NEW YORK (AP) — Pioneering hip hop artist DJ Kay Slay who worked with some of the top hip hop stars during their early years has died.
Kay Slay, real name Keith Grayson on Sunday was confirmed dead by his family in a statement released through New York radio station HOT 97, where he hosted “The Drama Hour” for more than two decades.
“A dominant figure in hip hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations,” the family statement said.
The 55 year old grew up in Harlem New York City’s early hip hop scene. He got his start as a teenage graffiti artist and was featured in the 1983 hip hop documentary “Style Wars.”
He began selling bootleg mixtapes on street corners in the early ’90s and released his first studio album, “The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1,” in May 2003. Grayson released several more albums and worked with the likes of Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes.
“Hot 97 is shocked and saddened by the loss of our beloved DJ Kay Slay,” the station said in a statement.
As a youth involved in New York’s flourishing hip-hop scene, Keith witnessed firsthand the ascent of legendary disc jockeys such as Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizzard Theodore, and Kool DJ Red Alert, in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. “I didn’t so much set out to be a DJ,” he said. “It was just something to do that was fun and that I enjoyed doing.”
In the summer of 2003, Kay Slay released a single, accompanied by a music video, for a song titled “Too Much For Me”. The single, which features a chorus sung by then-up-and-coming singer Amerie, also features verses from American rappers Birdman, Nas and Foxy Brown. The song peaked at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it the DJ’s highest charting single to date. The single’s music video includes cameo appearances by Swizz Beatz, N.O.R.E., Raekwon, WC and Lloyd Banks.
On March 30, 2004, Kay Slay’s second album The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2, was released. Another single and video were released for “Who Gives A…Where You From” with Three 6 Mafia, which peaked at number 89 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Kay Slay and the song were featured on the 2004 NFL Street video game.
In 2013, “About That Life” featuring Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Nelly and French Montana was released as a single from the project Rhyme or Die. It debuted and peaked at #54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it one of Kay Slay’s most successful singles to date. In the beginning of 2014, “Free Again” was released featuring Fat Joe and 50 Cent. In 2021 Dj Kay Slay released the track “Rolling 110 Deep” which featured 110 hip hop artists with contributing verses from Ice-T, Shaq, Coke La Rock, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, Ghostface Killah, Roy Jones Jr, Omar Epps and others.
Since his death on Sunday, several hip hop superstars paid tribute among them was 50 Cent, who partnered with the DJ to put out mixtapes during during his own rise to fame. 50 wrote “Rest In Peace K slay God bless you” in a caption on Instagram under a picture of him and the Drama King.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccfj1ZhOEWB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In addition to Fif, LL Cool J, Jadakiss,Public Enemy, and even former rivals DJ Clue paid tribute to Slay with posts on social media.
Clue posted a picture with the caption, “Prayers Go Out To His Family,Friends & Loved Ones..And The Whole Dj Community..
We Lost A Great Man..Rest In Paradise King @Djkayslay 🙏🏾🕊..Still In Disbelief 😞”
Fat Joe posted, “Dezzy Dez aka Kay Slay aka The Black Fat Joe love you my brother. You put on for the culture kept me on your tapes when i was cold always lead from your heart. I was praying hard for you i knew you’d make it i check almost everyday i had soooooo many stories to tell you since you been at the hospital. My brothers we lost a General today a Pilar of our community we will hold this man in the highest regards for he is an iconn when it comes to this culture RIP SLAY we love you we’ll keep your name alive as long as I’m here GOD BLESS Harlem east side stand the fuck up 🙏🏽❤️.”
