Heavy D, the former leader of the hip-hop group Heavy D and the Boyz, has died at the age of 44. The rapper was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles earlier this afternoon and was pronounced dead at 1pm (Pacific Time). Police are investigating his death but there are no signs of foul play.

Heavy D, born Dwight Arrington Myers, broke into the music industry with Living Large, his first record with the Boyz, in 1987. He went on to even greater success with the hit "Now That We Found Love" in 1991, and recorded theme songs for the television series In Living Color and MADtv. In recent years, D recorded a series of reggae fusion albums.