Tay Keith, Grammy-nominated record producer, died of drug overdose: Autopsy report
Grammy-nominated record producer Tay Keith died on June 18 of a drug overdose, according to an autopsy report.
The Memphis-born producer, whose legal name is Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found dead in his apartment by officers performing a welfare check. "No foul play" was suspected, according to Metro Nashville Police.
Keith’s cause of death was a mix of "mitragynine, 7-hydroxy mitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and ketamine toxicity," while the manner of death was ruled an "accident," the Office of the Medical Examiner in Nashville, Tennessee, said.
The circumstances of death were determined to be the "toxic effects of drugs," the autopsy report stated.
Keith gained notoriety for his work with superstars like Beyonce, Cardi B, Drake and Travis Scott, and his death shocked the hip-hop community.
“Endless and eternal gratitude for your spirit and your contributions to this thing that we all love so much…you will be deeply missed,” Drake wrote in an Instagram post after Keith’s death.
Keith worked with Drake for years and produced several hits including “Look Alive” in 2018. He was nominated for his first Grammy for best rap song on Travis Scott’s "Sicko Mode" in 2019. In 2024, he received another Grammy nomination for best rap song for his work on "Rich Flex" by Drake & 21 Savage.
Scott posted a tribute on his Instagram story after Keith’s death, saying, “We gone miss ya broozayy. Gon keep going hard for ya….!!!.”
Keith was the first in his family to graduate college. In a video posted on social media on June 18, leaders at his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, reflected on his legacy and dedication to higher education.
Despite gaining success in music while still in college, he decided not to drop out and wanted to finish his degree – a promise he had made to his mother, the leaders noted.
“Lots of people were telling him, ‘Hey, you're already working with Drake and Travis Scott, why are you finishing a degree?’ But it was so important to him. He had promised his mother that he would earn a college degree,” said Beverly Keel, dean of MTSU's Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment. “He also had a No. 1 record with Travis Scott and a Grammy nomination. So, you know, he already had a career that people were envious of before he graduated, and after he graduated, he just soared.”
Keel said that she got to know Keith during his senior year. After graduation, Keel named Keith an honorary professor at MTSU and said he was active on campus, supporting current students.
“We're all just shattered and devastated, and we all loved him so much,” she said.
Langston Bleu, an R&B artist and singer-songwriter who attended MTSU with Keith, also reflected on his legacy in the video.
“People saw themselves a lot like in Tay, and like their success, particularly I think a lot of like black students at MTSU, and like from Memphis, saw that like success was possible,” Bleu said.
Tay Keith's family released a statement on June 21 through his record label, Drumatized.
"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 statement said.
“Above all, BryTavious was a beloved son, brother, uncle, family member, and friend. While the world knew him as Tay Keith, his family knew him as BryTavious, a source of love, strength, laughter, and guidance,” the statement continued. “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.”
ABC News' Jeana Fermi contributed to this report.
