Shakir Stewart

From humble origins as an Oakland California neighborhood music scene club promoter, Shakir Stewart has risen to become one of the most gifted and highly valued A&R executives in the music industry. While earning a degree in marketing at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, Shakir became known as leading concert promoter for some of the hotest emerging acts in the early hip hop music industry. After forming his own highly successful music promotional company and recording studio, Shakir joint ventured with Epic Records and his meteoric rise to the forefront of the music industry had begun. Shakir was signed as the Creative Director of Hitco.

Based upon how skillfully and rapidly he developed an A&R portfolio of the best artists, Antonio “L.A” Reid, then President of Arista, offered Shakir an A&R position at his new company LaFace Records. Based on the follow-on scale of this success, Shakir was hired as Vice President of A&R at Island Def Jam Music Group, by its new chairman Antonio “L.A” Reid and President Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. L.A. Reid and Jay-Z represent two of the largest icons in the history of hip hop, and Island Def Jam Records and its affiliates represent all of the highest grossing talents in the musical industry. Shakir also has played the role of Senor Vice President of Island/Def Jam Recordings, part of UMG the largest music company in the world, which is responsible for one of every four music CD’s sold each day.

Among his many credits, Shakir was responsible for: signing such talent as R&B sensation Ciara and rap stars Rick Ross and Young Jeezy; publishing the successive no #1 hits in Billboard's Hot 100 Chart as Destiny Child's "Survivor," Outkast's "The Way You Move," Beyonce's "Crazy in Love," Beyonce’s "Baby Boy," and assembling and producing Usher's massive hit "Yeah" on his twelve time platinum album “Confessions.” Until his untimely death November 1st, 2008, Mr. Stewart served as Senor Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings.

"We love you Shake!"