Nick Cannon, whose early career was guided by Chris Lighty as part of his Violator Management, sent a statement to XXL remembering his former manager on the one year anniversary of his death. Lighty, a massive figure in hip-hop over the years, died August 30, 2012 of a gunshot wound to the hand, which was reported to have been self-inflicted. Cannon's statement is below:

"Chris was a pioneer and his impact on the industry will never be forgotten. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to have him as a mentor and close friend. I miss my brother dearly but his legacy will always live on."

See XXL's 2003 in-book story on Chris Lighty right here, as well as reactions from Missy Elliott and a gallery of responses from Twitter.

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