Tay-K’s Breakout Hit ‘The Race’ Reaches Significant Streaming Milestone

While Tay-K is serving out his 55-year prison sentence for murder, his 2017 hit “The Race” has hit a significant streaming milestone.

Strapped US shared the rapper’s milestone in a tweet on Thursday. “Tay-K’s classic song “The Race” has now surpassed 1B streams,” the outlet wrote alongside the video for the track.

Tay-K’s classic song “The Race” has now surpassed 1B streams 💿🎉https://t.co/KziK8TTUDd

— STRAPPED! | Hip-Hop/Rap News (@STRAPPEDUS) March 23, 2023

“The Race” peaked at number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2018. The lyrics described crimes committed by the rapper and were eventually used against him during his 2019 trial.

Tay-K, real name Taymor Travon McIntyre, recorded and released the breakout hit while he was on the run from police. Following his arrest, he cut off his ankle monitor and fled. While on the run, the rapper committed another murder along with various other crimes before being taken into custody in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in June 2017.

In July 2019, Tay-K was found guilty of murder in connection to the home invasion that left 21-year-old Ethan Walker dead. He was sentenced to 55 years behind bars on the murder charge and 30 years for aggravated robbery and received two 13-year prison sentences on two additional counts of aggravated robbery.

Earlier this year, the 22-year-old shared several tweets asking for a “second chance at adulthood.” He feels that he should’ve been charged as a juvenile and that his race affected his lengthy sentence. 

I really just need 1 chance @ adulthood

— RUGR@ (@tayk) January 5, 2023

I bet if I was a lil white kid they wouldn’t have gave me no 55 years for a crime I was alleged to play the most insignificant role in when I was 16….they woulda rightfully argued that my mind wasn’t fully developed and gave me rehabilitation and a 2nd (1st) chance at adulthood

— RUGR@ (@tayk) January 5, 2023