Chris Lighty: A Timeline Of Accomplishments [PHOTOS]

The music world is still reeling from the shocking death of Violator Management founder Chris Lighty. The pioneering Hip-Hop staple is not only responsible for cultivating the careers of the biggest names in the game, but was a well-respected and revered figure in the industry.

50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E., Q-Tip, Mariah Carey, and Diddy were among some of the many artists Lighty managed throughout his more than 20-year career. His cause of death is said to be suicide occurring after an argument with his ex-wife Thursday (Aug. 30) morning.

The 44-year-old apparently shot himself in the head, and may have been suffering from stress brought on by financial issues.

At this time, Hip-Hop Wired is not privy to all of the details surrounding his passing, but in honor of a life that was filled with accomplishments, we’d like to honor Lighty by highlighting his feats.

Lighty was the eldest of six and raised by a single mother in the Bronx River Projects, where he learned to be determined at an early age.

“When you’re growing up in the Reagan era, you really learn the value of a food stamp—and you never want to go back there,” he said in 2008.

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Photo: Getty/ Twitter

Beginning his career carrying records for DJ Red Alert, Lighty landed the gig of a lifetime in 1988, when he was hired to work under Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen at Rush Management. “Chris isn’t just about making deals—he’s about making deals work,” Cohen once said of Lightly.

He was also a tour manager for the Jungle Brothers, dabbled as a rapper, and was a member of the Native Tongue Crew.

        “When you’re growing up in the Reagan era, you really learn the value of a food stamp—and you never want to go back     there.” -Chris Lighty

In 1989 Lighty founded Violator Management, further making his mark on the success of Hip-Hop as we know it. 10 years later the company released their first of two compilations, Violator: The Album. The project spawned hits like “Vivrant Thing” by Q-Tip, N.O.R.E.’s “Grimey,” and made it to No. 8 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album was certified gold in the same year.

As of 2001 Violator Management had another record under their belt by way of Violator: The Album, V2.0.

Long before putting rappers with big name brands was the thing to do, Lighty spearheaded the movement. In 1997 he paired LL Cool J with Gap, and clocked notable collaborations for Busta Rhymes with Mountain Dew, and A Tribe Called Quest with Sprite.

“There’s nothing better than a song to help move a brand,”-Chris Lighty

By 2004, he took things to another level with the business union between 50 Cent and Glacéau. The move gave the G-Unit rapper a stake in the company and propelled him to a $100 million payday after the Coca-Cola bought the company.

Last fall, Violator merged with Primary Wave to form Primary Violator, under the pretense of offering artists an array of cross-promotional services. Lighty was named CEO of the company. “There’s nothing better than a song to help move a brand,” he said in an interview

Career accomplishments aside, it’s important to remember that Lighty was a brother, husband, friend, and father. He will be greatly missed.

Click below to view condolences from some of his friends.