Rap Music Executive Found Dead

The head of hip hop music label Def Jam Recordings was found dead over the weekend from a self-inflicted gun shot would to the head. Shakir Stewart, the executive who replaced Jay-Z, was found dead on Saturday. Just another unfortunate tragedy for the world of rap music. It of course has come as a huge shock to those in the community who knew and loved Stewart.

It is a shame that these kinds of events continue to haunt rap music. Rap music first really hit the scene hard a little over twenty years ago with groups like Grand Master Flash and Ice T. It is even widely believed that Debbie Harry made the first "rapping" single with Blondie.

Rap Music when it first began was about fun and expression. It connected with a broad youth based audience and likes of it had not been heard before. As time passed, it changed. Rap music became hard. Rap music became dark. It became angry.

Rap music itself wasn't angry. The people being represented as artists performing rap music were very angry. Many rap stars had criminal pasts. There were a number of rap music "artists" who were linked to street crime. A bunch of them were drug dealers and petty thieves. They had reputations for violence and had spent time in prison. Rap music had become an outlet for them.

I always believed it was great that rap music became available as a way to escape the streets, it has just been unfortunate how the streets will not leave them alone. There have been too many young rap music personalities found dead. There has been Tupac, Biggee Smalls, Jam Master J and a host of others. I am in no way suggesting that Stewart's death is linked in any way to similar activities. It is just a shame that a dark cloud seems to continue to follow this industry.

Perhaps it is time for rap music to start to return to it's roots. Rap music could once again become fun. It would be just as successful if the rap music executive who remain, could start dropping all the anger, violence and hostility that weaves it's way through rap music and start remembering again who is listening to it.

Stewart was only 34 years old. He will be missed.