Chris Lighty’s Violator Partner Downplays Suicidal Debt Problems, “I Know Exactly What He Was Feeling”

Written By S. Samuel

Days after the tragic passing of music executive Chris Lighty, his Violator Management business partner Michael "Blue" Williams has nixed speculation which suggests money woes contributed to his death.

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Williams, who reportedly partnered with Lighty to form Primary Violator last year, said pressures, not debt, likely had a strong impact on him.

“Chris’ debt is probably less important than the pressure that he was under,” Williams told MTV News on Friday (August 31). “What people are missing and what people don’t see and what Chris is an example of is how much, as black men, we carry around and don’t always communicate.” “Some people will hear you’re in $2 million of debt and be like, ‘Aww he could’ve got out of that,’ ” Williams said anecdotally. “Other people will be like, ‘He’s been in debt before and then dug himself out,’ because managers get in debt sometimes and you got to dig yourself out when your artist gets hot.” (MTV)

Blue also said he could completely relate to what pressures and stresses Lighty may have undergone.

“I know exactly what he was feeling when it comes to pressure and debt, trying to keep your company afloat and doing what you got to do, while also maintaining a certain perception out there,” Williams explained of the air of invincibility that top moguls must maintain. “It was a combination of both, talking to him, my own experiences; I’m not just grabbing it out of the air.” (MTV)

His brother, Dave Lighty, could not comprehend how Chris could have gone through with a reported suicide.

“I’m surprised, shocked, and lost at this moment. I want the truth to come out. This isn’t my brother. My brother was a strong person, is a strong person. Nothing is adding up. I can’t get a direct answer from anybody…I understand there’s a process to be followed. I can’t even get clear answers from people I think I should be getting clear answers from… I just want to know what really happened to my brother. If he did take his own life, all right, I just wish he could have reached out and spoken to us. We were all here for him. I just want the truth. The truth.” (Fox 5 News)

Reports of the Violator founder’s death shocked the Internet Thursday (August 30) afternoon.

According to law enforcement, 44-year-old Lighty’s body was found by police around 11:30 AM in the backyard of his Bronx apartment. Lighty was pronounced dead on the scene, where a semi-automatic firearm was recovered. The death is being investigated as a possible suicide. According to sources close to Lighty, the hip hop mogul had been in an argument with his ex-wife and shot himself in the head. We’re told the couple got divorced last year and Lighty hadn’t been the same since. (TMZ)

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Written by S. Samuel

Steven Samuel is the co-founder of SOHH.com.

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