According to ABC News, rapper Heavy D passed away yesterday after losing the ability to breathe and collapsing in the stairwell of his condominium in Los Angeles. The cause of death is not known, but some sources claim the 44-year-old rapper had pneumonia, while others believe his condition was caused by a fall down the stairs. A neighbor of Heavy D claims he saw the rapper leaning against the stairwell in distress and called 911. Although he was conscious when paramedics arrived on the scene, Heavy D was pronounced dead at Cedars Sinai Hospital soon after.

From ABC:

Heavy D, born Dwight Arrington Myers, 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.” (The song was first “In Living Color,” Heavy D & the Boyz later recorded a new theme, “Cause That’s the Way You Livin’ When You’re 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 new film, “Tower Heist.” Heavy D performed at October’s BET Awards, his first live performance in 15 years.

Although his death is shocking and tragic, we can all appreciate and take his last words to heart, as his final Tweet simply said: