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On Tuesday night, Cam’ron and Huddy Combs (Andre Hudson) were at Perfections with DJ Camilo (who took this twitpic with his phone). Just a few hours later, Huddy was driving home, crossing the George Washington Bridge to New Jersey, when his car collided with a truck, killing him and injuring a female relative in the car (via Daily News, MTVNews, Associated Press).

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All day I’ve had a heavy heart. It’s hard to quantify Huddy‘s contribution to the Harlem social scene, to the music game, and to the Diplomats team, but there’s no way to underestimate it either. He was the glue that held so much together.

I remember the days when Killa Cam first signed to Untertainment, Murda Mase was the future of Bad Boy, there was talk of a new Harlem renaissance, and Huddy was right in the middle of it. He was with Cam every day at the Hit Factory, he was on the road with Mase, he was even in Mase’s shortlived offshoot group Harlem World (with Loon, Meeno, Stace, and Suga J). There wasn’t enough Huddy to go around. Everyone that met him, loved him. He elevated the mood in every room, and was able to relate to anyone….

(read the rest after the jump) (Updated)

…The homie Nigel told me that back when Shyne used to come around to kick it with Mase, him and Huddy teased Shyne for dressing like a flashy drug dealer, i.e. Alpo, so they named him Shyne Po. Just Blaze recalled that Huddy played a part in creating his stagename too back when Just produced for Harlem World. And it was Huddy who was riding shotgun in the blue Lambo when Cam got shot in Washington D.C., and who helped him get to the hospital.  Me, I’ll never forget how warm and protective he was to me from day I met him during the making of Confessions of Fire…he never changed over the years…we might bump into each other in a club, or on the street….Huddy always had a hug and a new hustle to share.

Today there were tons of condolences on twitter from Huddy’s friends and family…including Diddy, Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Freeky Zekey, Juelz Santana, Duke Da God, all of Huddy’s music industry friends, and those in the nightclub scene, where Hud was a promoter. (The last time I spoke to him he told me he was opening his own club in Harlem, which seemed like the perfect fit for such a natural host.) But Cam’s silence speaks volumes about the pain that I’m sure he’s feeling right now. This is a year of renewal for Cam; the Dipset reunion, a new record deal, and new energy from Vado…all progress that Huddy was meant to be a part of. Not to mention, Huddy’s younger brother, Mikey Young 6, was part of the crew too and good friends with Vado and Jae Millz. So to lose him in a crash on the same bridge where Cam and Mase’s original Children of the Corn partner Bloodshed passed back in the 90’s….is just too cruel.

It’s a shame that we need days like this to appreciate the people we take for granted.
But the alternative is this: Sitting here, looking at old photos…and wishing that I had one more chance to reminisce with Huddy about that golden time of our lives and thank him for his friendship.

Info
(thank you to Nigel/RealTalkNY for sending over this photo of Cam, Huddy, and me with my front. *sigh*)

Celebrity Drama Part 1: Dedicated to Huddy Combs (alternate link)
CD1 Huddy Combs by miss info

Celebrity Drama Part 2: Dedicated to Huddy Combs (alternate link)
CD2 Huddy Combs & TI by miss info

Funkmaster Flex’s Hot97 Mix: Dedicated to Huddy Combs and Harlem (alternate link)
01 FUNK FLEX HUDDY TRIBUTE PART 1 by djrellyrell

02 FUNK FLEX HUDDY TRIBUTE PART 2 by djrellyrell

02 FUNK FLEX HUDDY TRIBUTE PART 3 by djrellyrell


Huddy was by Cam’s side in the “Cookies and Applejuice” video in 2009


Huddy talks about the Dipset reunion on the Fat Joe x Jeezy’s “Slow Down” set in April.


Harlem World feat. Snoop Dogg “Cali Chronic” (circa 1999)…Huddy at the 0:36 minute mark