Edwards, who grew up on a council estate in Acton, West London, founded SBTV as a teenager in 2006, a company that has aided the careers of Dave, Skepta, Stormzy, and a slew of other artists.
Jamal Edwards attends the BFI IMAX World Premiere of "Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn" on January 29, 2020 in London, England.
Jamal Edwards, the trailblazing creator and CEO of SBTV, the British youth media platform with hip-hop at its core, died at the age of 31 on Sunday (Feb. 20).
Edwards, who grew up on a council estate in Acton, West London, founded SBTV when he was a teenager in 2006, a venture that has helped guide the careers of Dave, Skepta, Stormzy, and many others.
Edwards, an early YouTube adopter, utilized his channel to promote his creative buddies in those early days. It still does, with the exception that Edwards' circle of friends has grown. He'd collaborate with artists like Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and Jessie J throughout time.
Today, the broadcaster he built from the ground up is a multibillion-pound corporation with the strapline "Connecting Worlds," and it continues to operate with the same core values: to provide "a platform to discover and break emerging artists, enjoy your favorite acts, and unearth incredible talent." More than 1.22 million people have subscribed to the SBTV YouTube channel. In an interview with Prince's Trust, an organization that assists young people start their own enterprises, he noted, "At 16, I may not have had the experience," for which he has an ambassador. “But I was full of energy, ideas and ready to get stuck in. Yet no-one would give me a second glance”.
Edwards used that energy to assist and inspire others, and to make connections. It was Edwards who encouraged Sheeran to contribute for a song he’d discovered by Afrobeat artist Fireboy DML. The song was “Peru,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, giving the Nigerian artist a personal best.
Edwards’ efforts were recognized in 2014, when he was appointed an MBE for services to music. “Never in a million years did I ever think I would receive such an accolade,” he explained in a social post at the time. “For me this is about us the youth, with so much negativity around us it’s hard sometimes to stay positive and fight for your dreams.”
Brenda Edwards, an English singer and actress who finished fourth in the second series of The X Factor in 2005, is the son of the late entrepreneur. "It is with the deepest grief that I confirm that my lovely son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness," she said in a statement. My sister Tanisha, as well as the rest of his family and friends, are saddened. He was the epicenter of our universe."
The cause of death is yet unknown.
Edwards' farewell Instagram post perfectly encapsulates his approach to life and business. It was a birthday shout out to Ed Sheeran, accompanied by a video, sent just days before his death, “Blessed to have you in my life brother. You know you’ve been mates a long time when you lose count on the years! Keep smashing it & inspiring us all,” he wrote.
As news of his death spread, tributes flowed online as Edwards was remembered as a bright spark, a game-changer and a kind soul. AJ Tracey, who boasts seven U.K. Top 10s on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, remembered Edwards and his “west London legend status,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted that British music and entertainment “has lost one of its brightest stars”.
