Jamal Edwards, a British entrepreneur and YouTube star who founded the online music platform SBTV, has died aged 31. His cause of death is unknown.
Born in Luton, and raised in Acton, Edwards was the son of Brenda Edwards, who was a contestant on the second season of The X Factor UK. She finished in fourth place in 2005.
At a young age, Edwards was introduced to theatre at school, and had aspirations in the music industry.
During his school years, he started rapping and would film himself with his friends in videos that would eventually make their way to YouTube, starting the early stages of SBTV in 2006.
Eventually it would spin off to become its own music platform website, although much of its content can also be seen on YouTube. Edwards worked at UK retail chain Topman for four years to financially support himself.
“I think in the early days people didn’t take me as seriously,” he said in an interview with The Guardian. “I was working at Topman, doing a moving image course at college and just wanted creative control over something. So I just filmed what was around me."
SBTV is credited with helping launch the career of many UK artists including Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Stormzy and Rita Ora. Edwards was appointed an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to music in 2014. As a channel on YouTube, SBTV: Music currently has 1.22 million subscribers and more than 818 million views across its videos.
In addition to the music platform, Edwards's talents spread across other ventures. In 2013, he released an e-book called Self Believe: The Vision: How to be a Success on Your Own Terms. He entered the fashion world, having collaborated with American Freshman on a headwear collection at Topman in 2019. He also walked the catwalk for Hermes and fronted a collection for Kurt Geiger.
Another priority of Edwards' was giving back to his community and helping to mentor the younger generation. After securing funding from Google and the Wellcome Trust, Edwards launched the Jamal Edwards Delve in 2019. The grassroots youth charity is aimed at helping young people with opportunities to learn, work and connect while building a sense of community in the local area.
In 2020, he announced a partnership with the UK Department of Education to help encourage creative young people to consider undertaking apprenticeships to hone their skill sets.
"There’s still an assumption that you can only do apprenticeships in trades like plumbing and construction. That view really needs to be reversed,” he said.
"It’s been incredible to be given the creative freedom to produce something like this. I am really excited to be able to be part of this project and work with this talented group of apprentices, share my network and help fire them up for the future."
He worked with other youth charities and regularly made visits to speak to teenagers, including at both Acton High School and West London College where he had studied, to answer questions on how to be successful in business and self-motivation.
His final post on social media was an Instagram birthday post to Sheeran on February 18. "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!," he captioned a photo of the two together.
Celebrity tributes to Jamal Edwards
A number of celebrities have taken to social media to pay tribute to the young entrepreneur. British-Zimbabwean comedian Munyaradzi Chawawa thanked Edwards for the "incredibly legacy" that he's left behind.
Rapper Big Narstie shared his disbelief at the news saying the two were supposed to work on a music video together later this week. Fellow British YouTuber Memeulous said that Edwards was "easily one of the most influential people of the last 15 years in the UK, did so much for so many people, RIP".
Chelsea FC, Edwards's favourite football team, also honoured him.
"We're deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jamal Edwards An inspiration to many, we're honoured that he was part of our Chelsea family. Our thoughts are with everyone who knew and loved him," the club wrote on Instagram while sharing a photo of him at Stamford Bridge.
Even YouTube, the platform that helped Edwards reach his music dreams, issued a comment on his death.
"We’ve lost a legend today. Jamal Edwards was an inspiration to so many, supporting artists and shaping culture through @SBTVonline," YouTube tweeted.
English dancer and choreographer Ashley Banjo, most notably from the dance group Diversity, also tweeted his disbelief at the news, while calling Jamal a "true visionary and pioneer who inspired and opened doors for so many".
.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
