The life of Hip-Hop mogul, Chris Lighty, was celebrated at the 2012 BET Hip-Hop Awards by some of the top artists in the industry.
Clients that he cultivated, such as Fat Joe, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Fifty Cent, Missy Elliot, and Busta Rhymes, screaming his signature ‘ Violator,’ in honor of Lighty’s Violator Management, brought the essence of Hip-Hop to the stage in a way that hasn’t been present in years.
SEE ALSO: Chris Lighty’s Family Launch Private Investigation Into Music Mogul’s Death
Each performer passed the mic to their brethren with the phrase: “If it wasn’t for Chris, then you wouldn’t hear music like this.”
See Lighty tribute below:
“Chris Lighty, we’re gonna rep you until we’re all outta here,” shouted a noticeably emotional Busta.
From his “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See,” to Fat Joe’s “Lean Back,” the crowd stayed amped. The energy jumped another notch when Fifty came on stage to the thumping beat of Southside Queens anthem “I Get Money.”
As previously reported by NewsOne, Lighty died from an alleged suicide last month, after an argument with his estranged wife Veronica Lighty. His family does not accept the coroner’s ruling, and, along with 50 Cent, have launched an investigation into his death.
But tonight, it was all about his enormous, irreplaceable influence on Hip-Hop. As his friends so beautifully stated:
“If it wasn’t for Chris, then you wouldn’t hear music like this.”
We definitely wouldn’t, and he will continue to be missed.
SEE ALSO:
Pioneering Music Producer Chris Lighty Dies in Apparent Suicide
