Embolism After Long Flight Killed Rapper Heavy D

Heavy D in October 2011.

A pulmonary embolism brought on by a long flight killed rapper Heavy D, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office released Tuesday.

Heavy D (real name: Dwight Arrington Myers) collapsed and died suddenly outside his Beverly Hills home on Nov. 8 at age 44.  His cause of death was a blood clot in his lung, but he also suffered from deep vein thrombosis and heart disease.

Craig Harvey, chief of the L.A. County Coroner’s Office, said the blood clot was “most likely formed during an extended airplane ride,”  according to the L.A. Times. The rapper had recently returned to L.A. from a trip to London. Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, include long distance travel with little mobility, obesity, and immobility from an acute illness or surgery.

Initially, it was reported that the rapper and actor suffered from pneumonia, and that the illness may have played a part in his death. A toxicology report found that Heavy D had cough syrup in his system but determined it did not contribute to his death.

Heavy D was one of the most influential rappers of the 1990s. He was the leader of the hip-hop trio Heavy D & the Boyz, which gained mainstream fame for the theme song for the TV show “In Living Color.” Heavy D also rapped on Michael Jackson’s “Jam” and Janet Jackson’s “Alright.”

In recent years, Heavy D focused more on TV and movie appearances. He made a cameo in Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller’s 2011 film, “Tower Heist.” Heavy D performed at October’s BET Awards, his first live performance in 15 years.