fresh as he ever has with his seventh album, Heavy. There really isn't anything new here, apart from the occasional production flourish (such as "You Know," with its glorious skittering rap and rhythm), but the legions of producers (including Heavy himself, the Ummah and Erick Sermon) have given the album an appealing modern sheen which guarantees that it sounds like 1999 instead of 1989. On top of it all, Heavy D continues to prove that he has an original, graceful delivery -- he makes it all seem easy, and that's why his music is still appealing. True, Heavy isn't a startling record, but it is a solid, entertaining listen from one of the most reliable artists in hip-hop. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Waterbed Hev'
Release Date 4/22/1997
Tracks 12
Label Uptown/Universal
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
By the mid-1990s, Heavy D wasn't considered as cutting-edge as he was in the 1980s, but the MC was still recording worthwhile and satisfying albums that appealed to both R&B/urban audiences (who liked his "nice guy" image and groove-oriented tendencies) and rap's hardcore (which couldn't deny the fact that he could flow with the best of them). Though Waterbed Hev (a disc that soared to the top of Billboard's R&B albums chart) is at times a bit harder than he'd been on his early albums, there's no mistaking the fact that this is a Heavy D album through and through. The Overweight Lover's smooth R&B leanings and melodic inclinations had remained strong, and he continued to favor a slick production style. Cuts like "Can You Handle It" (which features Tha Dogg Pound) and "Wanna Be a Player" are definitely harder-edged than one expects Heavy to be, but he's still a long way from being as hardcore as Ice-T or Too Short. Not extraordinary but always entertaining, Waterbed is a nice example of an artist evolving without being untrue to himself. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Heavy D continued his '90s resurgence with the release of the multi-genre Nuttin' but Love in 1994. Calling on the likes of heavyweight producers Erick Sermon, the Trackmasters, Marley Marl, Teddy Riley, Kid Capri, Easy Mo Bee, and fellow money earnin' Mount Vernon native Pete Rock, Hev ventures into slow-jam R&B as well as his usual catchy hip-hop offerings on this funky album. The first single, "Got Me Waiting," fueled by a sample from Luther Vandross' "Don't You Know That?" registered some success as did the follow-up "Nuttin' but Love," which featured an MTV video with a number of up-and-coming supermodels at the time, testimony to the Overweight Lover's Casanova persona. Pete Rock's production is particularly tight including the up-tempo "Black Coffee." While the heavy-handed quiet storm stuff is trite and repetitive, it does not damage the overall pleasurability of the album. Heavy D's respect among the hip-hop community is evidenced by guest appearances (some simply spoken intros) from the likes of LL Cool J, KRS-One, Queen Latifah, and Q-Tip, to name a few. A solid release from a slick hip-hop king. ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On his fourth release, Heavy D handed over the production duties to three of the hottest underground producers in the business at the time--Tony Dofat, DJ Premier, and his younger cousin Pete Rock--as well as excellent newcomer Jesse West, and the results are outstanding, if completely unlike any previous or subsequent Heavy D & the Boyz recording. Whereas the Heavster's style had always been positive and accessible before, careful not to come across as too confrontational or provocative, he came entirely streetwise on Blue Funk, altering (if only for the moment) his straight-laced reputation. Whether it was a deliberate attempt to shift creative gears and explore different headspace--between each track there is a brief pseudo-therapeutic session--or merely a natural outgrowth of the circles in which the rapper was traveling at the time, the result is one of his least orthodox but most thoroughly satisfying efforts. It takes a moment to register that it is the Overweight Lover who is spitting out lyrics on "Who's the Man?," a song that even liberally quotes the non-upstanding Cypress Hill. He almost could have passed for Notorious B.I.G. (who, indeed, later shows up on the album) in a blind taste test. Of course, he didn't abandon his sensitivity entirely, as "Truthful," with its R&B hook, immediately makes clear, and still tossed several lovey-dovey cuts to the around-the-way girls. But the album decidedly hits with more force, from the smack-talking "Talk Is Cheap" right down to the final "A Buncha Niggas," on which D successfully orchestrates another top-notch posse cut along the lines of Peaceful Journey's uncharacteristic "Don't Curse." Perhaps sonically the album veered too far from the commercial-ready sound that he had successfully mined up to that point, but Blue Funk managed only a lackluster reception from critics. (It was a slightly different story with the public, reaching certified gold status.) In any event, it remains a stellar, wholly underrated entry in his discography. ~ Stanton Swihart, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Heavy D. maintained his high visibility in both the R&B and rap markets with his third album, Peaceful Journey. The title says a lot about Heavy's outlook -- he was never an inflammatory, confrontational rapper, and generally sought to entertain rather than challenge. While most of this melodic, very R&B-ish album (which includes his remake of the Gamble & Huff classic "Now That We've Found Love") is fun and escapist in nature, the self-proclaimed Overweight Lover shows himself to be a noteworthy and effective social commentator on the title song, "Letter to the Future" (which urges a teenage criminal to change his ways) and "Sister Sister" -- a salute to Black women clearly written in response to misogyny in rap. Whether being socio-political or simply aiming to entertain, Heavy still makes it clear that he has a lot of technique. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Like Whodini, Heavy D. has managed to appeal to both R&B audiences and rap's hardcore. Indeed, Heavy shows strong R&B leanings on Big Tyme, his second album, which is definitely softer and more congenial than what one would have expected from Ice-T or Public Enemy that year. But the Long Island MC has a lot of technique -- a fact that hardcore hip-hoppers couldn't overlook when hearing him let loose on such numbers as "Here We Go Again, Y'all," "More Bounce" and "You Ain't Heard Nuttin' Yet." Residents of the hood may have viewed the commercial appeal that "Somebody for Me" had suspiciously, but they couldn't ignore Heavy's obvious technique. Although not remarkable, Big Tyme is an enjoyable effort that works well as escapist party music. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Heavy D & the Boyz' debut album, Living Large, finds the group still in a formative stage, but they're already engaging enough to make the record entertaining, if nothing earth-shattering. This being 1987, the production is spare and heavy on the beatbox, with some samples of James Brown and other well-known vintage soul records. As an MC, Heavy D strongly favors swingbeat rhythms at this stage (even saying so at the start of "Here We Go"), and he hasn't yet developed the smooth, resonant delivery that would make his most complex rhymes sound deceptively easy. There isn't as much variety in his subject matter, either -- "The Overweight Lover's in the House," "Chunky but Funky," "Overweighter," and "Mr. Big Stuff" represent a major concentration on the most obvious part of his image, charmingly confident though they are. There are some other cuts geared for the dancefloor, and some freestyle-type lyrics that are well-executed but rather generic. The excitement of landing a recording contract spills over into "Moneyearnin' Mount Vernon" and "I'm Getting Paid," and there's some pleasant filler elsewhere. But overall, Heavy D hadn't yet hit his stride; that would happen the next time out. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
