Metro Nashville Police said that famed producer Tay Keith was found deceased in his Nashville apartment on Thursday (June 18). He was 29.
Police arrived at Keith’s house to do a welfare check and discovered him unresponsive. No foul play is suspected.
Known for his trap-laden production, the Memphis hitmaker has enormous success on the Billboard Hot 100, garnering 11 top ten songs and four No. 1 singles, including Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” and Drake’s “First Person Shooter.” Keith now has the most No. 1 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list this decade, with six.
Despite his quiet and humble appearance, Tay Keith was a determined producer who was always looking for his next hit. In the early 2020s, he helped establish Sexyy Red’s career with her breakthrough track “Pound Town.”
Keith’s relationship with the St. Louis rapper aided her rise from provincial fame to mainstream hip-hop recognition.
Keith’s booming percussion and rumbling production provided an extra dimension of impact that rappers desired. Whether it was Eminem’s “Not Alike” or Lil Baby and Gunna’s “Never Recover,” Keith’s hard-hitting sound elevated albums into events, helping to restore Memphis’ impact in mainstream hip-hop.
Along with his spectacular success in rap, Keith ventured into country music with the goal of being a powerful force in Nashville. He launched DRUMATIZED, a label and creative hub that served both hip-hop and country musicians.
DRUMATIZED became Nashville’s second Black-owned studio, providing a creative refuge for both new and veteran artists attending private music camps.
Keith’s first No. 1 with “Sicko Mode” and first Grammy nomination came in December 2018, the month he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University. He was eager to give back.
“He was so smart and insightful, not only book smart and business smart, but also people smart,” says Beverly Keel, dean of MTSU’s Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment to Billboard.
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“He knew people and how they behaved and reacted, which is probably why he was such an excellent lyricist. He had a great vision for the industry, music, culture, and people. He had a rough background, which may have molded his sensitivity and desire to help others.
When Keel passed away, “We had discussed creating a scholarship in his name, holding galas to fund it, and building a class that followed his career from Memphis to Nashville, Atlanta, L.A. and beyond.”
Keith was also instrumental in promoting a generation of Memphis artists, including BlocBoy JB and Black Youngsta. In 2018, he created JB’s biggest Hot 100 hit, “Look Alive.”
The Drake-assisted tune landed at No. 5 on the chart, introducing both artists to a larger audience.
Following Keith’s death, JB expressed his astonishment and grief on Instagram Stories. Among his posts were images of the couple as teenagers, as well as a screenshot of their call history with the caption: “We talked every day. Yeen, tell me you’re leaving.”
Hitkidd, another Memphis producer, voiced his disbelief by uploading a photo of himself and Keith on Instagram.
