Tay Keith, the Memphis producer whose signature sound helped shape modern hip-hop and powered hits for Travis Scott, Drake, Beyoncé and Sexyy Red, has died at the age of 29.
by Paul Cashmere
Hip-hop producer Tay Keith, born Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, has died at the age of 29 after being found unresponsive in his Nashville apartment on June 18.
Nashville police confirmed officers attended the residence following a welfare check. Authorities have stated there is no indication of foul play. A cause of death has not yet been determined.
Keith emerged as one of the defining production voices of the streaming era, creating tracks that bridged the dark, bass-heavy traditions of Memphis rap with the melodic trap sounds that came to dominate mainstream hip-hop. His unmistakable producer tag, “Tay Keith, f*** these n****s up”, became one of the most recognisable signatures in contemporary rap music.
The producer’s death marks the loss of a key architect of modern hip-hop. Over the past decade, Keith helped launch careers, revitalise established stars and shape the sound of chart-dominating releases. His work extended from underground Memphis artists to global superstars including Drake, Travis Scott, Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil Baby, Cardi B and DJ Khaled.
Born and raised in South Memphis, Tennessee, Chambers developed an interest in music during his early teens. Armed with a microphone, a computer and a piano, he began creating beats and uploading music online through platforms such as DatPiff and YouTube. During this period he formed a crucial creative partnership with fellow Memphis artist BlocBoy JB.
That collaboration became a turning point in 2018 when BlocBoy JB’s breakthrough single Look Alive, featuring Drake, became a global hit. The song propelled both artists into the mainstream and established Keith as one of rap’s most in-demand producers.
Among his most significant achievements was co-producing Travis Scott’s Sicko Mode, a track that reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Keith a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Song. He also produced Drake’s Nonstop, Eminem’s Not Alike featuring Royce da 5’9″, and contributed to Beyoncé’s Homecoming: The Live Album with the bonus track Before I Let Go.
Keith’s influence continued throughout the 2020s. In 2023 he played a pivotal role in the emergence of Sexyy Red, producing Pound Town, the breakout single that transformed the St. Louis rapper into one of hip-hop’s fastest-rising stars. He later executive produced her 2024 project In Sexyy We Trust and remained one of her closest creative collaborators.
Reflecting on Pound Town in a 2024 interview, Keith recalled facing scepticism when the track was first released. Despite criticism from some around him, he maintained confidence in the artist and the record’s potential, a belief ultimately vindicated by its commercial success and cultural impact.
Beyond his chart achievements, Keith remained closely connected to the Memphis music community that shaped him. Influenced by regional pioneers including Three 6 Mafia, Playa Fly and 8Ball & MJG, he carried elements of Memphis rap into a new generation and helped introduce those sounds to a worldwide audience.
His professional accomplishments extended beyond music production. In 2018, Chambers graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree, balancing academic commitments while building one of the most successful production careers in hip-hop.
Tributes from across the music industry followed news of his death. BlocBoy JB posted an emotional message recalling their daily conversations and longstanding friendship. Fellow Memphis producer Hitkidd also paid tribute, noting the pair had been creating music within the same scene since 2010.
Tay Keith’s 10 Best Known Productions
Sicko Mode, Travis Scott featuring Drake (2018)
Look Alive, BlocBoy JB featuring Drake (2018)
Nonstop, Drake (2018)
Jimmy Cooks, Drake featuring 21 Savage (2022)
Rich Flex, Drake and 21 Savage (2022)
Not Alike, Eminem featuring Royce da 5’9″ (2018)
Pound Town, Sexyy Red (2023)
Before I Let Go, Beyoncé (2019)
Meltdown, Travis Scott featuring Drake (2023)
First Person Shooter, Drake featuring J. Cole (2023)
Keith leaves behind a catalogue that helped define the sound of mainstream hip-hop in the late 2010s and early 2020s. While the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation, his influence on rap music is likely to endure through the records that made him one of the genre’s most sought-after producers.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first-Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
Bluesky
Instagram
X (Twitter)
