Shakir Stewart, Def Jam Executive Vice President, died Saturday, November 1,2008. When found in the bathroom of his Marietta,Georgia home, it is said that he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to Kennestone Hospital where he was pronounced dead.The 34-year-old was the executive who succeeded Jay-Z as VP of music label Def Jam.
Hailing from Oakland, California, he came to Atlanta,Georgia to attend and graduate from Morehouse College.Stewart is credited with helping put Atlanta on the map of the music scene by working for Noontime Entertainment production company, the company who put Jazzy Pha in the spotlight. He’s also worked with HitCo publishing house, where he signed pop diva Beyonce Knowles, Arista Records, where he signed R&B singer Ciara, and Def Jam, where he signed Young Jeezy and Rick Ross.
He left behind a fiance and infant son.
