ATLANTA — Editor's note: The video above contains archived clips of Clay Evans from a sit-down interview he did with Patchwerk Recording Studios. Evans previously credited the studio as the place where he got his first big break in the music industry.
A celebration of life is now set for hip-hop music exec Clay Evans Jr. It’s scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, according to a social media post.
Tributes have been pouring in for the beloved Atlanta community member, from his longtime business partner T.I., to his close friends Lil Duval, Snoop Dogg, Big Boi, 2Chainz, and the list goes on.
Evans stood out with his hustle, which was grand in every way.
“I’ve always been a believer in nobody can tell your story like you can tell your story,” Evans previously said in an interview.
And this is his story: a family man, a mentor, a connector– who worked behind the scenes, as a transformative architect of the culture. But, this isn’t about the superstars he helped. It’s about how his light– gave the blueprint of a life well-lived. And if you’ve seen the tributes, they show how he was able to do it. He was driven by a passion that had nothing to do with the limelight -- and everything to do with impact.
“I’m doing what I like to do, so there’s no trophy for me. The great thing about me is I’m happy in my space,” Evans previously said.
You didn’t have to know him personally, to know that his purpose was personal. He just wanted to see everybody win.
“It endears me that a lot of artists say there was a time or space in their life, where I assisted their play and their business. And that’s great with me. I’m cool with that. I don’t have to be the richest in the game,” he said.
He was the Vice President of Grand Hustle, a music industry veteran and a manager of iconic brands. But also simply, a good person who stood on principles and morals. There are some things in life that speak for themselves. Everyone, who had the honor of knowing him, will tell you his character and energy spoke for him.
“No, I didn’t create you. No, I didn’t make you. But I helped add kindling to the fire that you wanted to create,” Evans previously said.
If all the tributes for Evans are a reminder of anything, it’s that transformational relationships are worth more than the transactions and the bags you secure.
“I’d rather be good and become great than to be hot and cool down. Hot cools down. Good gets better and greater if you work at it,” he previously said.
Evans was also a family man, a friend and a mentor to many. He was a visionary, who believed in his potential and respected the long game. And now – the grand closing of his long game – is the beginning of the grand opening – known as an everlasting legacy.
“I celebrate everybody. And everybody has their moment and they better understand it. Everybody has their moment and their time to shine and be great," he said.