Mariah Carey, Teddy Riley, Monifah And More React To Andre Harrell’s Death

The entertainment industry lost Andre Harrell, a music veteran and one of black music’s most influential pioneers. Known for being one half of rap duo Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde and pushing for the fresh sounds of blackness, Harrell made his mark with the conception of Uptown Records, a record label that would later birth the music careers of Sean “Diddy” Combs, Al B Sure, Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, Heavy D & The Boyz, Monifah, Soul for Real and more.

After hearing of the executive’s untimely death, a slew of artists who worked with Harrell or crossed paths with him headed to their designated social media accounts to honor the late great Andre Harrell.

“Why Andre,” tweeted Mariah Carey with tearful emojis. “My heart is breaking and I can’t stop crying. He was an amazing friend and I will miss him forever.”

“Pioneer, visionary, renaissance man… just a few adjectives that describe @andreharrell,” wrote Monifah in the caption of her Instagram post. “You’ve made an indelible mark on black music & culture.”

After revealing the news during his late-night Club Quarantine Instagram Live set, DJ Nice shared a post of Harrell writing, “Truly heartbroken. Rest peacefully, Andre Harrell.”

Late last year, it was announced that Harrell, 59, would partner with BET for a3-part miniseries based on the story of his Uptown Records label. No word on whether production has started not he film. It’s unclear the cause of death. Our hearts and prayers go out to his dear family and friend.

Scroll down below to read more reactions to Andre Harrell’s passing.

 

Why Andre 😢😢😢 My heart is breaking and I can’t stop crying. He was an amazing friend and I will miss him forever. 😢

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) May 9, 2020

 

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I am deeply saddend by the loss of my good friend @andreharrell – Andre has been a blessing to so many, including myself. It is with a heavy heart that I post this photo of us a few years ago. A truly gifted and brilliant impressario of the highest calibre. Andre, you will be missed. Love and blessings to Gianni and your family.

A post shared by LA REID (@la_reid) on May 8, 2020 at 11:42pm PDT

 

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Heartbreaking – No words, my best friend 💔 always compassionate, good-hearted, full of love and.. what a beautiful legacy he leaves in this world… All the inspiration, direction and support he gave to so many… So many can say they are successful because Andre Harrell gave them their start. He was so beloved because he made his living uplifting others… We celebrate him in his passing because we were so blessed for his presence… He gave everything he had. God makes the best plans R.I.P @andreharrell

A post shared by Russell Simmons (@unclerush) on May 8, 2020 at 11:00pm PDT

 

 

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My prayers go out to all the family. GOD BLESS 💔You were the beginning for so many and a genuine positive energy through it all … I salute you KING!!🕊🕊🕊🕊

A post shared by Usher (@usher) on May 8, 2020 at 11:13pm PDT

 

 

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Another sad day😔🙏🏽 We’ve lost one of the greatest mentors in my life. I’m so happy I got to tell you 1 hour before the versus Battle, how much I respect and love you, as my big brother and mentor! The pep talk that you’ve giving me right before, felt like the same pep talks that you’ve given me the beginning of Uptown records, sleeping on the couch at your office (Brownstone) in BK. You chose me out of all the kids that you could have picked to work with you. I can replay IT in my head, all of the moments that I’ve taken the train and when I got my first car driving to Brooklyn, skipping school, and becoming that sponge just to learn and get my hands on that mixing board at Chung King Studios. I will never forget, all of these cherished moments and I will never forget you!!! 🙏🏽 🙏🏽 🙏🏽 I salute you…King of New Jack Swing👑👑👑 My condolences to the Harrell family & to my Uptown family 4life!!! #rip #greatest #legend #legacy #newjackswing #king

A post shared by Teddy Riley (@teddyriley1) on May 8, 2020 at 11:58pm PDT

 

“Bad Boy era. Rockafella era. It all comes from Uptown.”

Saluting Andre Harrell. The architect of so much music, so much culture.

Rest now. In power and peace. pic.twitter.com/rcmSeNNllV

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) May 9, 2020

 

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Ahh man😢 My brother my friend my mentor wow …We just spoke and your energy was way up. Your spirits were so high 🙏🏽I could of never predict that you was on your way home King🙏🏽 Thank you for always supporting good music / artist and creativity King ! Thank you for the Teddy & Babyface celebration that was your magic that helped make it happen🙏🏽 We miss you already King blessings to the entire Family of the GREAT Andre H the ICON🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊🕊

A post shared by Swizz Beatz (@therealswizzz) on May 8, 2020 at 11:54pm PDT

 

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Truly heartbroken. Rest peacefully, Andre Harrell. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

A post shared by D-Nice (@dnice) on May 9, 2020 at 12:22am PDT

 

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Dude. #AndreHarrell man. He gave you the best soundtracks of your life man and you didn’t even know it. We never gave him his flowers. He redefined the party! Def Jam was the artform. Bad Boy was the attitude Death Row was the muscle But without even knowing it? Uptown was ALWAYS the party. I’m sitting here going through my crates STUNNED at the amount of six degree to Andre records I’ve spun weekly on a regular basis for the last 35 years yo. The is a staggering loss. We never gave Andre Harrell his flowers. Name em: Al B Sure/Heavy D & The Boyz/Guy/. I mean mentoring Diddy alone brings in Jodeci/BIG/Mary J/Father MC/Christopher Williams—-and even in those names the success with THOSE artists come Missy/Timb/Neptune’s But let’s not stop there: first time we really paid attention to Halle Berry was in a Harrell film called Strictly Business Let’s throw “Candy Rain” in there or Lil Shawn’s “I Made Love”—-I may be dating myself but man Mgruff’s “Before We Start” got MUCH play round my way. Jeff Redd (who brought Blidge to the label) had a banger with “You Called And Told Me”—-“Touch It” from Monifah STILL bangs to this day. & back to Diddy, I’m absolutely w/o a doubt certain that he feels his success is also Harrell’s success so in a round about way there is no Bad Boy w/o Harrell. (Lemme also remember Daryl Chill Mitchell’s “Hip Hop’s Here To Stay” another classic uptown jawn. Horace Brown too….. Too Many Classics Let’s not forget NY Undercover & all the clever music moments in each ep. We never gave him his flowers. This isn’t even half of his achievements nor does this even bring to light the people’s lives he changed or his loved ones left behind. He literally introduced a new sound to the world (the first new jack swing projects were on Uptown)—-wait hold that——his label changed music TWICE because hip hop soul’s music picked up where New Jack left off and on the same label. Such a short time to paradigm shift music TWICE!!!!!!!! Damn man. We never gave him his flowers man. 😣

A post shared by Questlove Froman, (@questlove) on May 8, 2020 at 11:38pm PDT

 

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Your life’s work – was the soundtrack to our lives. Your legacy will never die. You’ll live on in all of us. RIP Andre Harrell.

A post shared by Lena Waithe (@lenawaithe) on May 8, 2020 at 11:23pm PDT

 

 

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Pioneer, visionary, renaissance man… just a few adjectives that describe @andreharrell. You’ve made an indelible mark on black music & culture. Help change the course of black music and many artists’ lives. I remember you telling me when Heav brought me to meet you that you saw me as “RnB Madonna. LOL. This reality is gonna be alot less “BANANAS HOMIE” because you’ve taken your wings. 💜 I’d like to imagine that you and Heav have reunited and are kicking it hard. Give him a big hug for me. Prayers of love & comfort to his son @gianni , @wendycredle and his many loved ones & friends. #uptown #andreharrell #legacy

A post shared by MONIFAH (@themonifah) on May 9, 2020 at 12:29am PDT

 

Andre Harrell was a friend, a mentor, and an innovator. What a tragic loss. #RIP https://t.co/0nJqwQ62kf

— Reginald Hudlin (@reghud) May 9, 2020

 

 

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Long Live Andre Harrell. 🕊🕊🕊🕊

A post shared by BMC (@bryanmichaelcox) on May 8, 2020 at 11:12pm PDT

 

 

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I am heart broken 💔

A post shared by Mario Winans (@iammariowinans) on May 8, 2020 at 11:54pm PDT

 

 

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One of our elders. One of our pioneers. One of one. Rest in paradise @andreharrell 🙏🏾

A post shared by Tank (@therealtank) on May 8, 2020 at 11:19pm PDT

 

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The dude that was always humbly in the bg callin the shots with all the good ideas . I Salute one of the smartest visionaries of the culture of our time .. SAFE JOURNEY @andreharrell . IT IS WELL. – eb ((yo @qtiptheabstract &@melodyehsani … y’all remember this night? ⚡️☀️🌟❤️))

A post shared by THE UNICORN- Its A Lituation (@erykahbadu) on May 9, 2020 at 1:41am PDT