Grammy-nominated producer Tay Keith was found dead at 29 in his Nashville apartment on Thursday, 18 June 2026, with his family and Drake among those leading tributes to the Memphis hitmaker, as reported by Billboard.
Keith, whose real name was BryTavious Chambers, was discovered unresponsive during a welfare check at his Martin Street home on Thursday afternoon. Police said no foul play is suspected and that the cause of death is pending autopsy results.
He was one of hip-hop’s most in-demand producers.
What we know about how Tay Keith died
The producer was found dead in Nashville, the city where he had been based, after officers were called to perform a welfare check.
Authorities have not released further detail while the medical examiner completes the post-mortem. His family confirmed the loss in a public statement on Friday, 19 June 2026.
In their tribute, his relatives wrote that “while the world knew him as Tay Keith, his family knew him as BryTavious, a source of love, strength, laughter, and guidance.”
They added:
“We take comfort in knowing that his legacy will live on through the music he created, the opportunities he provided, and the lives he touched.”
News of his death spread quickly across social media, where artists, producers and fans shared memories of working with him.
Peers including NLE Choppa and Key Glock were among those who publicly honoured the producer, reflecting how deeply his beats were woven into the modern Memphis and Atlanta rap scenes.
The hits that made Tay Keith a hip-hop force
Keith built his reputation on a run of chart-dominating beats, earning two Grammy nominations for Best Rap Song.
The first came for Travis Scott’s 2018 smash Sicko Mode, alongside Drake and Swae Lee, and the second for Drake and 21 Savage’s Rich Flex in 2024.
His production credits also stretched to work with Beyoncé and Eminem, which placed the Memphis native at the centre of the past decade of rap. The family described him as a visionary producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural force whose work helped define the sound of a generation.
Keith first broke through in 2017 and 2018 as trap production entered its commercial peak, and his signature tag became one of the most recognisable in the genre.
Over the following years he expanded into business ventures and mentorship, building a catalogue that ran well beyond a single breakout hit.
Tributes from across the music world, including Drake, have continued to pour in since the news broke.
The next development will be the medical examiner’s findings, which are expected to confirm how the 29-year-old died and bring clarity to a loss that has stunned hip-hop.
