​Hip-Hop World Mourns as Hitmaker Tay Keith Dies at 29

​NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated hip-hop producer known globally as Tay Keith, was found dead in his South Nashville apartment on Thursday afternoon. He was 29 years old.

​The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed that officers discovered Chambers unresponsive inside his residence on Martin Street while conducting a welfare check. In an official statement, authorities noted that the case remains under active investigation but emphasized that “no foul play is suspected.” The official cause of death has been deferred pending the results of an autopsy and subsequent toxicology reports.

​A Ticket Out of Memphis

​Born on September 20, 1996, in Memphis, Tennessee, Chambers frequently spoke about the grit required to navigate a challenging childhood.

​”It was rough,” Chambers told The Tennessean in a past interview. “You gotta grind, you gotta make your way… Music was my way out. School was the plan B, just in case music didn’t work out.”

​Chambers began experimenting with software and making beats at age 14. In his teenage years, he formed a tight-knit musical bond with local rapper BlocBoy JB. Operating out of Memphis, the duo published their earliest collaborations online. That early partnership eventually birthed the 2018 smash hit “Look Alive” featuring Drake, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went quintuple platinum, shooting Tay Keith into the hip-hop stratosphere.

​”Tay Keith, These Niggas Dumb!”

​Chambers quickly became one of the most distinct sonic architects of late-2010s and 2020s rap. Anchored by his iconic, tag-lined introduction, his signature style—heavy, trunk-rattling 808 bass lines mixed with rapid-fire hi-hats—caught the attention of the industry’s elite.

​Over his short but wildly prolific career, Chambers secured four No. 1 records on the Billboard Hot 100. He co-produced Travis Scott’s historic 2018 megahit “Sicko Mode,” which became the first hip-hop track in history to spend at least 30 weeks in the chart’s Top 10. He also helmed chart-toppers like Drake’s 2023 hit “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole, Drake’s “Nonstop,” Eminem’s “Not Alike,” and Beyoncé’s reimagining of “Before I Let Go.” More recently, his work behind the board co-founding Drumatized Studios helped launch breakout star Sexyy Red via hits like “Pound Town” and “Get It Sexxy.”

​His production prowess earned him a 2019 Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song (“Sicko Mode”) and a subsequent 2024 nod for Drake and 21 Savage’s hit “Rich Flex.” Forbes recognized his massive cultural footprint by naming him to their prestigious 30 Under 30 list.

​Finishing What He Started

​Remarkably, Chambers engineered his initial wave of multi-platinum success while juggling the life of a full-time college student. He graduated from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in integrated studies and media management—the exact same month “Sicko Mode” topped the global charts. He was the first person in his family to earn a college degree.

​”There wouldn’t be any point for me to come to college if I didn’t want to finish it,” Chambers later reflected through the university’s media channels. “By my last week of college, I had my first No. 1 single, so it didn’t make any sense to drop out.”

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​Following the news of his passing, the music community erupted in grief. Longtime friend and collaborator BlocBoy JB shared a childhood photo of the two on Instagram with a heartbreaking tribute: “We talked everyday yeen even tell me you was leaving… Damn Cuz You Just Hurt Me Bad.”

​Beverly Keel, dean of MTSU’s Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment, expressed deep devastation over the loss of an alumnus who inspired countless students to enroll at the university.

​”He was so smart and insightful—not only book smart and business smart, but people smart,” Keel said. “He understood people and how they would act and react, which is probably why he was such a great songwriter. He had tremendous vision about the industry, music, culture, and people.”

​Chambers leaves behind a formidable musical legacy that redefined the modern soundscapes of mainstream rap and southern hip-hop. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.