S. Samuel
Incarcerated music executive James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond and Russell Simmons have released statements on the tragic death of fellow hip-hop business mogul Chris Lighty.
Rather than speak on their past conflicts, Henchman reflected on their coming up together in the industry.
Incarcerated Hip-Hop mogul James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond has issued a statement on the death of Chris Lighty. Chris Lighty and his company violator management handled 50 Cent‘s career through a, deadly feud with Rosemond’s Czar Entertainment. In fact, Rosemond is currently awaiting a trial for his role in the murder of one of 50 Cent’s associates. Despite the two men’s differences, Rosemond issued a statement in honor of his deceased colleague. “Chris, you were my peer in business and in life. We learned the game together. You will be missed,” Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond told AllHipHop.com. “Czar Entertainment family expresses our condolences to the Lighty family due to Chris Lighty’s untimely death,” Rosemond’s publicist Sibrena Stowe de Fernandez of LaChic Media added. (All Hip Hop)
Simmons used his statement to reflect on the more personal side of Lighty.
“First let me say that Chris, or “Baby Chris” as his friends affectionately called him, was a generous and sweet man who used his energy and resources (yes, money) to give back to his community. When Chris Lighty came on the scene, he was like the third or fourth member of the groups he worked with. Chris was a lot like the artists themselves: passionate, determined and a little hot headed. But as he matured, he toned it down, just enough to represent the artists and the culture he loved. He made it his life’s work to translate – but not water down – their fire. He took his artists’ work and presented it to the world in words and actions that the fans and the gatekeepers could relate to. As he grew into a respected highly successful music industry executive, he became even more polished, until one day he was no longer a part of the group, but instead the experienced, thoughtful black leader that rappers needed. He was the bridge that protected the culture, while shaping and curating the truth that was born from it. Chris was the architect who helped shape the takeover. These street kids were mostly without father figures (or at least successful father figures) and many looked to Chris to make sense of their success. Somehow he made it look easy.” (XXL Mag)
This week, a funeral for the Violator founder took place in New York City.
Rap royalty turned out en masse Wednesday for the farewell of fallen hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty. A constellation of stars — many of them wearing pins emblazoned with Lighty’s face — crowded a Manhattan funeral home to pay their respects. Sean Diddy Combs, Fat Joe, Rev. Run, Missy Elliott, Michael Bivens, Wyclef Jean, Ed Lover — each stopped by the open casket where Lighty was laid out in a black suit. The mourners also included rappers Lighty had worked with like 50 Cent, singers like Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill, celebrities like Gayle King and Nick Cannon, and other rap moguls like Andre Harrell, Lyor Cohen and Mona Scott-Young. (New York Daily News)
Reports of Chris’ death shocked the Internet last 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)
