Diddy has penned a heartfelt tribute to one of his mentors — the late Clarence Avant — who passed away earlier this week.
Following the loss of the Godfather of Black Music on Sunday (August 13), Diddy paid homage to Avant in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday (August 15) where he showered his beloved mentor with praise for being a trailblazer and a pillar in entertainment.
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“Clarence Avant was the definition of a free, fearless Black man,” Diddy began with a photo of him alongside Clarence Avant and JAY-Z at the 2021 Roc Nation Brunch. “He never allowed any level of adversity or limitation stop him from paving his own path and advocating for Black creators to be valued and respected at the highest level.
“He was a very successful record executive, entrepreneur and dealmaker. But more importantly, he was the most trusted and reliable relationship anyone could have. There wasn’t a problem he couldn’t solve, an answer he couldn’t find, or a resource he wasn’t willing to share.”
The Bad Boy boss continued to detail how he paved the way and inspired the next generation of Black leaders.
“He kicked down doors, shattered stereotypes, and showed all of us aspiring leaders that nothing is more important than impact,” Diddy testified. “Clarance Avant was the definition of leading by example and lifting your people up with you.
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“He was never selfish with information. He wanted to see us all win and would stand with us in the fight. He was more than someone I looked up to, he became one of my most beloved mentors and friends who taught me how to always show up.
“Clarence Avant always answered the call. We will forever honor his legacy, cherish the memories, and continue to remind the world of his story.”
According to a statement released by his children, Avant passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Sunday (August 13). However, a cause of death was not revealed.
A close friend of Quincy Jones, Clarence Avant greatly impacted the worlds of music and entertainment as a legendary executive.
After getting his start as a nightclub owner, his record labels later introduced the likes of Bill Withers and Jimmy Jim & Terry Lewis to the world. He went on to work with artists such as Jimmy Smith, Lalo Schifrin, Babyface, Sixto Rodriguez, the SOS Band and Cherelle.
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Avant was also a chairman of the board at Motown Records and an advisor to former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
T.I., Questlove and 9th Wonder were among those who took to social media to both mourn Avant’s death and pay tribute to his decorated career.
