Friends and family are scheduled to attend a private funeral for rap legend Heavy D at a historic black church in a northern suburb of New York City. The funeral will be held on Friday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, with senior pastor the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson delivering the eulogy, the church announced in a news release.
The viewing for the rapper, whose real name was Dwight Myers, will be held on Thursday at the church from noon to 6 p.m. ET. A telephone information line has been set up with more details about the arrangements at 212-381-2037.
The 44-year-old rapper collapsed outside his home last week in Los Angeles after experiencing difficulty breathing. A cause of death has not been released.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the Heavy D and Xea Myers Fund and sent to the following address:
The Heavy D and Xea Myers Fund
c/o JPMorgan Chase
726 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10085
News of the sudden death of the beloved rapper, who soared to popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s, caused sorrow across the globe.
Read earlier coverage at The Root.
In other news: Slave Cemetery Uncovered on Florida Island.