SBTV Founder Jamal Edwards MBE Has Passed Away Aged 31
Written by SOURCE on February 21, 2022
SBTV founder Jamal Edwards has sadly passed away. He was 31 years old.
Thousands of tributes poured in via Twitter before sources close to his family officially confirmed the news to the BBC.
Since first recording videos of local rappers and friends at just 15 years old, Jamal helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Dave, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran. Originally using the name Smokey Bars TV, his YouTube channel became the gold standard for online music platforms in the UK and brought grime and UK rap to huge audiences.
An innovator and tireless entrepreneur, his thirst for invention continued far beyond SBTV. His most recent project was 8BARS, a new mobile app designed to democratise clashes and bring the immediacy of head-to-head MCing into the online world.
Away from business, Jamal was also a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, campaigning relentlessly on the issue. As recently as November he worked with Response, a Thames Valley-based organisation that offers support to people with mental illnesses and their carers, on a campaign to increase awareness of the rise in suicide rates among men.
A cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
Ever since the news broke, fans and artists have been sharing memories and condolences.
