Police Confirm Def Jam Exec Shakir Stewart's Suicide

(andPOP) - After the tragic death of Def Jam Executive Vice President Shakir Stewart on Saturday afternoon, Atlanta police have now confirmed that the 34-year-old died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stewart was transported to a local hospital, and pronounced dead, after having been found in a bathroom in his home.

Stewart played an important part in donating his services to help bring awareness to the Atlanta music scene through his party promotions firm and the Noontime Entertainment production company.

During his four-year term at Def Jam, Stewart rose quickly, and was then promoted to the head position, following rapper Jay-Z’s departure from the label in December.

Christopher Hicks, a long time friend of Stewart, said he last spoke to Stewart about a week ago. "Whatever happened over the past 24 hours is not a testament to who we all know," Hicks told the Journal-Constitution on Sunday. "He was a one-of-a-kind individual...he was the kind of guy who would get dressed up for a party none of us were invited to. He had no doubt he was getting in. He was a 'Where there's a will, there's a way' kind of guy. Always."


Stewart's fiancée, Michelle Rivers, released a joint statement with his family on Sunday in which she said that "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."