Tay Keith’s “living legacy,” fittingly, will be headquartered in the late producer’s hometown of Memphis.
This week, the two-time Grammy nominee’s family, in tandem with the City of Memphis and Memphis Public Libraries, helped unveil several projects established in his honor. The unveiling included a proclamation declaring Sept. 20 as Tay Keith Day, as well as the presenting of the Key to the City. Sept. 20 would have been the “Sicko Mode” and “Pound Town” producer’s 30th birthday.
Central to the larger tribute is the establishment of the Tay Keith Music Lab, marking a partnership between Keith’s family and Memphis Public Libraries. The space, made possible by the renaming of the music production room at Cloud901, aims to provide young artists in Memphis with the tools they need to develop their craft.
“This space will connect his legacy to creation and focus on future generations of young DJs, producers, and music moguls to come,” Keith’s family said in a statement to Complex. “Through an archival collection preserved as part of the historical record of Memphis and Shelby County along with the 901Voices oral history initiative, all of these elements will serve as a living legacy where future creators can work, where history can be preserved, and a permanent record where Tay’s story can continue to be heard. We feel he would be so proud of this community effort and being able to continue impacting the young creatives in Memphis, which was always a big part of who he was as a person in both his life and music.”
The Tay Keith Legacy Initiative, backed by the Tay Keith Legacy Foundation, will infuse the newly launched Tay Keith Music Lab with numerous opportunities for Memphians to further develop their artistic voice.
For one, the Tay Keith Beat Making 101 curriculum will break down the basics of crafting beats while chasing a unique sound. A permanent archival collection, dubbed the Tay Keith Collection, will also be established in partnership with Memphis Public Libraries, while those who knew him personally will be invited to contribute recordings of their memories via the 901Voices oral history initiative. These memories will be placed into a digital archive overseen by Memphis Public Libraries, ensuring they live on for generations to come.
Keith, 29, was found dead at his Nashville residence in June of this year. Drake, GloRilla, Juicy J, MGK, and more were quick to pay tribute to the undeniably accomplished creative force. Keith’s death has since been determined to have been caused by an accidental overdose.
