KNOW YA HIP HOP: Heavy D, DJ Red Alert, Funk Flex, Black Sheep, and Pete Rock & CL Smooth

On November 16, 2021, the Universal Hip Hop Museum and AllHipHop.com are set to celebrate Hip Hop History Month by highlighting the late great Heavy D, DJ Red Alert, Funk Flex, Black Sheep, and Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

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He was rough and tough and all that stuff … he made us dance and prance until we huffed and puffed. There was just no way that we could get enough of Heavy D, aka Mr. Big Stuff.

Heavy D was the first “Overweight Lover” in Hip Hop. The Jamaica-born Money-Earning Mt. Vernon native burst on the scene in the late 1980s with hits like “Is It Good To You,” “Gyrlz, They Love Me,” “Nuttin’ But Love” and “We Got Our Own Thang.”

Undeniably a man of the people, he brought a level of class to his clearly street swag. He was the best homie to every guy and the cuddly teddy bear to the girls. He was one of rap music’s first crossover stars, easily digestible by multi-generations because he always was immaculately dressed, could dance his natural “bleep” off and he never used profanity in his rhymes. This was epically demonstrated on his 1991 hit song, “Don’t Curse.”

After conquering music as a performer, he became an executive. From an executive, he became a sought-after actor. And from his space in history as an actor, he is now an ancestor. On November 8, 2011, he transitioned at 44 after having a pulmonary embolism. Hip Hop has never been the same.

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On Saturday, November 16, Hip Hop founding father, Kool DJ Red Alert, took to the decks alongside Funkmaster Flex at the Circle California Club in Manhattan.

Black Sheep were performing their hit debut song “Flavor of the Month. A fun fact about these Native Tongue members is that the duo got together after DJ Red Alert encouraged Andres “Dres” Vargas Titus to start a Hip Hop group.

Dres recruited William “Mista Lawnge” McLean to join his duo, Black Sheep. Also appearing on the show was duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth.

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