You may not have heard of Jamal Edwards, who died on Sunday at the age of 31, but his pioneering work in music helped launch the careers of some of Britain’s biggest artists including Jessie J, Emeli Sande and Ed Sheeran.
As a teenager, Edwards founded SBTV, an online media platform that helped give up-and-coming musicians the chance to make their mark on the music scene. Using a camera given to him by his mother – the Loose Women panellist, Brenda Edwards – Jamal started uploading clips of his friends freestyling on his council estate in Acton, London.
SBTV’s popularity exploded at a time when the London Metropolitan Police was shutting underground gigs with its controversial risk assessment: Form 696.
Music heavyweights – from J Hus and AJ Tracey, to Stormzy and Dave – had all appeared on SBTV before becoming regulars in the album charts. It is in no small part thanks to Edwards and his team that urban music, particularly grime, was catapulted into the mainstream. SBTV would later launch its own record label, Just Jam, an imprint of Sony RCA.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
His extraordinary journey is best captured by a viral ad for Google Chrome in 2011, which caused the SBTV website to crash from the press of web traffic.
Beyond music, Edwards was heavily involved in social campaigns, raising awareness of youth centre cuts and poverty in developing countries. He also had regular audiences with David Cameron, discussing issues such as boosting youth participation in politics.
By loading the tweet, you agree to Twitter’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Edward’s dedication to music and the community was rewarded with an MBE in 2014 and he maintained a close relationship with the Royal family by volunteering as an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. The cause of his death is unknown but what is sure is that the young man’s legacy – and aspirational work – lives on.
