Tay Keith, the Grammy-nominated producer behind Travis Scott's breakthrough hit "Sicko Mode," has died at 29. Police discovered him in his Tennessee apartment Thursday following a welfare check. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Keith's production credits shaped modern hip-hop across the last decade. Beyond "Sicko Mode," which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance at the 2020 Grammy Awards, he produced tracks for Lil Baby, SZA, and Gunna. His sonic fingerprint defined the trap-inflected sound that dominated streaming platforms throughout the 2010s.
"Sicko Mode," released in 2018 on Scott's album "Astroworld," became a cultural juggernaut. The track's production shifted seamlessly between multiple beats, creating a sprawling five-minute journey that showcased Keith's architectural approach to beats. The song's Billboard Hot 100 success and Grammy recognition cemented Keith's status as one of hip-hop's essential producers.
Born Tay Keith Tauheed Epps, the Nashville native rose from bedroom producer to industry fixture. He collaborated extensively with Quality Control Music, the influential Atlanta label housing artists like Lil Baby and Gunna. His work on Lil Baby's "Harder Than Ever" album demonstrated his versatility beyond trap, crafting melodic, soulful productions alongside harder-hitting material.
Keith's death marks another loss in hip-hop's producer community, following earlier tragedies that have reshaped the genre's creative landscape. His influence extends beyond chart success. Producers cite his willingness to experiment with structure and texture as inspirational. His beats favored space and silence as much as sound, a restraint uncommon in contemporary trap production.
The hip-hop community has begun expressing grief on social media, with collaborators and contemporaries acknowled