The Memphis-born hitmaker, who helped define modern trap production, was found unresponsive in his Nashville home on Thursday.
Tay Keith, the Grammy-nominated producer behind some of the past decade's biggest rap anthems, has died at age 29. Metro Nashville Police confirmed officers discovered him unresponsive inside his Nashville apartment on Thursday, June 18, after responding to a welfare check call. Authorities say there's no indication of foul play.
Born Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, Keith built one of hip-hop's most recognizable sonic signatures: booming 808s, snapping hi-hats, and a thunderous low end that became shorthand for trap music's late-2010s explosion. That sound carried him to 11 top 10 hits and four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including Travis Scott's genre-redefining "Sicko Mode" and Drake's "First Person Shooter." He also holds the distinction of logging more No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart this decade than any other producer, with six chart-toppers to his name.
From Memphis Streets to the Top of the Charts
Keith's rise traced back to Memphis, where he came up alongside future collaborators like BlocBoy JB and Black Youngsta before his sound found a national audience. His 2018 production of JB's "Look Alive," featuring Drake, became a breakout moment for both artists and cracked the Hot 100's top five — a turning point that put Memphis hip-hop back on the map for mainstream listeners.
That same month, December 2018, marked a remarkable convergence in his life: he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University, scored his first No. 1 with "Sicko Mode," and earned his first Grammy nomination, all within weeks of each other.
His catalog only grew from there. Keith's drum-heavy touch showed up on Eminem's "Not Alike" and Lil Baby and Gunna's "Never Recover," and in the early 2020s he played a pivotal role in launching Sexyy Red to stardom, producing her viral breakout "Pound Town."
A Bridge Between Hip-Hop and Nashville's Country Scene
Beyond hip-hop, Keith had spent recent years building a second chapter in Nashville's country music world. He founded DRUMATIZED, a label and creative studio that became the second Black-owned studio in Nashville, hosting collaborative camps for both rising and established artists across genres — including Walker Hayes, Lalo Guzman, Reyna Roberts, and David J.
Beverly Keel, dean of MTSU's Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment, described Keith as someone whose insight went well beyond music. According to Keel, Keith had a sharp read on people and culture that fueled both his songwriting and his generosity toward up-and-coming artists. The two had reportedly been in talks about establishing a scholarship in his name and building an academic track centered on his career path from Memphis to Nashville, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
Tributes Pour In From the Memphis Music Community
News of Keith's death sent shockwaves through the hip-hop world, with longtime collaborators and friends sharing tributes online. BlocBoy JB posted throwback photos of the pair as teenagers along with a screenshot of their call history, reflecting on their daily conversations. Fellow Memphis producer Hitkidd also shared a heartfelt post, noting their working relationship stretched back to 2010.
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