Chris Lighty, an influential music industry insider whose roster of artists epitomized the freewheeling ‘90s hip-hop lifestyle, has died, according to Vibe. Reports are not yet conclusive, but there is speculation that Lighty’s death at 43 was a suicide by gunshot.
Without rapping a syllable or scratching a record, the Bronx-raised Lighty still had a profound influence on the development of hip-hop and its rise to commercial prominence. His Violator Management represented hitmakers 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Busta Rhymes, and others. Lighty also featured in the development of the hip-hop underground: he was a champion of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and handled lead rapper Q-Tip’s career even after Quest had called it quits. (He was interviewed prominently in “Beats, Rhymes, and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest,” a 2011 documentary about the group.
In so doing, Lighty modeled a hip-hop-influenced version of the corporation: one that spent money lavishy, partied hard, and drove bargains harder. Others involved in the business of hip-hop often looked to Violator for cues, and Lighty himself was often seen as a big brother to his artists.
Violator was more than a management company. The New York outfit was also a record label, putting out several compilations of hip-hop featuring rappers and producers on Lighty’s roster. Violator Entertainment released new music by Mobb Deep, the Beatnuts, Fat Joe, LL Cool J, and other Empire State rap voices. Through Violator, Lighty also tried its hand, if less successfully, at film production.
story 4rm nj.com
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