Chris Lighty, Founder of Violator Entertainment, Found Dead
Legendary music industry executive Chris Lightly has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Lighty had been active in the Hip Hop scene since the late-80’s, before founding Violator Entertainment and handling the careers of some of Hip Hop’s biggest names.
“Lighty was integral to the careers of 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E., Diamond D, and many others. After growing up under the tutelage of Hip Hop icons like DJ Red Alert, Lighty began working professional at Russell Simmons’ RUSH Management firm in the late 1980s, where he helped work with Def Jam Records artists and others in securing endorsement deals and touring.
A part of the Native Tongues at the turn of the decade, Lighty and his brother as The Violators, helped the movement alongside A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul.
The Violator name carried on in the late 1990s and 2000s, when Lighty launched his own firm. The management company handled clients ranging from Diamond D and Foxy Brown to Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip. In recent years, Lighty was working on Brand Asset Group with Lyor Cohen, his longtime associate and friend, and Warner Music Group. Last September, Violator merged with Primary Wave to form powerhouse management company Primary Violator.”
R.I.P. Chris Lighty