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London (CNN) – Jamal Edwards, a music entrepreneur best known for founding the SBTV media platform, has died at the age of 31.
His mother confirmed on Monday that her “beautiful” and “inspiring” son died on Sunday morning of a “sudden illness”.
Brenda Edwards, who is a panelist on the British television talk show “Loose Women”, paid an emotional tribute to her son in a statement shared on the show’s social media accounts, saying she and her family are “devastated” .
“It is with the deepest sorrow that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness. Myself, his sister Tanisha and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the center of our lives.” world,” the statement said.
She continued, “As we come to terms with his passing, we ask for privacy to mourn this unimaginable loss. I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support. Jamal was an inspiration to me and to many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on. Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA and PHD.”
Edwards was a pioneering figure in British rap and grime music. Raised in Acton, west London, he entered the music scene at the age of 15 when his parents gave him a video camera for Christmas.
In 2006, he launched SBTV (SmokeyBarz TV) as an online platform to showcase emerging artists. He gave early exposure and helped launch the careers of artists like Dave, Jessie J, Ed Sheeran and Skepta.
The SBTV YouTube channel now has 1.2 million subscribers and almost 1 billion total views.
“I remember sitting there and thinking, ‘Why can’t I find this online?’ and if they were online they were just shoddy versions so I thought ‘Okay great I’m going to try to film people in my area and put it up on YouTube’ And from there it just started to build and grow “, he told BBC Radio 1Xtra in 2017.
As his success grew, Edwards turned to philanthropy as an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a youth charity run by the Prince of Wales that helps young people set up their own businesses. In 2014, at the age of 24, he received an MBE (Member of the British Empire) award for his services to music.
Following news of his death, tributes have poured in from music industry heavyweights, sports stars and political figures.
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