Uptown Records Founder, Andre Harrell, Dies at 59

Andre Harrell, a veteran music executive who was best known for signing a young Sean Combs to his first record deal has passed away at 59.

The cause of death is still unknown but some reports suggest it was a heart attack. The news was broken on Friday night as DJ D Nice was spinning on Instagram Live.

Harrell joined forces with Russell Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Records, and had one of his early experiences in the business working as a vice president and later General Manager of the label. He left to start his own record company, Uptown Records, where he signed Sean “Puffy” Combs. He later signed Mary J. Blige and saw success with both artists in the late 1980s into the 1990s.

Harrell was also responsible for launching the careers of Heavy D & The Boyz, Teddy Riley, and Jodeci. Harrell would later find a home at MCA productions where he nurtured various projects in film and television throughout the 1990s. Harrell circled back to the music business full-time in 1995 to run Motown Records as CEO.

At that time, Motown was home to such acts as Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill. Harrell was also most recently the Vice Chairman of Revolt, Combs’ multi-platform music network. Several Celebrities paid their respects to the veteran by way of social media.

Our thoughts are with his family during this tough time.