When exploring tay keith songs produced, it quickly becomes clear how much of modern hip-hop was shaped by the Memphis-born producer’s unmistakable sound. Tay Keith built a career around booming 808s, hard drums, sparse melodies, and instantly recognizable rhythms, working with some of the biggest names in rap and popular music. His credits include major records for Drake, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Beyoncé, Lil Baby, Sexyy Red, Eminem, Lil Nas X, Future, and many others.
Tay Keith, whose birth name was Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, established himself as one of the most influential producers of his generation before his death at age 29 in June 2026. His catalog includes four No. 1 Billboard hits and 11 Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 songs, according to BMI. He also received Grammy nominations for his work on Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE” and Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex.”
Who Was Tay Keith?
Tay Keith was a record producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, and one of the leading figures to bring contemporary Memphis production into the mainstream.
Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Keith started making music as a teenager. His early work was created with basic equipment and shared online before his collaborations with Memphis artists began attracting wider attention.
One of his most important early partnerships was with BlocBoy JB. The two met while young in Memphis and developed a creative relationship that eventually produced several songs, including “Shoot” and “Rover.”
That local foundation became the starting point for an international production career.
Keith’s breakthrough came in 2018. His work on BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” featuring Drake put him on the national map, while his contributions to Drake’s “Nonstop” and Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE” quickly established him as a producer capable of working at the highest level of commercial hip-hop.
“Look Alive” Helped Change His Career
“Look Alive” remains one of the most important records in Tay Keith’s career.
The 2018 collaboration between BlocBoy JB and Drake combined a Memphis-rooted beat with one of the world’s biggest rappers. The song debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a major breakthrough for BlocBoy JB and Keith.
The production was direct and aggressive, built around the type of rhythmic structure that would become a Tay Keith trademark.
The success also demonstrated that a distinctly Memphis sound could move comfortably into the mainstream without losing its regional identity.
Drake’s “Nonstop” Became Another Major Credit
Soon after “Look Alive,” Tay Keith’s relationship with Drake produced another major hit.
“Nonstop,” from Drake’s 2018 album Scorpion, used a stripped-back instrumental that left plenty of space for Drake’s delivery. The record eventually reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The track showed an important aspect of Keith’s production style: he did not necessarily need a complicated arrangement to create a commercially powerful record.
Heavy percussion, repetition, low-end impact, and carefully controlled space became central elements of his approach.
“SICKO MODE” Became a Defining Moment
For many listeners, Travis Scott’s “SICKO MODE” remains the signature entry in Tay Keith’s catalog.
Released on Astroworld in 2018, the song became a worldwide hit and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Keith was one of several producers credited on the track.
The record was unusual because of its multiple sections, changes in tempo and atmosphere, and rotating cast of performers. Yet Keith’s contribution became one of its most recognizable elements.
The song earned Keith his first Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song in 2019. BMI later recognized “SICKO MODE” among his award-winning works.
“Rich Flex” Added Another Grammy-Nominated Hit
Tay Keith’s collaboration with Drake and 21 Savage continued years later with “Rich Flex.”
The song opened the 2022 joint album Her Loss and quickly became one of the project’s most recognizable tracks.
Its unusual vocal arrangement and memorable opening exchange helped make it a major cultural moment, while Keith’s production provided the hard-edged foundation underneath the performances.
“Rich Flex” earned Keith another Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song at the 2024 awards.
“Jimmy Cooks” Extended His Drake and 21 Savage Run
Another significant collaboration was “Jimmy Cooks,” performed by Drake featuring 21 Savage.
The song appeared on Drake’s Honestly, Nevermind and became one of the project’s major rap-oriented tracks.
Keith’s involvement reinforced a recurring pattern throughout his career: he could provide a beat that allowed established artists to maintain their individual styles while still giving the song a recognizable rhythmic identity.
The song remains one of the most streamed works associated with his songwriter catalog. Spotify’s songwriter page lists more than 1.3 billion streams for “Jimmy Cooks.”
“First Person Shooter” Became Another No. 1
Tay Keith’s Drake collaborations continued with “First Person Shooter,” featuring J. Cole.
The track became another major chart achievement and is included among Keith’s four No. 1 records cited by BMI and MusicRow.
Its success also demonstrated that Keith’s influence had moved beyond his original Memphis circle. By this point, his production credits connected him with some of the biggest names in hip-hop across different regions and generations.
Sexyy Red and the Success of “Pound Town”
Tay Keith also played an important role in the rise of Sexyy Red.
“Pound Town” became one of the standout viral rap records of 2023. The song helped bring Sexyy Red to a much larger audience, while Keith’s production gave the record the heavy, repetitive energy that made it highly recognizable.
The collaboration continued with “Get It Sexyy,” showing that the relationship between producer and artist had developed into a recurring creative partnership.
“Pound Town” is especially important because it demonstrates Keith’s ability to work with an emerging artist rather than simply contributing to established stars.
His Memphis Connection Never Disappeared
Even after reaching international success, Tay Keith remained closely connected to Memphis.
His work with artists such as BlocBoy JB, Moneybagg Yo, Blac Youngsta, Key Glock, and other Southern rappers helped keep Memphis at the center of his creative identity.
The song “I Met Tay Keith First” by Blac Youngsta featuring Lil Baby and Moneybagg Yo even turned Keith’s name into part of the title, reflecting his importance within the Memphis rap community.
Keith’s career therefore cannot be separated from the city that influenced his musical development.
Tay Keith Worked With Beyoncé
His production career also reached well beyond traditional trap and rap.
Keith contributed to Beyoncé’s version of “Before I Let Go,” a reworking of the Frankie Beverly and Maze classic associated with Beyoncé’s Homecoming project.
The record gave Keith another opportunity to demonstrate that his production skills could operate in a setting built around an established R&B and soul classic.
It also placed his name alongside one of the most influential performers in contemporary music.
Eminem, Lil Baby and Other Major Collaborations
Keith’s catalog includes a wide range of artists.
He worked with Eminem on “Not Alike,” bringing his hard Southern production style into a record led by one of rap’s most technically focused lyricists.
He was also involved with “Never Recover,” performed by Lil Baby, Gunna, and Drake. The track appeared on Drip Harder and became another important entry in his mainstream catalog.
Other artists connected to his credits include Cardi B, Lil Nas X, Future, Megan Thee Stallion, DJ Khaled, Polo G, Key Glock, Moneybagg Yo, and Aitch.
His Spotify songwriter profile currently lists 284 songs written, with “SICKO MODE,” “Jimmy Cooks,” “Nonstop,” “Look Alive,” “Rich Flex,” “HOLIDAY,” “Go Stupid,” “MELTDOWN,” “First Person Shooter,” and “Never Recover” among the most-streamed works displayed on the profile.
A Sound Built Around Drums and Bass
One reason Tay Keith became so recognizable was the consistency of his production style.
His beats frequently emphasized:
- Powerful 808 bass
- Heavy kick drums
- Sharp hi-hats
- Sparse melodic arrangements
- Dark atmospheric elements
- Repetitive rhythmic patterns
- Strong low-end impact
- Space for rappers to deliver memorable performances
The approach was particularly effective in trap and Southern hip-hop, where rhythm and bass can drive the identity of an entire song.
Keith understood how to make a beat sound immediate without filling every section with unnecessary musical elements.
The Famous Producer Tag
Keith’s producer tag became almost as recognizable as some of his beats.
The vocal tag announcing his name before a record helped listeners immediately identify his involvement. Producer tags are common throughout hip-hop, but Keith’s became particularly prominent because of how many high-profile records carried his signature.
The tag appeared across major releases and became part of the sound associated with his rise from Memphis producer to international hitmaker.
His Career Extended Beyond Hip-Hop
Tay Keith was not interested in limiting his work to rap.
He founded DRUMATIZED, a creative space and label initiative in Nashville designed to bring together artists from different musical backgrounds.
MusicRow reported that the studio became the second Black-owned recording studio in Nashville and hosted creative sessions involving artists from hip-hop and country music. Keith also worked with country artists including Kane Brown, ERNEST, and Bailey Zimmerman.
That side of his career showed that he was building something larger than a conventional producer portfolio.
Tay Keith’s Final Period of Work
Keith remained active in music during 2026.
His songwriter profile lists Key Glock’s “FACE DOWN” from Project X as a June 19, 2026 release, one day after Keith’s death. The posthumous appearance illustrates how production work can continue reaching audiences after a producer has completed it.
His catalog also contains numerous works that continue to generate streams and new attention.
That makes his production history particularly significant: listeners can still encounter new releases carrying his creative contributions even after his death.
Tay Keith’s Death in 2026
Tay Keith died on June 18, 2026, at age 29.
The Metro Nashville Police Department initially said that officers found him during a welfare check and that no foul play was suspected. At the time, his cause of death remained pending further investigation.
An autopsy report released in September 2026 subsequently determined that his death resulted from the toxic effects of several substances and was classified as accidental. The report cited mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, and ketamine toxicity.
His death prompted tributes from collaborators throughout the music industry, including Drake and Travis Scott.
Awards and Career Recognition
Keith’s accomplishments extended beyond individual hit records.
BMI recognized him multiple times during his career, including as Producer of the Year and for songwriting and production achievements. His award-winning works included “Sicko Mode,” “Nonstop,” and “First Person Shooter.”
He was also a two-time Grammy nominee, receiving nominations connected to “SICKO MODE” and “Rich Flex.”
MusicRow reported that he accumulated 11 Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 songs and four No. 1 hits.
These achievements are particularly notable given the relatively short period in which Keith operated at the highest level of mainstream music.
Why His Production Catalog Matters
Looking at the full catalog rather than only a few blockbuster singles reveals the scale of Keith’s influence.
His career connected several different parts of hip-hop: Memphis street rap, Southern trap, mainstream pop-rap, viral music, and major-label album production.
He could produce for an established superstar such as Drake, contribute to a Travis Scott blockbuster, help an emerging artist such as Sexyy Red gain momentum, and continue working with Memphis artists who had known him before international fame.
That range became one of the defining features of his career.
The Lasting Legacy of Tay Keith
The story of Tay Keith is ultimately larger than a list of hit songs.
He represented a generation of producers who transformed regional sounds into global music. Memphis was always central to his identity, but his production reached listeners around the world.
The biggest records associated with him — “Look Alive,” “Nonstop,” “SICKO MODE,” “Rich Flex,” “Jimmy Cooks,” “First Person Shooter,” and “Pound Town” — cover different artists and different moments in hip-hop, yet they share a recognizable rhythmic intensity.
His career also demonstrated the importance of producers as artists in their own right. Keith’s name became part of the marketing and identity of the records he helped create, and his producer tag became familiar to millions of listeners.
For readers researching tay keith songs produced, the catalog ultimately tells the story of a Memphis artist who moved from local collaborations to some of the biggest records in contemporary music.
His career ended far earlier than expected, but the recordings he helped create continue to define an important period in modern hip-hop.
Tay Keith’s music lives on through the artists, albums, and unforgettable records that continue to introduce his sound to new listeners.