Atlanta Rapper T-Hood Killed in Georgia Shooting at 33

Rapper T-Hood  was killed in Snellville, Georgia, after a domestic dispute outside his home.

Southern hip-hop is in mourning. Tevin Hood — better known as T-Hood — was shot and killed Friday at a residence in Snellville, Georgia, according to Gwinnett County police. He was 33.

Officers were dispatched around 7 p.m. to the 3900 block of Lee Road following reports of a dispute at the home. First responders found Hood with gunshot wounds, rendered aid, and transported him to a hospital, where he died from his injuries. One individual was detained at the scene and is currently being interviewed; the shooting is being investigated as a homicide. Authorities emphasized there is no active threat to the public.

RIP T HOOD 💔 one of the first people to hop on me and @Deedotwill vivid trap beats.

he was literally the only person to hop on this melody i did from scratch. I ain’t fuckin with this at all i’m ngl. pouring up for my all my niggas tonight pic.twitter.com/uVJAPPVuhJ

— glick attachment (@cashgangrott) August 9, 2025

Hood’s mother, Yulanda, confirmed his identity to local media and rejected claims of a party taking place at the time of the shooting. Family members spoke with Channel 2 Action News, validating the tragic news.

Known for his work in Southern rap, T-Hood released tracks including “Ready 2 Go,” “Perculator,” “Girls in the Party” and “Big Booty” with B.o.B. He was also named Trendsetter of the Year at the 2025 Black Only Awards.

i been all over the place trying to find a way to process the passing of my dawg. i knew t hood a while and he used to always go crazy at every stage he was on.

he really went crazy with his talent and im fortunate to have got some work in with him. one of the few artists who… pic.twitter.com/YQqzJ2Vh9X

— DJ Blak Boy (@DJBlakBoy) August 10, 2025

Just weeks prior, Hood shared an eerie Instagram video promoting his song “Grave Diggerz.” Wearing a ghost costume in a cemetery, he joked, “Come down to the cemetery. I have a spot for you… Just die today.” Fans have since called the clip chillingly prophetic amid the tragedy.

Producer Deddotwill, a frequent collaborator, expressed his grief online: “We was just on the phone all day. I can’t believe you are gone. REST IN PEACE T-HOOD, I LOVE YOU BROTHER.”

DJ Blak Boy added his personal tribute: “I knew T-Hood a while… he was a light of energy… always supported everybody… a friend I’ll miss.”

Former Assistant Sues Busta Rhymes, Alleges Repeated Abuse

Busta Rhymes kneels beside his newly unveiled star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in July 2025. A former assistant has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the rapper of physical assault and creating a toxic work environment.

Busta Rhymes is facing a federal lawsuit from a former assistant who claims the hip-hop legend physically assaulted him, subjected him to a hostile work environment, and then derailed his career after a violent incident earlier this year.

Dashiel Gables filed the 13-page complaint in the Eastern District of New York on Monday. The suit outlines a range of allegations, including assault, battery, wage and hour violations, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the complaint, Gables was hired by Rhymes — born Trevor Smith Jr. — in 2024 at a rate of $200 per day. Over time, Gables claims he was forced to work excessively long hours, including 18-hour days without overtime, while enduring verbal abuse, unreasonable demands, and escalating threats.

The breaking point came in January 2025, when Gables says Rhymes punched him twice in the face after yelling at him for texting his daughter during a break. Gables sought medical treatment and filed a police report. Rhymes turned himself in and was charged with assault, but the criminal case remains pending.

In a statement released to the press, Rhymes denied the allegations, calling them "categorically false." He claimed the employment arrangement with Gables was short-lived and did not work out. "Apparently, Dashiel has decided to respond to being let go by manufacturing claims against me in an attempt to attack and damage my reputation," he said. Rhymes also announced plans to countersue, alleging an attempted "shake-down."

The lawsuit paints a different picture. Gables alleges a toxic pattern of behavior that included screaming, spitting, name-calling, and public humiliation. He says he remained in the job because he needed the work but ultimately could not tolerate the physical abuse.

"I worked my heart out for Busta," Gables said in a statement. "Long hours, day and night, weekends, you name it. He bullied me from day one. He regularly insulted me, called me names and slurs, screamed at me in front of other people ... But I stuck around, because I needed the work and I thought things would get better. But instead, he punched me twice in the face."

Gables also claims the incident and the resulting criminal charges caused him to be "frozen out" of the music industry, leaving him with "substantial future lost wage damages."

This is not the first time Busta Rhymes has faced legal issues involving assault. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a former driver and a fan. In 2015, he was arrested for throwing a protein drink at a gym employee during an altercation.

Rhymes, 53, was recently honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and made a cameo in the reboot of "The Naked Gun." His hits include "Gimme Some More," "Break Ya Neck," and "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check."

Hip-Hop Mourns Howie Tee, Sonic Force Behind Special Ed and Chubb Rock

Hitman Howie Tee, born Howard Thompson, is dead at 61. The influential producer helped launch the careers of Special Ed and Chubb Rock and co-produced hits for Color Me Badd.

Hip-hop has lost a giant.

Hitman Howie Tee — the Brooklyn-based producer, DJ and sonic architect behind pivotal records from Special Ed, Chubb Rock, The Real Roxanne and Color Me Badd — has died at 61. His death was confirmed in early August by close collaborators and friends including DJ Premier and Questlove, though the exact cause and date have not been publicly disclosed.

Born Howard Thompson in London to Jamaican parents and raised in Brooklyn’s East Flatbush neighborhood, Howie Tee carved out a legendary career by fusing breakbeats, funk, jazz, and even cartoon samples into an unmistakable sound that helped define East Coast hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Questlove (@questlove)

He first made his mark as a member of CDIII and later as the in-house producer for Select Records, where he shaped the signature styles of future legends. With Special Ed, he delivered “I Got It Made,” a coming-of-age anthem that turned a teenage MC into a star. With Chubb Rock, he produced classics like “Treat ’Em Right,” “Ya Bad Chubbs” and “Just the Two of Us,” blending boom-bap energy with wit and rhythm.

His sound wasn’t limited to rap. In the early ’90s, Howie Tee co-produced Color Me Badd’s No. 1 hits “I Wanna Sex You Up” and “All 4 Love,” the latter famously topping Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” on the Billboard Hot 100. His ear for crossover appeal made him one of the most versatile producers of the era, with remixes for Madonna, Heavy D, Maxi Priest and Raven-Symoné further proving his reach.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @djpremier

Questlove remembered him as “another legend from my childhood,” calling him a “superhero superproducer” who helped hip-hop evolve by blending TV themes and pop melodies with hard drums. DJ Premier recalled long conversations with Howie Tee about music and life, crediting him for inspiring his own early production aspirations.

From Whistle’s playful “(Nothing Serious) Just Buggin’” to Special Ed’s “I’m the Magnificent” and deep cuts like Little Shawn’s “Hickeys on Your Chest,” Howie Tee’s catalog remains a masterclass in groove, grit and experimentation. He was a sonic bridge between the park jam spirit of old-school hip-hop and the polished swagger of the New Jack Swing era.

Though never one to chase the spotlight, his influence stretched far beyond the studio. He helped shape the sound of an entire generation — and gave some of hip-hop’s most beloved voices their earliest hits.