Sculpture in honor of rapper Heavy D unveiled in Mount Vernon
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Mount Vernon on Thursday paid tribute to Heavy D, one of rap’s most integral stars who grew up in the city, with the unveiling of “Peaceful Journey,” a sculpture located at 42 Broad, a new residential building.
Heavy D, born Dwight Errington Myers in Jamaica in 1967, moved to Mount Vernon as a child and grew up there. The sculpture “Peaceful Journey” is named after his third album, which contains not only that song but also Heavy D and the Boyz’ cover of “Now That We Found Love.”
“The sounds coming out of Mount Vernon with Heavy D, Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth were really unique,” said artist Eto Otitigbe, who grew up in Albany listening to hip-hop, said in a 2020 interview when the sculpture was announced. “It was through his (Heavy D’s) music that I personally had a connection to Mount Vernon.
“This sculpture offers me a chance to pay tribute to his music and hip-hop culture, all of which had an immense influence on me as I navigated my youth,” Otitigbe said.
The Vermont marble and steel sculpture was selected as one of 50 through an open competitive process conducted by ArtsWestchester.
“Public art like Eto Otitigbe’s sculpture will enhance the downtown offering a bit of the unexpected, a bit of the extraordinary into everyday life. Investment in public art is investment in a community because signature artwork like this helps create more livable, more creative communities and more enjoyable communities,” Janet T. Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester and public art partner to the project said also when the sculpture was announced.
"Mount Vernon has a rich history of arts and culture. With this being the 50th anniversary of hip hop, nothing could be more appropriate than to honor this beautiful, beautiful sculpture of Heavy D," said Mount Vernon mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, noting Heavy D's contributions to Mount Vernon, including many fundraisers, and also acknowledging Heavy D's family in attendance. "Heavy D, for me, wasn't just an artist. He was my classmate. He was my friend. He was my party partner.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rapper Heavy D honored with sculpture in Mount Vernon, NY hometown
