Grammy-Nominated Producer Tay Keith Dead at 29; No Foul Play Suspected

Grammy-nominated hip-hop producer Tay Keith was found dead in his Nashville apartment Thursday at age 29, and police say they don't suspect foul play — but they also aren't saying what killed him.

Metro Nashville Police confirmed the death on X June 18, identifying the producer by his legal name, Brytavious Chambers. "He was found dead in his Martin St apt this afternoon by officers performing a welfare check," the department stated. "His death is unclassified pending autopsy results."

Police did not disclose what prompted the welfare check, and no cause of death has been released. Until the autopsy is complete, the public is left with a bare factsheet and a lot of unanswered questions.

Keith built a resume that reads like a who's-who of modern hip-hop. He co-produced Travis Scott's 2018 No. 1 hit "Sicko Mode" while still a student at Middle Tennessee State University, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. He picked up a second nomination in the same category for Drake and 21 Savage's 2024 track "Rich Flex," according to CBS News. His production credits span Drake's "Nonstop," Beyoncé's "Before I Let Go," Eminem's "Not Alike," and BlocBoy JB's "Look Alive." TODAY reported he notched four No. 1 hits and 11 top-10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Cincinnati Enquirer, drawing on a 2018 interview Keith gave to The Nashville Tennessean, reported that Keith described his Memphis childhood as rough and called music "my way out." He started making beats at 14 and broke through in 2015 working with rapper Blac Youngsta. Despite the fame, Keith said earning his bachelor's degree from MTSU in 2018 remained one of his proudest accomplishments: "I want to prove that you can go to school and still chase your dream, too."

The Daily Caller noted Keith also produced Sexyy Red's 2023 viral hit "Pound Town," which launched her career and later drew a Nicki Minaj remix.

Memphis mayor Paul Young acknowledged Keith's passing on Facebook, posting a photo of the two together with the caption, "Rest in peace, Tay Keith," according to CBS News.

All four outlets covering the story agree on the core facts: welfare check, no foul play suspected, autopsy pending. None reported on any prior health issues, substances, or circumstances leading to the welfare check. The public record stops there.

A 29-year-old man at the top of his profession is dead in his apartment, and the only official explanation so far is that there's no official explanation. The autopsy will tell the rest — or it won't.