Tay Keith, the Memphis producer behind “Sicko Mode,” “Nonstop” and “Look Alive,” died from the combined toxic effects of ketamine and three compounds associated with kratom.
Keith, whose legal name was Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found dead in his Nashville apartment on June 18, 2026. Police had gone there for a welfare check. He was 29. Metro Nashville Police reported no evidence of foul play. His cause of death remained undisclosed until September 17, when Nashville’s Office of the Medical Examiner classified it as an accident.
The medical examiner identified ketamine, mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. The autopsy described the circumstances as the “toxic effects of drugs,” according to ABC News.
Nicotine and ethanol were also detected. Keith had mild coronary artery disease. The findings do not explain why he took the substances or whether he knew everything he had consumed. They also contain no indication of suicide or deliberate self-harm.
Ketamine is an anaesthetic used in human and veterinary medicine. Recreational use can cause sedation and distort the perception of sight, sound, pain, and the surrounding environment, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Mitragynine comes from kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia. The autopsy also identified two related compounds, 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl.
The Run That Changed His Career
Keith started making beats at about 14. He and BlocBoy JB met as teenagers in Memphis and recorded together before either had attracted a national audience.
“Rover” and “Shoot” were among their early records. Then came “Look Alive.”
Released with Drake in 2018, the song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Drake’s “Nonstop,” also produced by Keith, peaked at No. 2. Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode,” on which Keith shared production credit, reached No. 1. All three songs arrived in the same year. They also carried his producer tag: “Tay Keith, f*ck these nigg*s up.” BlocBoy JB had recorded the line. It soon became familiar far beyond Memphis.
Keith’s beats were usually easy to recognise. The drums hit hard, the bass carried much of the weight, and the arrangements left room for the rapper. That sound travelled.
His credits eventually included Beyoncé, Cardi B, Eminem, Future, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion and Miley Cyrus. He later worked with Sexyy Red on “Pound Town,” one of the records that pushed her into the mainstream.
Keith accumulated 11 Billboard Hot 100 top-10 records. He also had six No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart during the 2020s, more than any other producer in the decade at the time of his death, Entertainment Weekly reported.
His work brought two Grammy nominations for Best Rap Song. “Sicko Mode” was nominated in 2019. “Rich Flex,” recorded by Drake and 21 Savage, received a nomination in 2024. BMI named Keith Producer of the Year three times. In 2025, it named him Songwriter of the Year.
School and Drumatized
Keith was still studying at Middle Tennessee State University during his 2018 breakthrough.
I could have easily dropped out when I got the call from Drake, but I chose to focus on getting my education. -Keith
He had promised his mother he would finish. In December 2018, as “Sicko Mode” sat at No. 1, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree. He was the first university graduate in his family.
Middle Tennessee State later made him an honorary professor. Keith returned to the university to speak with students and support its programmes. He and his manager, Cambrian Strong, also established Drumatized Music Group in Memphis in 2018. It operated as an independent label and creative space for artists and producers.
Keith and Strong appeared on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Music list. Details of Keith’s production contracts, royalty shares and stake in Drumatized were never made public.
What His Collaborators Said
Tributes came from artists who knew Keith at different stages of his career.
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
British rapper AJ Tracey worked with Keith on “Rain,” released in 2020.
“A legend of the game,” Tracey wrote after Keith’s death. “I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say he had a big impact on my career,” he added, according to MusicRadar.
Hitkidd, another Memphis producer, remembered how far back their relationship went.
“I ain’t even got the words,” he wrote. “We been doing this since 2010.”
Keith had posted on Instagram two days before his death. The photograph showed him sitting in a studio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Tay Keith’s real name?
His legal name was Brytavious Lakeith Chambers. He was born in Memphis on September 20, 1996.
Where was Tay Keith found?
Police found him in his apartment on Martin Street in Nashville during a welfare check on June 18, 2026. Investigators reported no evidence of foul play.
Did Tay Keith win a Grammy?
Keith did not win one. He was nominated twice for Best Rap Song, first for “Sicko Mode” and later for “Rich Flex.”
What songs did Tay Keith produce?
His best-known credits include “Look Alive,” “Nonstop,” “Sicko Mode,” “Rich Flex,” “First Person Shooter,” and “Pound Town.” He also produced or co-produced music for Beyoncé, Eminem, Cardi B, Lil Nas X, and several other major artists.
