Tragic news struck the family, friends, and fans of legendary West Coast producer Tone Capone. A new report from KQED revealed that the Bay Area musician passed away at 59 years old. Currently, the cause of death is unknown, and services haven’t been announced.
Capone was born Anthony Douglas Gilmour in Berkeley, California, and spent his life in North Oakland. He got into making beats because his friend showed him how to DJ. Eventually, that led him to work as a DJ for hire, playing any number of parties across the Bay Area.
With a strong affinity for soul classics, Tone Capone started making his own beats with a vast array of equipment. Cassette recorders, drum machines, turntables, and tape decks were his MO, recording for local Oakland crew Capital Tax and even a track for star R&B group SWV.
By 1993, he would finally get his big break. Capone reconnected with high school friend and artist Mike Marshall, which led him to meet Oakland duo Luniz. They already had the idea for their iconic song “I Got 5 On It”. This eventually prompted the two producers to sculpt the West Coast classic; Marshall worked the addictive melody on the hook, Capone made the beat, and magic was created from there.
Producer Tone Capone Passes Away at 59 Years Old
“I Got 5 On It” sparked an incredible career for all parties involved. The record peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, even bringing in other Bay Area legends like E-40 and Spice-1 for the remix. He saw a resurgence in fan interest when Jordan Peele reworked it to horrifying effect in his 2019 film Us.
Naturally, Capone kept working. Through another Oakland connection in rapper Seagram, he eventually met Mike Dean. By developing a relationship with the prominent producer, he got to meet Houston icon Scarface. This led to Tone Capone playing a significant role in his career, making the legendary “Smile” with one of Tupac’s last recorded verses.
Additionally, the Berkeley-bred producer played a crucial role in one of the Bay Area’s biggest legends, Mac Dre. Together, they crafted records like “Not My Job” and “Fire”.
Music journalist Jeff Weiss succinctly memorialized Tone Capone by remembering his vital contributions to the Bay Area sound. “Master of swerving but hyper-smooth Bay Bridge funk, the missing link between Mobb Music, G-Funk, classic Rap-A-Lot & Hyphy,” he wrote on X.
Screenshot by NO VULTURES / YouTube
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