February 11, 2009 @ 4:53 pm | Written by: Karen Civil
Letter to Shakir
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS9-KYeFzUI&hl=en&fs=1
Shakir Stewart, was a Def Jam Exec who sadly took his own life. Coming up in this business, Shakir was a man to admire. He graduated from Atlanta’s Morehouse College and got his start as a music executive at Hitco Music Publishing where he signed Beyoncé. In 2000, he was appointed A&R consultant at LaFace Records signing Ciara to the label. He stayed there until 2004. From 2004 he served as vice president and then senior vice president of A&R for Def Jam. He signed Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy and Miami rapper Rick Ross. In June 2008, he was appointed as Executive Vice President of Def Jam where he had replaced Jay-Z, a position left vacant since December 2007. In addition to discovering new talent Stewart oversaw various projects as Def Jam VP of A&R, including Nas, LL Cool J, and Brutha. It’s only right a tribuate be made for him, Q Da Kid did a great job! It would have been great to see the people he helped through the years make a cameo. R.I.P Shakir
