Music entrepreneur Jamal Edwards died from a cardiac arrest after a late evening cocaine and consuming session the place he grew to become paranoid and started throwing objects across the room earlier than falling unconscious, an inquest heard at the moment.
Three small snap baggage containing the remnants of white powder have been discovered on the 31-year-old son of Unfastened Ladies panellist Brenda Edwards after he collapsed at his west London dwelling in February this yr, the listening to was informed.
Assistant West London Coroner Ivor Collett at the moment dominated that Mr Edwards died after a cardiac arrest introduced on by taking cocaine and consuming alcohol.
His heartbroken mom, Brenda, described him as ‘a gorgeous and selfless individual’ in an announcement learn to the inquest. Earlier this yr she stated she wished his demise to ‘assist drive extra dialog concerning the unpredictability of leisure medicine’.
The DJ and founding father of on-line R&B/Hip-Hop platform SB.TV had returned to his dwelling in Acton after 4am after taking part in a set in north London earlier than he sat up consuming with a buddy, Nick Hopper, who was dwelling in an annex of the home.
Mr Hopper stated that ‘he gave the impression to be his regular self’ they usually ‘started to talk, smoke some weed and drink’ – however his well-known buddy then spoke concerning the stress he was beneath.
After some time Mr Edwards grew to become erratic and paranoid and started throwing objects across the room earlier than collapsing, the inquest was informed. Regardless of one of the best efforts of Mr Hopper and later his uncle, Rodney Artman, in addition to paramedics, Mr Edwards didn’t get up and was declared useless at 10.36am on Sunday February 20.
The final picture of Jamal, DJ’ing days earlier than he died at dwelling. An inquest heard he had been consuming and had taken cocaine
Brenda Edwards, the Unfastened Ladies star Brenda Edwards (pictured collectively on the present in November 2021), stated she and his household and associates are all devastated
Jamal with shut buddy Ed Sheeran, who was additionally bereft after the music mogul’s demise
Brenda Edwards revealed the reason for her son’s demise was associated to medicine earlier this yr
How Jamal Edwards launched the careers of a few of Britain’s largest stars from a YouTube channel arrange in his bed room when he was 15 and dealing in Topman
Jamal was 15 when his mom Brenda purchased him further particular Christmas current – a £200 video digicam.
YouTube had simply been launched and Jamal, who like most youngsters spent hours in his bed room on-line, determined to add some footage of foxes in his again backyard. ‘I assumed I used to be Steve Irwin,’ he stated in an interview with MailOnline.
A younger Ed Sheeran seems on SBTV in 2010 in a clip that now has 11m views on YouTube alone
However when the footage acquired 1,000 views, he realised he was on to one thing.
He went out on to the property and made some clips of his associates, most of whom have been into grime – the music type now outlined by stars equivalent to Dizzee Rascal and Skepta.
‘Again then, there was no place to showcase our kind of spitting and rapping, so I assumed, OK, I wish to create that platform,’ he stated. He took his personal rap moniker ‘Smokey Barz’ to coin his model identify and SBTV was born.
Jamal started his Topman profession as a store assistant however on the identical time began hanging out on the BBC, sneaking into raves and messaging file labels to beg for interview time with their artists. His huge break got here three years later when he secured his first non-grime interview with Kelly Rowland.
From that, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz and numerous different A-listers adopted. In 2011, he was invited to 10 Downing Avenue to interview the prime minister after being appointed a Spirit of London Awards ambassador.
Jamal was nonetheless hands-on with each filming and enhancing at SBTV, and had huge plans to increase the model into sport, comedy and style.
Away from work his nice ardour was Chelsea FC.
Mr Hopper stated in an announcement learn to the inquest by the coroner: ‘When he got here in he gave the impression to be his regular self and it appeared that he had simply been out.
‘We started to talk, smoke some weed and drink. He informed me he was beneath lots of stress. There have been intervals of speaking adopted by silences.
‘Over time Jamal grew to become fairly paranoid and was saying I had issues in my palms once I did not. Anytime I moved he started panicking. I informed him to settle down, however he grew to become more and more irate.
‘He was grabbing issues, throwing them across the room. He was panicking and sweating, I spent ages attempting to get him to open the door.’
Mr Hopper stated that he stored attempting to open a window, however Mr Edwards would not let him and he finally collapsed unconscious by the lavatory door.
After 9.30am Mr Edwards’s uncle arrived and he stated he carried out CPR for about 10 minutes till paramedics arrived and took over, however they have been unable to resuscitate them.
The inquest heard that police handled the demise as non-suspicious, however discovered three small snap baggage with the remnants of white powder in Mr Edwards’s pocket.
Toxicology checks discovered cocaine and alcohol in his system, however no hashish.
There was additionally MDMA in Mr Edwards’ urine however not blood, indicating that he had taken the drug just lately – however not on the evening of his demise.
In an announcement, Met Police Detective Sergeant Luke Taylor stated: ‘There have been no indicators of trauma to both occasion.
‘Three small snap baggage have been present in his pocket with remnants of a white powder and bloody tissues, related to the taking of Class A medication.
‘He suffered a cardiac episode from taking leisure medicine and alcohol.’
Mr Edwards’s GP confirmed that whereas he had traits of sickle cell illness, he was not on any common treatment.
Summing up at West London Coroner’s Court docket, Mr Collett stated: ‘He had labored as a DJ at a venue in Islington.
‘At round 4.30am he arrived at dwelling and joined his shut buddy.
‘They’d some drinks and had organized to smoke hashish. Though he appeared regular at first his behaviour modified and he exhibited indicators of tension, paranoia and irritation.
‘Regardless of his buddy’s efforts to calm him down he started throwing issues across the room earlier than collapsing on the ground.
‘The police discovered drug paraphernalia, the toxicology checks discovered latest proof of drug use.
‘The insinuation is that Jamal had taken cocaine in ample amount to trigger an opposed response led to by cocaine toxicity. This then triggered cardiac arrhythmia which resulted in his demise.’
Jamal Edwards’ heartbroken mom Brenda sings to the crowds on the vigil in his reminiscence in Acton, West London
The household of Jamal (pictured as a toddler) have been left bereft by his demise, as have his associates and followers
Prince William and Prince Harry and Jamal Edwards pose for a twitter image Queen’s Younger Leaders Programme Launch at Buckingham Palace in 2014
Jamal Edwards along with his Member of the British Empire (MBE), after it was awarded to him by the Prince of Wales at an Investiture Ceremony, at Buckingham Palace in central London in March 2015
Jamal’s work in music and with charities made him many well-known names together with Invoice Clinton and Cara Delevingne
The Prince of Wales sits on a settee with Jamal Edwards throughout a dwell session on the launch of the Prince’s Belief Summer time Periods on the Princes’s Belief in Historic Chatham Dockyard on July 29, 2013
Mr Edwards was awarded an MBE in 2014 for his providers to music and he was an envoy for the Prince’s Belief.
In an announcement learn to the listening to, Brenda Edwards stated: ‘Jamal was a gorgeous and selfless individual.
‘Since rising up along with his household in Acton he made it his private mission to open doorways for others to stroll via.
‘To assist folks via life, to like and to giggle. And most significantly, to only make folks blissful.’
She added: ‘Jamal helped so many, working tirelessly to offer a platform to folks.
‘His charitable work stretched close to and much, from working at homeless shelters to giving again to his roots in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
‘We’re so happy with all the pieces Jamal achieved over the course of his 31 years and the way he impacted others’ lives. We miss him a lot.’
