Loose Women star Brenda Edwards opens up on son Jamal Edwards’ death: ‘I’m trying to carry on his legacy’
Brenda Edwards has spoken of the “scary” time since her son Jamal’s death as she marked her fourth anniversary by opening a new community center in his memory.
The Loose Women panelist described the launch as “a great feeling”.
The Jamal Edwards Self-Belief Foundation unveiled the Self-Belief Creative Community Center in West London on Friday.
The opening coincided with the anniversary of the death of the pioneering DJ and music entrepreneur, who died on February 20, 2022, at the age of 31.
Founded by Edwards and his daughter Tanisha Artman shortly after Jamal’s death, the charity is dedicated to promoting community and supporting young people and aims to “continue his legacy”.
Edwards said his work with the foundation was “absolutely crucial”, describing it as the “driving force” in easing his pain.
He said: “It’s an incredible feeling to know that I’m trying to carry on his legacy to help young people.”
Edwards added: “I’m literally changing what he did and what he wanted me to say, which is helping young people and bringing everyone together as a community.”
Commenting on her son’s death, she said: “It’s really scary to think it’s been four years this Friday.
“Honestly there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t talk to him in my mind. I really feel his presence and it really helps me.”
“Every day is really hard. But I know he’s watching like, ‘Come on, mom, come on.'”
Jamal rose to fame after founding music platform SBTV in 2006 and is credited with helping a number of UK bands rise to stardom, including Dave, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran.
He was also an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, a charity chaired by the Prince of Wales, and was awarded an MBE in 2014 for his services to music.
Brenda described her son as “very selfless” and said he was “always thinking of others”, adding: “I think he enjoyed it a lot and it taught me a lot too.”
Self-Belief Community Center is a space “dedicated to empowering young people,” offering them a space where they can “build their future,” according to the trust.
The foundation said the center will host a program of events focusing on creativity, wellbeing, life skills and employability, and will have facilities such as music and podcast studios, co-working spaces and a supported kitchen with daily meals.
Brenda said it was about bringing the community together and offering support, and said Jamal came up with the idea “a year before he turned 31 for forever.”
He said: “Everything I do is based on the wish letter he left me in his will.”
Brenda said the letter was a “guiding force” for her, adding: “In her letter, she said she wanted young people to be at the forefront of everything I did.
“His whole mantra was to believe in himself. That legacy will always remain and people will always talk about him and recognize him as someone who wanted to bring communities together.”
The center is located on the housing estate in Acton where Jamal grew up, and Brenda says it makes her feel “very close” to Jamal.
He described it as “completely full circle” and added: “It was really weird. It’s such an important feeling.”
“It’s bittersweet, because I know he would want to see it happen, but I draw strength from the fact that I know he’s there and watching.”
More information about the Self-Belief Creative Community Center can be found on the charity’s website at www.jesb.co.uk.
