Def Jam VP Shakir Stewart commits suicide

Def Jam Executive Vice President Shakir Stewart, who replaced Jay-Z at the helm of the label and signed such artists as Rick Ross and Young Jeezy, died Saturday (November 1). According to reports, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Further details were not available at press time.

A native of Oakland, California, Stewart was appointed executive vice president in June, which he called his dream job. A graduate of Atlanta's Morehouse College, he previously worked at Hitco Music Publishing, to which he signed Beyoncé, according to Billboard.com. He was an A&R consultant at LaFace Records from 2000 to 2004 and signed Ciara to the label. He recently signed up-and-coming artists Rocko and Karina Pasian to Def Jam.

Stewart succeeded Jay-Z, who resigned his post at Def Jam in December of last year, in June. He told Billboard at the time that his goal was to help develop "new, young executives ... the hot executive who's 21, 22 years old and has a serious passion for music and the desire to work 27 hours a day. That's where I was at that time in my life. And that's who I'm looking to mentor. I don't see many people like that. Instead, I see a lot of kids who want to live the lifestyle but don't want to put in the work and do what it takes."

On a personal note, Shakir, or "Shake," as his friends call him, was one of the coolest. Saturday night on Atlanta radio, legendary DJ and longtime friend Greg Street saluted him.

Authorities investigating the matter could not be reached for comment at press time.

MTV.Com

Hurricane Gustav

NEW ORLEANS - A weakened Hurricane Gustav slammed into the heart of Louisiana's fishing and oil industry with 110 mph winds Monday, delivering only a glancing blow to New Orleans

that raised hopes the city would escape the kind of catastrophic flooding brought by Katrina three years ago.

Wind-driven water sloshed over the top of the Industrial Canal's floodwall, but city officials and the Army Corps of Engineers said they expected the levees, still only partially rebuilt after Katrina, would hold. The canal broke with disastrous effect during Katrina, submerging St. Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward.

"We are seeing some overtopping waves," said Col. Jeff Bedey, commander of the Corps' hurricane protection office. "We are cautiously optimistic and confident that we won't see catastrophic wall failure."

In the Upper 9th Ward, about half the streets closest to the canal were flooded with ankle- to knee-deep water as the road dipped and rose. Of more immediate concern to authorities were two small vessels that broke loose from their moorings in the canal and were resting against the Florida Street wharf. There were no immediate reports of any damage to the canal.

Read the rest at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/gustav_gulf_coast

Man I hope everything is alright...I went through the aftermath of Katrina and it was horrible, No one didnt know what to do so we just stuck...stuck wit no food, water, or a place to sleep...So im glad they did everything right this time and that Gustav is not as bad (still bad though) as Katrina