and developing new talent, overseeing producers, and guiding the creative vision and brand recognition of the label. He was awarded the position in June 2008 after working at the label for four years, serving four years as VP of A&R and Senior VP of A&R. In layman’s terms, Shakir stepped into the title that rap king Jay-Z vacated six months earlier. Based on his previous track record, the job looked like it would just be another notch on Stewart’s already star-studded belt. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Stewart trekked out to Atlanta after graduating from Skyline High School to attend Morehouse College to study marketing. His impact was felt almost immediately. “Back then, Atlanta was the high moment for HBCUs,” says lifestyle specialist and founder of Studio 43, Kenny Burns. Burns was a friend of Stewart’s who attended Morehouse with him. The two met through mutual friends during Freaknik ’92. “As we started partying we saw the difference between us and them, you know?” Burns recalls. “[We] just had that glow and popularity. We had that upper hand.” His glow was realized before he even set foot in Atlanta. Even back in Oakland as a youngster, he had a rep.
G N I R E B M REME STEWART SHAKIR On the EVENING of November 1st, 2008, an eerie text message traveled from cell phones in Atlanta TO THE EAST COAST, WEST COAST, AND BEYOND:
know him or know him as well as you thought you did ask the same question that his closest friends are asking. Why? To people itching to get into the music industry, maybe even to those who are knee deep in it, Shakir Stewart had the dream job. Vice-President of Def Jam Records. He was responsible for daily activities at the legendary label including finding
“He was a go-getter. He was into the pursuit of a better life and happiness,” says veteran rapper and childhood friend Richie Rich. “He was always assertive about going to school. He kept his head in the books. I remember going out to Atlanta for Freaknik ’93 and some of the guys he hung with lost focus during the time I was down there, but not him. He hung out, but he ain’t miss no classes either.” During his time at Morehouse, Stewart was a partner in Ivory Coast Entertainment, a party promotions team that also included Chris Hicks, Ryan Glover and Henry “Noonie” Lee who went on to form Noontime Records. “[I was] the guy who was the head of passing out flyers at seven clubs a night, seven days a week in 20-degree weather,” Stewart is quoted in Billboard magazine about those days.
Def Jam VP Shakir Stewart dead from suicide.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNY BURNS
Of course, like most texts of that nature, you brush it off as a terrible rumor started by someone who has nothing productive to do with their time. Especially when it’s coming from a number that you don’t have programmed in your address book. But when you keep getting that same text over and over again from people that you not only know, but respect, you finally start to realize that damn, it just might be true. Still not convinced, you hop on the internet when you get home from whatever it was you were doing and go to a website you usually trust. They’re reporting the same thing you just read in your cell phone: Def Jam VP Shakir Stewart dead from suicide. Then it sets in. A man who was loved by many, respected by most, known by plenty took himself away. Then you, a person who probably didn’t 64 // OZONE MAG
This undated photo from his Morehouse days includes Stewart (far left), friend and business partner Kenny Burns (2nd from right in the black hat), and Diddy’s “other” baby mama Sara Chapman (3rd from left in the blue dress)