Rapper Heavy D's shocking death Tuesday at the age of 44 has stunned fans and those closest to him, including former NBA star turned radio host John Salley.

In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, John calls Heavy D a really good friend and tells us they became close when he first moved to Los Angeles.

John says that he and his wife Natasha Duffy were always big fans of Heavy D's songs -- so much so, that Now That We Found Love was one of their wedding songs when they tied the knot in 1993.

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