Hip-Hop Pioneer Producer Hitman Howie Tee Dies At 61

Howard Thompson, known as Hitman Howie Tee, was a pioneering hip-hop and R&B producer who helped define the sound of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Born in London to Jamaican parents and raised in Brooklyn, he was instrumental in launching the careers of artists such as Special Ed, Chubb Rock, The Real Roxanne, and U.T.F.O. Howie Tee produced iconic tracks including Special Ed’s “I Got It Made,” Chubb Rock’s “Treat ‘Em Right,” and Color Me Badd’s hit “I Wanna Sex You Up,” which featured on the New Jack City soundtrack and topped the Billboard charts. Starting as a DJ and member of the electro-rap group CDIII, he later became the in-house producer at Select Records, influencing a generation of hip-hop fans and artists. His work was celebrated by peers like DJ Premier, Salaam Remi, and Questlove, who praised his versatility, mentorship, and lasting impact on the genre. Howie Tee passed away at the age of 61, leaving behind a legacy as an underrated yet monumental figure in hip-hop history.