Songwriter and producer Manuel Seal dies at 66

Award-winning songwriter and producer Manuel Seal has died at the age of 66. His longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri announced the news on Instagram on Sunday, September 27, though a cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Seal was a foundational figure in shaping the sound of So So Def Recordings. His career included thirteen Grammy Award nominations and a win for Best R&B Song in 2006 for his work on Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together.” He also contributed to major hits for artists such as Usher, TLC, Da Brat, and Xscape.

In a tribute, Dupri described Seal as “the first person to really understand me musically,” noting that the Chicago native helped push his creative boundaries and played an integral role in the label’s sonic blueprint.