Bay Area hip-hop has lost one of the producers who helped define its sound.
Tone Capone, the producer behind Luniz’ iconic “I Got 5 On It,” has died at 59.
Capone, born Anthony Douglas Gilmour, died Saturday, according to reports shared by family members. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
For Bay Area rap, Capone’s legacy runs deep. His production helped shape the region’s distinctive mobb music sound, while his catalog stretched across generations of West Coast artists.
His signature moment came with Luniz’ “I Got 5 On It.”
Released in 1995, the track became a Bay Area anthem and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The record began taking shape after Capone reconnected with Mike Marshall in 1993.
Marshall, a former Timex Social Club member, brought Capone into a session with Luniz. Marshall developed the melody for the hook, while Capone built the beat around Club Nouveau’s “Why You Treat Me So Bad.”
The song later received a star-studded remix featuring Dru Down, Spice 1, E-40, Shock G and Richie Rich.
More than two decades later, Jordan Peele brought Capone’s haunting production to a new generation when “I Got 5 On It” was featured in the 2019 horror film Us.
But Capone’s influence went far beyond one legendary record.
His production credits included Mac Dre, 3xKrazy, Celly Cel, E-40, Devin the Dude, The Jacka, Dru Down, Mac Mall and Andre Nickatina. He also worked with Spice 1, San Quinn and numerous other West Coast artists.
Capone’s reach eventually extended to Houston, where he worked with Scarface on the rapper’s 1997 platinum album The Untouchable. The project included “Mary Jane” and “Smile,” the latter featuring one of Tupac Shakur’s final recorded verses.
Scarface later named Capone among his greatest producers.
Capone was born in Berkeley and raised in North Oakland near Bushrod Park, where music was part of his childhood. He learned to DJ while attending Berkeley High School, using a friend’s turntables, before developing his production skills with drum machines and four-track recorders.
After buying his first Technics 1200, Capone chose music over the streets.
He remained active for decades, including through his work with Mac Dre on songs such as “Fire,” “Not My Job” and “Genie of the Lamp.” His more recent work included a collaboration with Punjabi rapper Kanwar.
Capone’s death closes the chapter on a career that helped give Bay Area hip-hop its identity while connecting Oakland and the wider West Coast to artists across the country.
No memorial arrangements have been announced.
