(Updated) Friends and Family Speak Out on Def Jam's Shakir Stewart

Like many of his friends and colleagues, the family of Def Jam Vice President Shakir Stewart can't make sense of what happened Saturday afternoon when the man that aided the careers of Beyonce, Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy took his own life.

In a statement released through MTV News, Stewart's fiancee, Michelle Rivers and family speak for the first time.

"We would like to thank Shakir’s friends for the tremendous outpouring of love and support we have received during this difficult time,” the statement reads. “It has helped us to cope with our overwhelming grief and sadness. It is difficult to express or explain in words what led to the tragic occurrence on Saturday. Over the past several weeks, Shakir’s behavior was inconsistent with the man we all know and love. As much as we all tried to help him, Shakir was in deep pain and largely suffering in silence. Please remember Shakir for who he was … a wonderful father, partner, son and friend."

Stewart was 34 years old. Cobb County Police spokeswoman Cassie Reece was quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, telling the paper that his body was found in the bathroom of his home around 4 p.m. Saturday. He was taken to the Kenne Hospital with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and later pronounced dead.

Christopher Hicks, a friend of 18 years and fellow music executive, last spoke with Stewart about a week ago.

"Whatever happened over the past 24 hours is not a testament to who we all know," Hicks told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday.

"He was a one-of-a-kind individual. If you looked on his Blackberry (stamp) it said 'One of one.'"

Def Jam called Stewart "a truly incredible friend and father who was an inspiration to not only our artists and employees, but to his family and the many people who had the privilege of counting him as a friend."

On Sunday night, Blog Talk Radio hosted a special online show called, “Celebrate Shakir ‘Shake’ Stewart" reports Vibe.

Many were left confused over Stewart’s exit.

“It had to be something very very bad for him to even think about doing something of this nature,” Atlanta record executive Ian Burke, said. “And whatever it was, I guess it was something that… I guess he felt, at the time, he couldn’t turn back from.”

Industry mogul Kenny Burns, Stewart’s friend of 17-years, recalled how he and Stewart dreamed of making it big in the industry. “From that time and period, all of us were looking for something. The business was starting to bubble and we were all blessed to be there early."

Burns, clearly shaken, says he doesn’t believe Stewart killed himself. “Me and Shake, we’re men’s men. We had kids, we’re responsible fathers. And the man that I know wouldn’t take his life. That man was strong, it ain’t no street pressure, music business, L.A. Reid, these fake a** artists…that ain’t gon’ tear nobody like Shake down. It’s just something that I can’t see, nor accept. We wouldn’t do that. "Like, [Stewart] wouldn’t leave his kids without insurance like that. We tried to rush to the hospital before they rushed him to the morgue yesterday…” Burns says, before breaking down in tears on the phone.

“I want to say something about this fake a** business that these young’ns are enthralled with: this business is not that. Educate these people. Money does not make you happy. I don’t believe he took his life. But it’s because of this fake a** business, and these nig*** and bit***s,” Burns said. “I’m personally setting up a college fund for his kids.”

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