Memphis made Tay Keith. Tay Keith helped change the sound of popular music. Now, his hometown has made sure his name will forever have a place on the city’s calendar.
Sunday, Sept. 20, would have been the Grammy-nominated producer’s 30th birthday. In Memphis, it also marked the first Tay Keith Day, a permanent recognition of the producer whose beats traveled from the 901 to some of the biggest records in music.
The observance comes three months after Keith’s sudden death at age 29 and just days after the Nashville Medical Examiner’s Office released new details about his death.
Keith, whose legal name was Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found dead in his Nashville apartment June 18 after police conducted a welfare check. He died from the combined toxicity of ketamine and compounds associated with kratom, according to the medical examiner. His death was ruled accidental.
The findings answer a question that had remained unresolved since his death. But in Memphis, the days surrounding what would have been his milestone birthday are also bringing renewed attention to what Keith accomplished in 29 years — and what he had hoped to do next for the city that raised him.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young presented Keith’s family with a proclamation during the city’s 901 Day celebration declaring Sept. 20, Tay Keith Day in the City of Memphis.
When Young spoke about Keith during the presentation, he remembered more than the hit records, chart success and unmistakable producer tag heard on songs around the world. He remembered a young Memphian who wanted to give back.
Young said Keith had spoken with him about his love for Memphis and his desire to help women and children and to provide mental health services.
“He wanted to do so much that he began calling me every week, because he wanted to make sure he made an impact on this city,” Young said. “He wanted to figure out how to support the 901.”
Some of his vision will now continue in his name.
On Monday, Sept. 21, at 11:30 a.m., Memphis Public Libraries will dedicate its music production room at Cloud901 inside the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library as the Tay Keith Music Lab. The dedication follows a donation from the Tay Keith Legacy Foundation.
The lab will provide a space for young people to learn music production and develop their creative skills. Cloud901 serves teens ages 13 to 18 and provides access to technology and training in music production, photography, videography, robotics and other fields.
“The funding of this music lab is an investment in the next generation of Memphis talent and a fitting tribute to Tay Keith,” Young said.
Long before Keith’s producer tag became one of the most recognizable in contemporary hip-hop, Keith was developing his sound in Memphis and completing his college education. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 2018, the same year Keith’s career broke nationally. He also co-founded the record label DRUMATIZED with Cambrian Strong to create opportunities for emerging artists and producers.
Keith’s longtime partnership with fellow Memphis rapper BlocBoy JB helped introduce both artists to a national audience. Their breakthrough came in 2018 with “Look Alive,” featuring Drake.
He went on to produce Drake’s “Nonstop” and co-produce Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” which became a No. 1 hit and earned him a Grammy nomination. His production credits grew to include records by Beyoncé, Drake, Travis Scott, Eminem and Lil Baby.
No matter how far those records traveled, Memphis remained embedded in Keith’s work. His production carried forward elements associated with generations of Memphis hip-hop — booming bass, hard drums, dark textures and Southern bounce — while reshaping those influences for another generation.
Keith also used his growing profile to help push Memphis artists beyond the city. BlocBoy JB was an early example. Years later, Keith worked extensively with Sexyy Red, producing records including “Pound Town.” His work with Memphis and regional artists existed alongside collaborations with some of the biggest names in popular music.
By the time of his death, Keith had accumulated 11 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and four No. 1 records, according to BMI. He earned a second Grammy nomination for Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex.”
Keith was also a three-time BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Producer of the Year, earning the honor in 2019, 2023 and 2024. In 2025, he shared BMI’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year honor for his work on “First Person Shooter,” “Get It Sexyy” and “MELTDOWN.”
The recognition continued after his death. At the 2026 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, Keith was remembered as a friend and mentor as well as a songwriter and producer.
