Scott Kalvert started in the music video business when there was no business. Someone had to carve the livestock path that would eventually turn into a street that ran the length of Manhattan that would end up being called 'Broadway.' That was Scott, hacking through the underbrush and leaving a trail that others would end up widening, paving, and decorating with glittering lights.
Scott's credit list is deep and wide - ranging from Barenaked Ladies to O.D.B. The video that put him (and hip-hop) on the map was the unforgettable DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Parents Just Don't Understand." That clip helped hip-hop get a foothold on MTV - proving that rappers could reach audiences far outside the five boroughs. Scott had such a long-lasting impact that he made clips for Will Smith before he was Will Smith and stuck around long enough to shoot Lil Wayne videos. Oh yeah, he directed guys named Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg in 'Basketball Diaries' - making him one of the first video director to launch himself into feautures.
Scott was usually pulsing with plans for what was next and filled every room with his booming, unmistakably New York voice - almost too big for his slight frame. No reluctant label executive or un-cooperative budget line ever held him back.
Scott leaves behind his wife Sonia and daughters Madison and Tyler.
UPDATE: Official obituary notices have started to hit the media, with reports that his death is being investigated as a suicide. [SG]
