Tay Keith, the Grammy-nominated producer behind some of modern hip-hop’s biggest tracks, has died at the age of 29.
The Memphis-born producer, real name Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found dead Thursday in his Nashville, Tennessee, apartment following a welfare check.
Metro Nashville police confirmed his death, saying no foul play was suspected and the cause of death remained unclassified pending autopsy results.
Keith’s fingerprints are all over a remarkable period in hip-hop history.
He broke into the mainstream in 2018 with BlocBoy JB’s viral hit. Vagabondhaving a working relationship with the rapper since the age of 14.
That same year proved to be his breakthrough on a larger scale, as he co-produced Travis Scott’s film. Sick Mode featuring Drake, a track from Scott’s critically acclaimed film Astroworld album which earned Keith a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song at the 61st annual awards ceremony in 2019.
He received a second Grammy nomination in the same category in 2024 for his work on Drake and 21 Savage’s. Rich Flex.
The list of artists he has worked with is impressive.
Alongside Scott and Drake, Keith produced Drake’s 2018 single Non-stopEminem’s Machine Gun Kelly dissident track Not the same, Never recover by Lil Baby and Gunna with Drake, and a bonus track from Beyoncé’s live Return home album.
He also worked with Sexyy Red, whose track SkeeYee was instrumental in him being named BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Producer of the Year, an honor he has won three times, most recently in 2024.
He began his career as a teenager, releasing original songs and remixes on YouTube and hip-hop platforms before meeting BlocBoy JB at age 14 and beginning a creative partnership that would eventually open doors to the industry.
BMI also named him R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year in 2018.
He was 29 years old.
