‘He was my best friend’

The family of Jacksonville music legend DJ Bigga Rankin is preparing to say their final goodbyes after a career that helped shape Southern hip-hop and elevate artists across the country.

Billy Plummer, known professionally as Bigga Rankin, died early Monday morning, July 20, at age 63.

As a DJ, club promoter, music executive and A&R pioneer — a music industry professional who helps discover and develop artists — Rankin played a key role in promoting and advancing the careers of numerous hip-hop artists.

For his brother Garfield Plummer, however, Billy was more than a music icon.

“He was his best friend,” said Plummer.

The brothers grew up together, moved to the United States together and eventually made their way to Jacksonville.

“Me and him been together from day one,” Garfield Plummer said. “We came to Jacksonville together. We came to America together on the same plane at the same time.”

By 1990, Cool Runnings, led by Bigga Rankin, was promoting in clubs in Jacksonville. Then eventually, in cities across the U.S.

Garfield said his brother’s ability to command a crowd helped set the group apart.

“Billy just came along and got on that mic, and he just hyping up them people,” Garfield said. “We just came with something different, and the people just fell in love with it.”

What began with small Jamaican shows soon grew into major performances featuring some of the biggest names in music.

“We did Biggie Smalls four times,” Garfield said. “Buju Banton, Shabba Ranks, Shaggy. Heavy D, we did Too Short. Once we started it, it’s like it was nonstop. It just kept growing, growing, growing.”

As Cool Runnings expanded, so did Bigga’s reputation.

He became known across the country as a prominent DJ and promoter and helped introduce, promote and develop some of the biggest names in hip-hop.

“We went all over,” Garfield said. “There was no limit where we’d go to promote Cool Runnings.”

Through it all, Garfield remained by his brother’s side.

“He never felt safe nowhere unless I was there with him,” Garfield said.

Now, after decades of building a life and career together, Garfield is learning how to move forward without his brother.

“It’s starting to set in like my brother’s really not here anymore,” Garfield said. “My wife check on me like 30 times a day just to make sure I’m OK.”

“Me and Billy were like inseparable,” he said. “When it comes to Billy, everything is Garfield, and for me everything was Billy. We’re brothers, but we just was different. He was my brother, but he was my best friend.”

As tributes pour in from across the music industry and Jacksonville community, Garfield said the outpouring of love does not surprise him.

“The love that he got didn’t surprise me,” he said. “The only thing is I wanted a lot of people to really give him his flowers before he got to that point. Just give my brother what he deserved because he deserved a lot.”

Rankin leaves behind a legacy as a father, husband, brother, friend and mentor whose influence reached far beyond the stage.

For many in Jacksonville and throughout the Southern hip-hop community, Bigga Rankin was a legend.

His viewing will be held Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Paxon Revival Center Church. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Paxon Revival Center Church.

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