Def Jam Executive Vice President Shakir Stewart, 34, died Saturday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near Atlanta.
Stewart was found around 4 p.m. Saturday in the bathroom of his home in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta, Cobb County police spokeswoman Cassie Reece said Sunday. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
He was promoted to Executive VP in June following the resignation of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. He also retained his duties as senior VP of A&R at Island Def Jam.
On Sunday, his fiancée, Michelle Rivers, released a joint statement with his family:
“We would like to thank Shakir’s friends for the tremendous outpouring of love and support we have received during this difficult time,” the statement reads. “It has helped us to cope with our overwhelming grief and sadness. It is difficult to express or explain in words what led to the tragic occurrence on Saturday. Over the past several weeks, Shakir’s behavior was inconsistent with the man we all know and love. As much as we all tried to help him, Shakir was in deep pain and largely suffering in silence. Please remember Shakir for who he was … a wonderful father, partner, son and friend.”
HUDSON MEMORIAL
Hundreds lined the street in front of Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago to pay their respects in a public memorial to Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew.
During the service, several mourners spoke, sang and offered recollections of 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, 29-year-old Jason Hudson and 7-year-old Julian King.
A private, invitation-only service is scheduled to be held Monday at 9 a.m. at Chicago’s Apostolic Church of God. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the newly-created domestic violence fund:
Seaway Bank and Trust
P.O. Box 19522
Chicago, IL 60619
ANOTHER DRAGGING DEATH
The dragging death of 24-year-old Brandon McClelland raises racial tensions in Texas, just as the death of James Byrd did a decade ago. Black activists and the victim’s mother, Jacquline McClelland, are calling it a racist attack. However, a suspect’s sister, Krystala Boyd, says, “This was no hate crime. You can’t hate somebody you love.”
Shannon Keith Finley and Charles Ryan Crostley face up to life in prison if convicted. The grand jury is scheduled to convene Nov. 13.
Another dragging death? Let the games begin…
I Wish Jennifer the best! I know its going to be tough for her… I hope she can find peace and strength somehow somewhere.
A Black Man Commited Suicide….Im sorry for that family, but if someone is selfish enough to leave their kids, their family for their own personal reasons…………..
The devil is busy.
My condolences to the Stewart family and especially to his fiancee Michelle. So sad…
Another dragging? C’mon…
My prayers of peace and serenity to the Hudon/King families. I will not comment on the foundation.
He may have had a “secret” he could not get off his chest. Or found out he had something…who knows. I wish his family the best during this tragic time.
Yeah, let the games begin…
1.Anyone who commits suicide is going to hell so i don’t care for..
2. The death of the 24 year old is tragic and we need to find out what happens
3.The hudson/king case we need to find out whats happened there. it sounds like the mother julia knows more and she needs to speak up..
Alot of people set up foundations when tradagies occur. Sadm that he had to commit suicide.
Shakir Stewart’s death is another reminder that success in life is not measured by the size of your wallet
hmmmm @ Shakir…
Condolences to the families of Stewart and Hudson!.
Why is everyone so hyped up about the Hudsons setting up a foundation. I don’t see anything wrong with that. I think it is way for them to start healing and helping other people. People need to stop second guessing other people. It’s pathetic!
i’m sorry for shakir stewart’s family, friends, and associates. it’s really unfortunate the things people go through.
that dragging is so obviously a hate crime whether it be racially motivated or for other trivial reason we’re not aware of. when you hit somebody, you at least hear that you did, so you stop. they obviously didn’t stop. the murder was intended.
the killing of jennifer hudson’s nephew still saddens me.
Sad about Shakir..He was obviously in so much pain. Money is not the cure to happiness.
I continue to keep the Hudson family inmy prayers–Just horrible
Brandon McClelland’s death has so many unanswered questions. Were these two men really his “friends”?? Sometimes when liquor is involved peoples real feelings come out.
Beauty QT you are so right
My condolences go out to Shakir’s family as I knew him as a very nice and down to earth person. For him to do this is beyond UNREAL. I’ve heard some people say on other blogs that he had a “good ass job” in the music industry so why would he commit suicide.The music industry isn’t all its hyped to be nor is it as glamorous as many think…it’s quite stressful and everyone isn’t built for it. Plus you don’t know what was happening in his personal life… I feel it’s wrong for anyone to say “Oh he committed suicide so I don’t care and he’s going to hell,” because you never know what’s going on in someone else’s head till u have walked in their shoes.
Your in my prayers Brother Shakir!
…….Super sad post, prayers goes out to both families, mental illness is real, we are
…….all not as strong as others. Please don’t judge.
I agree with Beauty QT
Amen to that # 9 Money can’t buy a damn thing mentally!
Prayers to Jennifer, Julia and the Hudson family!
24…..wow…another one gone too soon! I hope those guilty get what they deserve!
All this hate is making me sick this morning!!!!!
I didn’t fully believe it when I heard the news here in Atlanta… comes off very sad because of the loss his family will suffer… Suicide is never the answer… go out fighting even if its an internal battle
This whole post is laced with sadness. May Jen Hud and the other families who lost precious one find some kind of comfort during these very difficult times. These senseless killings will only stop when God steps in. Someone was right when they said Satan is busy. Enough already!!!!
I find it terribly evil for someone to be able to say anything negative towards something so tragic. “He committed suicide so i don’t care”??? Maybe if we all cared…just a little more then it just might give someone that last little ounce of hope that could help see them through. Maybe we should care about something more than what Ciara wore last night…or who’s dating who.
I’ll continue to pray for The Hudson Family, as well as the family and friends of Shakir.
When it comes to suicide you just never know what is eating at a person. You never know what drives a person to end their life like that! So I cannot judge a person due to their demons and you are definitely NOT in your right frame of mind when you take yourself out like that. So although the ultimate result is death in the pit of hell – who are we to judge?
RIP Shakir and my condolences go out to the family. This has to be a most difficult time!
I mean you really have to question these “suicides” by successful people who from the outside seem to have everything going for them.
This Hudson family murder is so tragic, I don’t even know what to say anymore.
ou can’t hate somebody you love” Shit if that was love, I wouldn’t want to know what he’d do to him if he’d hated him.
shut up #7..Who are you, God??? You don’t know who is or who is not going to hell…..you have no proof….keep believing those lies the white man wrote in the King James version of the Bible….you ig’nant fool
Anyways…sudden suicide is so awful..my old college classmate took his life after he got engaged, bought a house, and got a great engineering job…so you never know what’s going on in people’s heads….Shakir was a fine looking dude though..such a shame
I offer my condolences and prayers to each family because WE don’t have a HEAVEN or HELL to put anyone in! So, with that, I’ll digress on some of these ridiculous, judgmental comments.
God Bless Us All!
Good day folx!
That baby is just killing me…I can’t stand seeing his picture. I honestly can’t believe someone shot him….it’s just astonishing…
My heart goes out to everyone else, of course… but that baby…smh!
*********** I still cry over little Julian’s death. Hell, this whole post is devastating.
******
****** Everyone please just be very careful in the days and months ahead. The ******* country is on the brink of change and everyone isn’t happy about it.
***
Terrible sadness regarding Hudson’s Family and the suicide of the music executive in Atlanta. It’s even more tragic that we sit here and judge and cast uglyness about it. There’s is a lot self-righteous people on this post who think that they have not fallen down yet. Your time is coming and you better hope that people show you more kindness and less judgement than what you have shown on this post.
#4 u aint never lied
There is so much contradiction in these comments. Comments/opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one. At the end of the day can we really say “Rest In Peace”, because there is no “peace”. It was a selfish act & I urge that prayers go Michelle & the children. There is nothing that will make me leave my family…. The music community has lost an icon that was important to a plethora of careers in Atlanta as well as music in general. Pray for Jeezy, Rick Ross, Karina Parsons, Electrik Redd. I am ANGRY for what has been done, because you were far from finished…. You will be missed.
@DEZMAR and @7
My brother comitted suicide and speaking from personal experience Shakir had to have had some type of mental illness. Just because a person looks like they have it together doesn’t mean that they do. Until you’ve experineced everything that person has gone through it’s easy to say just fight thru it.
@THAIJAE
so if a person has a mental illness and does this that means they’re going to hell even though they’re not in their right frame of mind?
I live in Oklahoma and heard nothing about the dragging death. I read about it on the internet. It’s a very sad situation. Another reminder for us to make sure we have our lives in order!
I’m am still praying for Jennifer and Julia, my condolences go out to them. The Texas dragging is very disturbing as well. I hope justice is served in both of these cases.
The suicide of Shakir, there appears to be an unquestionable amount of acceptance of his death at such an early stage. Hmmm……..I’m going to keep my eye open on this one.
Nonetheless my heart felt condolences go out to all of these families. #4 you are correct – the devil is busy.
this has been a year of saddness, though history is being made and we are suppose to be able to celebrate our lives and what we have came from and where we are going, but people are taking lives away. RIP to all that lost their lives.
That’s sad how main stream media NEVER acknowledged or covered that story of the young man dragged to death 40 -70 ft in Texas. Mind you this happend SEPTEMEBER 16TH AND IT’S NOW NOVEMBER 3RD. This is only going to get worse I hate to admit it- especially if Obama is blessed enough to make it into office. We have to be prepared and expect the unexpected b/c the ignorance of some individuals is beyond expressed words.
RIP to Shakir I had the pleasure to get to know that brotha around here in ATL. You never know what one is going through in life b/c I too been in that situation, by the grace of God I survived my attempt. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Co Sign with number 4 for real.
I feel so sorry for Miss Jennifer. This just touches my soul. God is going to Bless her!
You have to be the most insenstive and ignorant person in the world to say that you don’t care that someone committed suicide.When did you become judge and jury? Mentally you never know what a person is going through. What if someone in your family committed suicide? You wouldn’t want someone to be so heartless to say that they don’t care to your family..My prayers go out to his family because God only knew what battle he was going through.Son may you rest in peace.
I have the right to my Opinion and I believe if you take your own life,, you are going to “HELL”, he got all that money he could have went to his fiance or his mama, or a friend. hech he could have went to a shrink….. taking your life is never the answer and “I DON’T CARE” for people who take their life.
If someone in my family commited suicide I would say the same thing… In fact I wouldn’t even go to the funeral, I’m not gonna say rest in peace when I know your soul is burning in hell eternaly.
My condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families and loved ones affected by the tragedies reported on this post. The devil is busy. We gotta pray harder, and love stronger. May God be with us all during these trying times….
To say that someone…anyone…is going to hell and you don’t care? That goes against the very thing that CHristianity is! If we didn’t care about the people that are SUPPOSEDLY going to hell..then we wouldn’t care about the drug addicts, prostitutes, adulterers, etc. That is just hateful and ignorant. We are no one to judge.
The suicide hits home with me because I’ve experienced it so I’m very sensitive to the subject but there’s no need for people to go back and forth telling others they’re wrong for the way they feel. People have the right to their opinions and it may seem harsh to alot of us but that’s life. People are always going to say and do things we feel are in appropriate. The more you tell a person that they’re wrong the more defensive they’re going to be so why not spend that time doing something else. Let’s just agree to pray for all of the families involved and not let what other people say or feel affect us in a negative way. Ya’ll now high blood pressure runs in some of our families so we done went and got our pressure and sugar up for nothin!!! LOL!!!
What in the world is going on…WHY on both of these cases. WOW our environment is really taking a toll on us.
I’m very interested in the negative responses concerning the Hudson Foundation. By definition a foundation is an organization funded by an endowment. This simply means Jennifer has decided to fund domestic abuse education, prevention and anything else she sees fit. I would imagine this is in hopes of preventing another family from experiencing such a tragic and unneccesary act of violence.
Its weird that Shakir just decided to commit suicide. Its just ª shocker. He didn’t think about what his. fiance and daughter would have to endure now that he is gone. I don’t kno man. I think something terrible happened and he didn’t want to b around for the outcome. There is many scenarios that are running through my mind about the reason behind it. But I will pray for his family and friends he touched and that are mourning right now.
I still get teary eyed about the Jhud situation. I think about Jilian like he was my family. He didn’t get the oppurtunity to live yet. I really hope he would b alive, then on Monday I heard tha news and just was crushed. Rest in Peace, Darnel, Jilian and Jason Hudson.
R.I.P to the 24 year who died in the draggin death.
I don’t kno about yall. I’m scared for Obama, cuz this situation just goes to show, there is still some racist ppl out there.
My heart and prayers go out to them all. Regardless of why these things happened, they really shouldn’t have happened at all.
Please people if u know someone with mental disorders, as in Shakir’s case, please help them even if u have to have them committed cuz they need u, they need Jesus, and they need medical help. Even if u know someone who is a lil down and have the blues just be there for them, check up on them and let them know that ur there. So sad…
Wow! I send my condolences to the Shakir Stewart family….who knows what that man was going through or thinking….It should never get that bad where you would take your own life.
Hudson family tragedy is so heart-wrenching….I can’t help to wonder how scared Julian was before his untimely death. Why haven’t they charged anyone?
Racist is still alive….Don’t let Obama get elected it will really be on.
My heart goes out to each and every family who has to deal with the death of a loved one. I don’t know why Shakir took his life, but I do know to do such a thing one must be in ALOT of pain and agony. When you’re really depressed it’s hard to think about the people who love you and the friends who would be there to support. Sometimes all people can think about is finding a way out. But there is no way out, only a way through. GOD rest his soul.
Jhud = She will be even more STRONG in her faith when she has the time to actually grieve and recover from her losses. I feel for her, but GOD wouldn’t give her anything more than she can handle.
Dragging death = exceptionally horrible.
You know what you have the right of freedom of speech and you also have to right to be stupid.
To put down a person who commits suicide is really sad. I have been in a suicidal state-of-mind before, and you are so depressed that you think you’re family and friends just *might* be better off without you. I really feel horrible that Shakir did this…and that his family has to go on without him. But he obviously had to have been going through something that was just so awful that he felt he had no other choice. That is a sad thing – not something that should be judged. You’re not God, you don’t know who’s going to heaven or hell, so please quit acting as if you do.
This guy taking his life proves that money aint everything. We all running around here trying to get more and dont know what to do with what we already got. If you can t find happiness in yourself nothing you will ever get will change that.
I am following this Dragging case very closely. I pull the news wire everyday. I’m hearing alot of things about this case. I will have to hear more on this. But what I think is funny is some of you believe this is a hate crime and you don’t believe what Sean Bell and the other members of the Jena 6 did was a hate crime. My how we all hae our duoble standards.
I can see the point of some of you about the fund. Most of us dont care about an issues until its looking you in the face. Case in point we send Billions of dollars to Third world countries like Hatti almost all of Africa, but we do nothing for the kids and people right in our own country living in almost the some condition. We say” oh the government is suppose to take care of them”. Well those countries have governments too, but that doesnt stop us from sending all we can.
Wow. 34 years old and took his own life. I wonder what happened to him?
I am so sorry for Jennifer Hudson. I hope she finds the peace she needs and God will soon remove this dark cloud that hangs over her. Losing ONE family member is hard enough. I would also hope that her sister Julia and so many other women like her would never invite men like William Balfour into their lives and into their children’s lives ever again. For the sake of ourselves and our children, we must make better choices when it comes to picking a mate. This man was trouble from the word go.
the hate is so real.
whats happening to people loosing their sense of hummanity?
its so easy to kill and be killed these days!!!
karma is real– send positivity and you will gain it– send that bad shit and u got something coming for that asss..
my condolensces to all who are suffering loss.
I hope his suicide give light to Depression and Mentalness in the Black Community. I been suicidal before in the past, I just never acted on it…It is not a great place to be when you want to end your own life. I did not love my life, I did not love this world, I did not love the people around me and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I did not love myself!!! Anyone in that state of mind needs help. We should be encouraging People to get that HELP and removing the Stigma in our commonity.
@ SILLY_RABBIT
when you get a chance please email me, I have some questions for you
bsmith01@gimail.af.mil
@3 Dezmar tyson
Umm, he suffered from deep depression. He was bi-polar. That’s a diease in case you didn’t realize it. He couldn’t help his highs and lows. If you’ve never been to a place so dark you can’t find your way out you wouldn’t understand. You better Thank God you never see that place!
@ #56 bipolar is a mental illness if he has a mental illness then that is all that it is. is an ILLNESS go get help!! its always selfish to take your own life leaving other to suffer. thats the chicken way out. he has a baby, what about her?? you didnt answer that. now she is gonna have issues in her life around this. suicide is never the answer. its the punk way out!!!! THAT MY STORY AND IM STICKIN TO IT!!!!
HELL I HAVE SEEN TOUGH TIMES TOO, WHO HASNT?
And for Jhud. im so sorry babygirl. i just hope you find the strength to make it through this terrible detour in your life. you have people all over the world who are supporting you.
good lord.
smh @ Texas. makes me hate living here.