DJ Kay Slay was a hip-hop DJ known for producing mix tapes on which star rappers battled each other.
- Died: April 17, 2022 (Who else died on April 17?)
- Details of death: Died after being hospitalized with COVID-19 at the age of 55.
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DJ career
Born Keith Grayson, DJ Kay Slay got his start in hip-hop culture as a graffiti artist, whose work was featured in the 1983 documentary “Style Wars.” He later turned to DJing, releasing hundreds of mix tapes from the 1990s on. He became known for capturing feuds between prominent rappers on his mix tapes, beginning with a series of battles between Jay-Z and Nas on his mix tapes in 2001. DJ Kay Slay’s mix tapes became the go-to format for these feuds, earning him the nicknamed of “Drama King.” DJ Kay Slay also released studio albums, beginning in 2003 with “The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1,” which featured performances by artists including 50 Cent, Eminem, and Nas.
Notable quote
“The game was boring until I came around. Everybody was too busy being fake, acting like they got along and talking about each other behind their backs. I brought the controversy back. I brought the game back to life.” —from a 2003 interview for the New York Times
Tributes to DJ Kay Slay
Full obituary: Pitchfork
