About Mr Lee
A Grammy Nominated Multi Platinum Producer
Leroy "Mr Lee" Williams Jr.
The Story
Since the early 90s, Mr Lee has helped create the trademark sound of the South, lacing beats for Tupac, Scarface, UGK, Jay Z, Nipsey Hussle, Drake and Megan Thee Stallion.
From Pineville to Houston
Leroy “Mr Lee” Williams Jr. grew up on a compound in Pineville, Louisiana, where music found him early. He was competing as a pianist by age 9 and playing gospel in church, and he went on to train in numerous instruments. In 1990 he played in the McDonald’s All American Band and became the first Black drum major at the predominantly white Tioga High School, helping lead the band to its first state championship in 19 years.
When he lost his college scholarship, music became his way forward. He played behind his father, a gospel singer, until he discovered hip hop at 21 and formed the rap group Four Deep. In 1995 he moved to Houston, the home of his favorite rapper, Scarface.
The Rap-A-Lot Years
On a mission to sell beats, Mr Lee was offered as little as $50 for his work, and doors kept closing until he met Big Chief, vice president of Rap-A-Lot Records. He signed as an in house producer on the same label as his idol, and after earning Scarface’s respect in the studio, the records followed fast.
He worked on 5th Ward Boyz’ Usual Suspects in 1997, then Scarface’s platinum My Homies in 1998, including “Win Lose or Draw,” co-produced with Scarface and Mike Dean. That same year he produced for the Geto Boys, Devin the Dude and Do or Die’s gold Headz or Tailz. In 1999 he produced 2Pac and the Outlawz’ “Black Jesuz” on the platinum Still I Rise, and in 2000 he produced ten tracks on Scarface’s gold The Last of a Dying Breed, including “Get Out” with Jay Z.
A Second Chance
The early success came with hard times. Legal troubles that began in 1997 kept him looking over his shoulder for years, unable to get a license or a bank account, until an arrest in 2004. With platinum records to his name and letters of character from Willie Nelson and Randall Jamail, his accomplishments outweighed his past and the charges were dropped. He came out more focused than ever, studying his craft daily and evolving with the rap game.
The Sound of Houston
One of the first producers to go fully digital, Mr Lee traded his ASR-10 for an MPC drum machine and Korg and Roland keyboards, the setup behind Bun B’s menacing “Get Throwed” featuring Pimp C, Z-Ro, Jeezy and Jay Z. The record hit No. 24 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs and anchored Bun B’s gold album Trill, alongside “Pushin'” with Scarface and Jeezy and “I’m a G” with T.I.
What followed was a run that defined an era of Houston rap: Slim Thug’s gold Already Platinum including “3 Kings” with T.I. and Bun B, Paul Wall’s platinum, No. 1 album The Peoples Champ, nine tracks on Paul Wall’s Get Money, Stay True including “Break ‘Em Off” with Lil Keke, and Bun B’s “You’re Everything” with Rick Ross, David Banner and 8Ball & MJG. He produced for Z-Ro, Lil Keke, Trae Tha Truth, Mya, Dwele and Mary J. Blige, and produced full albums for Boss Hogg Outlawz, Slim Thug and Z-Ro. In 2015 he produced ten of the sixteen tracks on Pimp C’s posthumous Long Live the Pimp, including “3-Way Freak” with Lil Wayne.
Nine platinum albums, six gold albums, and singles on the radio for 13 consecutive years.
Victory Lap and a Grammy Nomination
Mr Lee’s bond with Nipsey Hussle started with “Blue Laces” in 2010. In 2018 he produced “Blue Laces 2” for Nipsey’s classic Victory Lap, which went double platinum and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards. Today Mr Lee is a member of the Recording Academy.
Still On The Track
His records keep finding new generations. “Get Throwed” was sampled on Drake’s “N 2 Deep” featuring Future from the No. 1 album Certified Lover Boy, and again on Busta Rhymes’ “Big Everything” with DaBaby and T-Pain. He produced Megan Thee Stallion’s “Southside Royalty Freestyle” with Sauce Walka, Big Pokey and Lil Keke on her gold album Traumazine.
Recent work includes Slim Thug’s Around The World, his own gospel single “When We Praise” with Fred Hammond, Slim Thug and HI, Slim Thug and Lil Keke’s Double Cup, Pt. 2 featuring “Drank Sippa,” “One Last Time (Blue Laces 3)” with Rick Ross, Dave East and Trae Tha Truth, and “The Kings” with Slim Thug.
Author, Executive, Mentor
In 2023 Mr Lee published Give ‘Em The Biz: Learning The Process, a music business playbook built from three decades in the industry, complete with the standard contracts every artist and producer needs. He is the CEO of Noddfactor Entertainment and co-founded XMG Hip Hop to help break rising artists and give new voices a place to be heard.
“20 years is a long time to be successful in anything. To still be relevant in a competitive industry is a blessing.”