Tay Keith, the Grammy-nominated Memphis producer behind “Sicko Mode” and “Look Alive,” has died at 29 in his Nashville apartment.
Tay Keith has been found dead in his Nashville apartment at just 29 years old, Metro Nashville Police confirmed Thursday.
Officers discovered the body of Brytavious Lakeith Chambers during a welfare check at his Martin Street home, and authorities say there’s no suspicion of foul play. His cause of death hasn’t been determined yet.
Born September 20, 1996, in South Memphis, Tay Keith started making beats at 14 years old, uploading his early work to YouTube and DatPiff and teaching himself piano by remaking tracks like Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop.”
His hustle paid off when he connected with BlocBoy JB after moving to East Memphis, and the two built a chemistry that would eventually take their sound to the entire country.
He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Management from Middle Tennessee State University in December 2018, finishing his degree in the same year he became a household name.
That 2018 run was historic. He co-produced BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” featuring Drake, which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, then followed it up with Drake’s “Nonstop” at number two and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” at number one.
According to TMZ, “Sicko Mode” earned rare diamond platinum status and landed him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, cementing his spot among the elite producers of his generation.
His credits kept stacking from there. Eminem tapped him for “Not Alike,” Lil Baby and Gunna featured him on “Never Recover” with Drake, and Beyonce included his production on “Before I Let Go” from the Homecoming Live Album in 2019.
He also played a major role in Sexyy Red’s breakout, producing her 2023 smash “Pound Town” and its follow-ups.
Collaborations with Cardi B, Polo G, DJ Khaled, Lil Nas X and more added dozens of gold and platinum certifications to his legacy. In 2022, he launched his own Drumatized label through Warner with Lil Durk and Gunna’s “Lights Off” as the debut release.
He had just been celebrated on AllHipHop for a McDonald’s collaboration that put his brand on merchandise and vinyl, a testament to how far he’d taken his name beyond the booth.
RIP.
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