Thankful
for his health after extensive heart surgery, Hip-Hop/R&B mogul
Andre Harrell recently hosted a celebrity gala to celebrate his return
home.
The
party, held at Harrell’s New York property, featured such guests as
Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, and Warner Music chairman Lyor Cohen.
The
48-year old Harrell was hospitalized for an emergency quadruple heart
bypass procedure. The operation was conducted to prevent Harrell from
succumbing to coronary artery heart disease.
Andre
Harrell has been a fixture in the entertainment industry for over 20
years. He first gained success as a member of the early 80s rap duo Dr.
Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde.
The group spawned several successful singles in “Genius Rap,” “Fast Life,” and “AM/FM.”
After
disbanding, Harrell worked with Russell Simmons under his Rush
Communications imprint before founding Uptown Records in the late 80s.
Uptown
Records would leave Harrell his greatest musical legacy. The label is
responsible for starting the career of mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who
during his time there was responsible for spearheading the signings of
Mary J. Blige and Jodeci.
In
addition, Harrell’s leadership made Uptown one of the top urban labels
of the early to mid 90s, with such acts as Guy, Heavy D, Christopher
Williams, Monifah, and Soul 4 Real.
According
to the New York Post, Sean Combs remained at the hospital throughout
Harrell’s operation until he was successfully moved to the recovery
room.
At press time, Harrell is still convalescing from his major surgery, and has not announced his next professional endeavors.