SBTV founder Jamal Edwards MBEĀ has sadly passed away. He was 31 years old.Ā
Thousands of tributes poured in via Twitter before sources close to his family officially confirmed the news to the BBC on Sunday evening.Ā
On Monday morning, Jamal Edwardsā mother, Brenda Edwards, shared a statement confirmingĀ his cause ofĀ death. āIt is with the deepest heartache that I can confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness,ā she said.Ā
āMyself, his sister Tanisha and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the centre of our world.Ā As we come to terms with his passing we ask for privacy to grieve this unimaginable loss. I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support.
āJamal was an inspiration to myself and so many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on. Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA, PHD.ā
Since first recordingĀ videos of local rappers and friends at just 15 years old, Jamal helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Dave, Jessie J, and Ed Sheeran. Originally using the name Smokey BarzĀ TV, his YouTube channel became the gold standard for online music platforms in the UK and brought grime and UK rap to huge audiences.
An innovator and tireless entrepreneur, JamalāsĀ thirst for invention continued far beyond SBTV. His most recent project was 8BARS, a new mobile app designed to democratise clashes and bring the immediacy of head-to-head MCing into the online world.
Away from business, Jamal was a veryĀ passionate advocate for mental health awareness, campaigning relentlessly on the issue.Ā As recently as November, he worked with Responseāa Thames Valley-basedĀ organisation that offers support to people with mental illnesses and their carersāon a campaign to increase awareness of the rise in suicide rates among men.
Ever since the news broke, fans, artists and the wider music industry have been sharing memories and condolences:
