Jamal Edwards’ tribute to his ‘life brother’ Ed Sheeran in final Instagram post
‘His legacy lives on’: Jamal Edwards’ Loose Women star mother Brenda leads tributes to ‘beautiful’ son, 31, after his death from ‘sudden illness’ as stars mourn music mogul and friend of royals who launched careers of UK’s biggest artists
Jamal Edwards shared post about his ‘life brother’ Ed Sheeran in post captioned, Marbella, SpainHe gained fame from setting up new music platform SBTV – helping to launch a string of UK music careersHe was brought up by stepfather Patrick and mother Brenda, who later starred in X-Factor and Loose Women The music entrepreneur, who was awarded an MBE in 2014 for his services to music, died on Sunday morning Tributes poured in for Mr Edwards, with Bafta-winning actor Adam Deacon saying he was ‘heartbroken’
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Brenda Edwards, the ‘devastated’ mother of Jamal Edwards, today revealed her ‘beautiful’ and ‘inspirational’ music impresario son died aged 31 from a ‘sudden illness’.
The YouTube star launched the careers of scores of young British artists including megastars Ed Sheeran and Stormzy while also dedicating himself to charitable works including with Prince Charles and his sons William and Harry. In 2014 he was awarded an MBE for services to music.
In a statement read out by Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain today, Brenda, a Loose Women panellist who found fame finishing fourth on the X Factor in 2005, said: ‘It is with deepest heartache that I confirm that my beautiful son Jamal Edwards passed away yesterday morning after a sudden illness. Myself, his sister and the rest of his family and friends are completely devastated. He was the centre of our world’.
She added: ‘As we come to terms with the passing we ask 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 and PHD.’
Jamal’s final Instagram post was a tribute to his ‘life brother’ Ed Sheeran. He wished his friend a happy birthday three days ago, sharing a picture of the friends together, captioned Marbella, Spain.
He wrote: ‘Happy Birthday to the OG, Ed. Blessed to have you in my life brother. You know you’ve been mates a long time when you lose count on the years! Keep smashing it & inspiring us all G!’
Mr Edwards’ death was revealed by his manager yesterday morning, but the cause of his death, a sudden illness, was not confirmed until his mother spoke out today.
The entrepreneur gained fame and fortune from setting up new music platform SB.TV at the age of 15 using a £200 camcorder and a PC in his bedroom in Acton where he lived with his mother Brenda, stepfather Patrick and younger sister Tanisha. Jamal never knew his father, who was in a brief relationship with his mother when she became pregnant, aged 20.
Born in Luton, before moving to West London, he helped to launch a string of UK music careers including Sheeran’s as well as Stormzy, Emeli Sandé, Dave and Jessie J, building a £8million fortune and allowing him to leave the West London estate he grew up on and move to a plush Thames-side apartment.
His online broadcasting company has had more than 200million hits on YouTube. Global entertainment stars such as Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre invited Jamal to join them on their tours, while an advert featuring Jamal as the face of Google Chrome and his extraordinary success had more hits than one with Justin Bieber.
Away from the world of music he was an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a charity headed by the Prince of Wales, and in 2014 he was awarded an MBE for his services to music. As well as supporting Prince Charles’ charitable works, he also worked with his sons William and Harry.
Brenda Edwards, the Loose Women star Brenda Edwards (pictured together on the show in November 2021), said she and his family and friends are all devastated
Jamal Edwards wished his friend Ed Sheeran a happy birthday from Marbella, Spain, three days ago. His death aged 31 has been put down to a sudden illness
Prince William and Prince Harry and Jamal Edwards pose for a twitter picture Queen’s Young Leaders Programme Launch at Buckingham Palace in 2014
Away from the world of music he was an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a charity headed by the Prince of Wales. The charity paid tribute
Jamal Edwards with his Member of the British Empire (MBE), after it was awarded to him by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture Ceremony, at Buckingham Palace in central London in March 2015
Mr Edwards gained fame from setting up new music platform SB.TV – helping to launch a string of UK music careers including Ed Sheeran
A young Ed Sheeran appears on SBTV in 2010 in a clip that now has 11m views on YouTube alone
Jessie J also appeared on SBTV in 2010 and Stormzy first appeared on the YouTube channel in 2012. Both went on to be stars
Jamal had six GCSEs – including three D grades and one E. But thanks to his mother’s insistence, he also has a diploma in moving-image media production from his sixth-form college.
And from this inauspicious start he turned himself into a social-media phenomenon. His online broadcasting company SBTV, which he started in 2006 by uploading clips of his friends performing rap music, has, to date, had more than 200million hits on YouTube.
Jamal recently lived in a Thames-side apartment part of a gated complex just three miles from the Acton estate in West London where he spent his formative years.
Tributes to Edwards have flooded social media with many expressing their condolences to his mother, the Loose Women panellist Brenda Edwards who finished fourth in the second series of the X Factor in 2005.
Loose Women’s Denise Welch said: ‘My heart aches for my friend Brenda. I can’t bear it. Jamal Edwards was a wonderful son and brother.’
Bafta-winning actor writer, director, and producer Adam Deacon, known for his leading role in Kidulthood, saying he was ‘heartbroken’ about the death of Mr Edwards.
He said on Twitter: ‘Today I was on set when I found out the tragic news that my good friend Jamal Edwards had passed away and I’m honestly heartbroken.
‘Jamal was one of the nicest, most down to earth and humble men I’ve met in this industry. He always gave me time even when no one else would.
‘He was an inspiration and what he achieved in life was truly remarkable. Thinking of his friends and family at this devastating time. RIP Jamal Edwards.’
Comedian Mo Gilligan, who hosted the Brit Awards earlier this month, called Edwards a ‘truly humble and blessed soul’.
He wrote on Twitter: ‘Your legacy will live on for years & you’ve inspired a whole generation. Rest easy Jamal Edwards.’
Che Wolton Grant, better known by his stage name AJ Tracey, also took to Twitter to vent his grief.
The rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer from Ladbroke Grove, west London, said: ‘RIP Jamal Edwards, West London legend status.’
Singer Rita Ora said in an Instagram post that she was devastated at the news, writing: ‘My first ever interview was with you. Jamal, Our endless talks on music and the belief you had in me and so many of us before we even believed in ourselves. I’m devastated.
‘No words can describe how grateful I am to of been in your presence. Thank you for all you ever showed me. My heart goes out to @brendaedwardsglobal and the whole family. RIP.’
Musician, singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer Elliot Gleave, better known by his stage name Example, also paid tribute to the star.
In a post in Instagram, he wrote: ‘Can’t believe you’re gone. 31 years old. Can’t find the words right now.’
DJ, model and presenter Snoochie Shy, AKA Cheyenne Davide said: ‘RIP to Jamal Edwards. One of the kindest, thoughtful and all round great person. Gone way too soon,’ she wrote on Twitter.
Awards organisation Mobo has paid tribute with a post on Twitter: ‘We are deeply saddened to learn of Jamal Edwards passing. As the founder of @SBTVonline, his groundbreaking work and legacy in British music and culture will live on.
‘Our hearts and thoughts are with his friends and family.’
Speaking after receiving his MBE in 2014, Mr Edwards said he started SBTV to give his friends a platform.
He added: ‘It was a frustration of going to school and everyone talking about ‘how do we get our videos on MTV’.
‘YouTube was like a year old. I was like ‘I’ve got a camera for Christmas, I’m going to start filming people and uploading it’.
‘Everyone was looking at me like ‘what are you doing, like you can compete with these major corporations’, but I think I was early enough to believe that I could make a change.’
In the same interview, he described his working relationship with musicians as ‘symbiotic’.
‘50% is the talent and 50% is the platform,’ he said.
‘I try to focus on people that haven’t got the platform. As well as getting a really well-known artist I want to get the up-and-coming ones as well.’
Jamal with his friend Rita Ora, who praised the belief he had in her and many other British acts
Jamal’s work in music and with charities made him many famous names including Bill Clinton and Cara Delevingne
Jamal with Naomi Campbell. They worked together at various events in charity
Will.i.am and Jamal Edwards attend a private dinner in London. Jamal was also football mad, pictured with his Chelsea hero Frank Lampard
Jamal with his mother Brenda and younger sister Tanisha when they were children
The family of Jamal (pictured as a child) have been left bereft by his death, as have his friends and fans
Jamal with his mother Brenda at her school in Luton where the headteacher made one of the house names ‘Edwards’
The music entrepreneur, who was awarded an MBE in 2014 at the age of 24 for his services to music, died on Sunday morning, his manager said
Prince of Wales on a sofa with Jamal Edwards during a live session at the launch of the Prince’s Trust Summer Sessions at the Princes’s Trust in Historic Chatham Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, in 2013
By 2014, Mr Edwards had amassed an estimated fortune of around £8 million and worked with the likes of Jessie J (pictured together), Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran
Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex with Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney and presenter Jamal Edwards at Buckingham Palace in London during the launch of the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme in 2014
Mr Edwards gained fame from setting up new music platform SBTV – helping to launch a string of UK music careers including Dave and Jessie J
Sir Richard Branson and Jamal Edwards (right) at the Impatience is a Virture Festival at the Royal Opera House, London, in 2012
Tributes have been pouring in from music industry heavyweights, sports stars and others for SBTV founder Jamal Edwards (pictured after being awarded his MBE)
