Tay Keith’s impact on hip-hop was felt throughout Los Angeles Wednesday night as the late Grammy-nominated producer was honored posthumously during the 2026 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards.
The ceremony took place at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on August 26 and included a special remembrance for Keith, whom the organization described as “a friend, a mentor and a brother to so many in the room.”
Keith’s family members Jalisa Chambers and Deon Conway joined his longtime manager and DRUMATIZED CEO and co-founder Cambrian Strong onstage to accept his 2025 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year award on his behalf.
The posthumous presentation came from Catherine Brewton, BMI Vice President of Creative, and Wardell Malloy, BMI Assistant Vice President of Creative.
Keith had originally been named one of BMI’s 2025 Songwriters of the Year alongside GloRilla and Mike Dean. According to BMI’s 2025 awards announcement, Keith earned the recognition for co-writing three of the year’s 35 most-performed songs: Drake’s “First Person Shooter,” Sexyy Red’s “Get It Sexyy,” and Travis Scott’s “MELTDOWN.”
The moment carried significantly more weight following Keith’s unexpected death just two months earlier.
Tay Keith, whose real name was BryTavious Chambers, died on June 18, 2026. He was 29 years old.
Metro Nashville Police officers found Keith dead inside his Nashville apartment while performing a welfare check. Authorities said no foul play was suspected and initially classified the death as pending while awaiting autopsy results.
As of August 27, officials have not publicly announced an official cause of death.
Keith’s family confirmed his passing shortly afterward, remembering the producer for both the music he created and his influence outside of the studio.
“It’s with profound sadness that we confirm the passing of BryTavious ‘Tay Keith’ Chambers,” the family said in a statement. “BryTavious was a visionary producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and cultural force whose work helped define the sound of a generation. From Memphis to the global stage, he shaped countless hit records and left a lasting mark on music and culture.”
The family also spoke about the person behind one of hip-hop’s most recognizable producer tags.
“Above all, BryTavious was a beloved son, brother, uncle, family member, and friend,” the statement continued. “While the world knew him as Tay Keith, his family knew him as BryTavious — a source of love, strength, laughter, and guidance. 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.”
Keith’s career took off nationally in 2018 after producing BlocBoy JB and Drake’s “Look Alive.” The record helped introduce his hard-hitting Memphis sound to a worldwide audience, but it was only the beginning of an unusually successful run.
Keith eventually earned 11 Top 10 records on the Billboard Hot 100 and contributed to four No. 1 singles. His production credits included Travis Scott and Drake’s “Sicko Mode,” Drake’s “Nonstop” and “First Person Shooter,” along with records for Beyoncé, Eminem, Lil Baby, Sexyy Red and numerous other artists.
“Sicko Mode” earned Keith a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song at the 2019 Grammy Awards. He received another nomination in the same category in 2024 for Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex.”
Keith also became an important part of Sexyy Red’s rise, producing records including “Pound Town,” “GET IT SEXYY,” “BOW BOW BOW (F MY BABY DAD)” and “U MY EVERYTHING.”
His influence stretched beyond chart placements. Through DRUMATIZED, Keith worked to develop emerging producers, songwriters and artists while building a Black-owned creative operation in Nashville. BMI said he also helped connect the city’s hip-hop and country music communities through collaborative programs.
The Memphis native was a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and later became an honorary professor at his alma mater. His family said he remained active as a mentor to young creatives while supporting mental health awareness and cancer-related causes in honor of his late mother.
Keith had already collected three BMI Producer of the Year honors before earning his latest Songwriter of the Year recognition.
Now, the award his family accepted in Los Angeles serves as another reminder of just how much Tay Keith accomplished before his life ended at only 29.
