Overview

• Hitman Howie Tee’s death at age 61 has been confirmed, with no cause of death publicly disclosed.
• Born Howard Thompson in London and raised in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, he first rose to prominence in the early 1980s with electro-rap group CDIII.
• As Select Records’ in-house producer, he crafted Special Ed’s "I Got It Made" and Chubb Rock’s "Treat ’Em Right" by blending funk samples and pop interludes.
• He co-produced Color Me Badd’s 1991 Billboard Hot 100–topping single "I Wanna Sex You Up," extending his influence into R&B.
• Peers including Questlove and mentees like East Flatbush Project’s Spencer Bellamy have honored his underrecognized yet enduring impact on hip-hop.