Months after the death of hip-hop producer Tay Keith, the Nashville Medical Examiner's Office has released his cause of death.
According to an autopsy report, Keith died on June 18 of a drug overdose.
The "Sicko Mode" producer, born Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found dead in his apartment by officers performing a welfare check. "No foul play" was suspected, Metro Nashville Police said.
The autopsy found a mix of "mitragynine, 7-hydroxy mitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and ketamine toxicity" in Keith's system.
The manner of death was ruled an "accident," while the circumstances of death were the "toxic effects of drugs."
The Tennessean has reached out to the late producer’s camp for comment.
The Grammy-nominated producer was known for his
collaborations with Drake, Travis Scott, Beyoncé and others.
Keith's biggest hits included Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode,” Drake’s “Nonstop,” Sexyy Red's "Pound Town" and “SkeeYee,” "Go Stupid" by Polo G, Stunna 4 Vegas and NLE Choppa, and Beyoncé's "Before I Let Go."
Keith had lived in Nashville for several years, initially relocating to the area to attend Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
After graduating in 2018, Keith became an integral part of the Nashville music community, opening his own commercial studio and label, West Nashville's Drumatized.
While Keith was primarily a hip-hop and rap producer, he was also deeply involved in bridging the gap between musical genres through cross-genre music camps at Drumatized.
"Country writers learning the power of their lyrics beyond genre should know the depth of the power of their storytelling," Keith told The Tennessean in a 2024 interview.
"Just like country songwriters, (producer and songwriter) Rico Love and I might sit around and tell stories about how a woman cheated on us and we figured out what was happening. We're only halfway through the story and we've written the intro, chorus, and first verse," he joked.
"I'm challenging myself to make records that are the biggest I've ever made."
Keith's family released a statement following his death.
"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,” they 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.”
Past reporting from Dave Paulson and Marcus K. Dowling was used in this article.
Audrey Gibbs is a music reporter at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com. Follow her on Instagram at @audreyraegibbs.
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's and The Tennessean's music reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville hip-hop producer Tay Keith died from drug overdose
