Jamal Edwards: Fans mourn the pioneers of music at Acton vigil

Fans and friends of music pioneer Jamal Edwards gathered for vigils in west London on Monday night to commemorate the 31-year-old man who died on Sunday. Edwards is the founder of SBTV, a speck of online dirt and rap platform that helped launch the careers of artists such as Dave, Skepta, and Ed Sheeran.

"He is Acton's hero," Zachary Thomas told the BBC on the show. "He's the one who showed you can do it without ... getting involved in a crime or something." Edwards started shooting local MCs after his parents gave him a video camera as a Christmas present when he was 15 years old.

This prompted him to start SBTV, which became the launchpad for some of the biggest names in British music. A caretaker, Dominique Maliore, told the BBC: "It's hard to accept. I heard it yesterday and saw it on Friday. We hugged, laughed, and had fun, and it all looked good."

Sam Borelli said: "Jamal is the guy who shows kids from low-income households that you don't limit yourself to what your grades can offer you. He made musicians who made me, if you know what I mean, a camera. that he got for Christmas.

Edwards' company affirmed his death to the BBC on Sunday, saying he died that morning. The cause of death was not determined. Her mother, Brenda Edwards, a singer and contestant on the ITV show Loose Women, said she "died after a sudden illness." He said he was "absolutely devastated." Prince Charles and rappers Dave and AJ Tracy were among many others who paid their respects. 

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to his work for The Prince's Trust. Dave wrote: "Thanks for everything. Words can't describe it." Tracy said Edwards was a "legend."

Actor Idris Elba tweeted that he "will be missed." In contrast, entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, who wrote the foreword to Edwards' 2013 book Self Belief: The Vision, tweeted that the star was "a truly extraordinary young man who made a huge difference." for the lives of many people."