He was an incredible music mogul who transformed the landscape after starting a YouTube channel as a teenager.
But it was announced yesterday that Jamal Edwards, the entrepreneur who helped launch Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora and Stormzy, has sadly died aged 31.
Jamal founded SBTV in 2006, while he was still at school with a £20 phone and a laptop and within a few years, it was a huge success.
The channel was mostly focused on featuring grime artists, although it grew to also include hip-hop, R&B, and pop, as musicians became desperate to appear on it.
Jamal went on to be awarded an MBE for his services to music in 2014 and was praised for his efforts to give back to his community.
Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here
This included funding youth centres in a bid to give the younger generation some of the opportunities that had benefitted him.
He also spoke out about taboos about mental health, including his own anxiety, and wider pressures in the music industry.
Jamal often attributed his incredible work ethic to his mum Brenda Edwards, the singer and Loose Women panellist.
In a statement released today, she said her son was “the centre of our world” as she paid an emotional tribute to him following his sudden illness.
The pair were extremely close, with Brenda raising Jamal and younger sister Tanisha in Luton before Brenda and stepdad Patrick moved the family to Acton, west London.
In an interview with the Guardian, Jamal praised his mum for keeping him out of trouble when he was growing up.
“She always said: stay on the straight and narrow. Don’t get lost. Don’t go off track,” he said. “And she was right.”
And when his mum was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, he decided to move back into the family home in a bid to support his mum.
He told the paper: "I wanted to provide as much support as I could.
"People knew about the cancer because I posted about it,” he added, “and a lot of people said I should take time off, and at first I said: ‘I can’t – I’ve got to make the business work, so I can look after my family.’ That’s what I do, I provide."
Brenda revealed on Loose Women in 2016 that she is cancer free - and Jamal told the Metro he was inspired by his mum's approach.
He said: "My mum [ X Factor star Brenda Edwards] getting diagnosed with breast cancer. I didn't know how to deal with it.
"One of the things she took from me was my self-belief and positivity. That helped her get through it. But for me, that positivity left me.
"They found the cancer at a late stage, she lost her hair and my head was all over the place as a result. But she smiled all the way through it.
"She's in remission now. She's on Loose Women and involved in the Sister Act 2 tour. Life has changed around now. I learned that when it's raining outside it can be sunny in your brain."
In a statement released on Feb 21, Brenda thanked everyone for “messages of love and support” following Jamal's death.
In a statement read out on ITV ’s Good Morning Britain, Edwards said: “It is with the deepest heartache that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness.
“Myself, his sister Tanisha, and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the centre of our world.
“As we come to terms with his passing, we asked for privacy to grieve this unimaginable loss. I would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support.
“Jamal was an inspiration to myself and so many. Our love for him lives on, his legacy lives on. Long live Jamal Edwards MBE, MBA, PhD.”
