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For those of you who don’t know, Clarence Avant is a legendary music executive and film producer who has helped shape and manage many influential artists. The 90-year-old music executive played a key promotional role in pop icon Michael Jackson’s 1987 ‘Bad’ world tour and mentored the award-winning songwriting duo Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds and LA Reid along with many other achievements. Although Avant shied away from the limelight, his contributions earned him a place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the title of ‘The Godfather of Black Music.’

His impact on the Black music industry, which paved the way for the sounds of today, is why it comes as a major shock to learn that Avant’s wife of 54 years, Jackie Avant, was fatally shot during a home invasion in her Beverly Hills home on Wednesday.

According to Times the 81-year-old was transported to a hospital where she died, and that the investigation was still underway.

Jacqueline was a major philanthropist in LA, dedicated to institutions like the UCLA International Student Center, Neighbors of Watts, and the South Central Community Child Care Center.

“My heart breaks for Clarence and Nicole and all the Avant family,” Tyler Perry tweeted yesterday. “This world can be so cruel and cold!! I have no idea what kind of sub-human could shoot an 81 year old woman, and in her own home.”

“But you can rest assured that every available resource will be used to find whoever is responsible for this awful nightmare. This is tremendously sad.”

Rest in Power Mrs. Avant.