Super producer Tay Keith, whose resume includes collaborations with Future, Travis Scott, and Beyoncé, was found dead in his Nashville apartment on Thursday afternoon. He was 29.
A statement by the Metro Nashville Police Department said that no foul play is suspected in the death of the Grammy-nominated artist, born Brytavious Chambers. “He was found dead in his Martin St apt this afternoon by officers performing a welfare check,” read the statement. “His death is unclassified pending autopsy results.”
Born Sept. 20, 1996, the Tennessee native began making beats at the age of 14 and crafted a signature sound adapted from Southern hip-hop royalty like Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball & MJG. In 2018, Keith’s work with fellow Memphis native BlocBoy JB began to garner buzz beyond the borders of Memphis and their local rap music caught Drake’s attention. At 21, Keith had his first hit with Drake and BlocBoy’s “Look Alive.”
That same year, he worked on a slew of collaborations including co-producing Travis Scott’s 2018 hit track “Sicko Mode,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. He also co-produced Eminem’s “Not Alike” for the rapper’s 10th studio album, Kamikaze.
Keith also co-produced “Before I Let Go,” a bonus track on Beyoncé’s Homecoming: The Live Album, and executive produced Sexyy Red’s 2024 album, Sexyy We Trust, whose breakout hits “Pound Town” and “SkeeYee” he also produced.
During a Rolling Stone interview in 2022, Keith discussed the influence growing up in Memphis had on his work. “I was born into this shit and raised in this shit,” he said. “Memphis music is all I listened to and all my family listened to. My stepfather who I am still close with really influenced my taste for music.”
When catching up with the publication a few years later, Keith shared that he had partnered with the National Museum of African-American Music the previous Christmas to provide young people with gifts and food, while also offering a seminar and free admission to the museum to show them “that this is where I come from too, and music was my outlet for my success. So you can always go to school and go to college, but also, you can chase your dreams too.”
When reflecting on his own hardships growing up and how he relates to the youth he’s helping, Keith said, “I’m working with the city of Memphis where I’m from, to partner up with a lot of the programs to basically help the children in our communities. I was raised in Section 8, I was raised with a single mom majority of my life. I have been put out. I’ve been in situations where we had to get government assistance. I had free lunch and food stamps my whole life. I had to overcome a lot of adversity growing up and I made it a mission to be able to show the youth that it’s possible.” The artist added, “I always motivate the kids, the young producers who reach out to me and want advice. I never hesitate to talk to them.”
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