Chris Lighty Dies But Leaves A Legacy

Sadly, the hip-hop community is pretty accustomed to receiving shocking news. But this one literally made me gasp. From nj.com:

Chris Lighty, an influential music industry insider whose roster of artists epitomized the freewheeling ‘90s hip-hop lifestyle, has died, according to Vibe. Reports are not yet conclusive, but there is speculation that Lighty’s death at 43 was a suicide by gunshot.

Chris Lighty’s name might not connect with younger fans as easily as other big spenders like Jay-Z, 50 Cent or Birdman but, in many ways, Chris Lighty was the archetype for today’s hip-hop moguls.

Chris best known as manager of Violator Entertainment, a management group that boasts a who’s-who of rap and R&B stars, including Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Diddy and 50 Cent. LL Cool J, Fat Joe, Foxy Brown and others also fell under that umbrella at one point. Violator even released a couple of albums in the early ’00s, which included gems like this:

I still love that video.

Chris was also the man behind Q-Tip’s success as a solo artist, following Tip’s monumental stint with A Tribe Called Quest.

Chris split his time making big moves in the board room while living that champagne life outside of it. That became the blueprint for Jay-Z, Diddy and every other wannabe mover and shaker that followed. Chris Lighty was your favorite rapper’s role model.

Chris was a silent giant in the industry, proving that you could be as influential and successful behind the scenes as you could in front of the camera. Scores of hip-hop veterans owe their livelihoods to Chris and his guidance.

I hope his tragic death doesn’t mar his contributions to hip hop.