Shakir Stewart: 1974-2008

Shakir Stewart, the head of hip-hop label Def Jam, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last Saturday. He was 34 years old.

Stewart was found in the basement of his Marietta, Ga. home Saturday afternoon, according to a Cobb County police officer. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Stewart, recently famous for signing hip-hop luminaries like Rick Ross and Young Jeezy to the Def Jam Family, succeeded Jay-Z as the label's executive vice president in early June. Before his tenure at Def Jam, he worked with the Hitco publishing company where he signed Beyonce, and Arista Records where he signed Ciara.

"Over the past several weeks, Shakir's behavior was inconsistent with the man we all know and love," Def Jam said in a statement. "As much as we all tried to help him, Shakir was in deep pain and largely suffering in silence."

"Whatever happened over the past 24 hours is not a testament to who we all know," longitime friend and business partner Christopher Hicks told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He was a one-of-a-kind individual."

Related links:
DefJam.com
Vibe: Shakir Stewart named executive VP at Def Jam

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