DJ Kay Slay
DJ Kay Slay | |
|---|---|
| Born | Keith Grayson 14 August 1965 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | 17 April 2022 (aged 56) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Disc jockey, music industry executive |
| Years active | 1983–2022 |
| Known for | Hip hop DJ, producer of four studio albums including The Streetsweeper series |
Keith Grayson (August 14, 1965 – April 17, 2022), professionally recognized as DJ Kay Slay, was a prominent American disc jockey hailing from New York City. Referred to by The New York Times as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults," he produced four studio albums: The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 (2003), The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 (2004), The Champions: North Meets South (a collaboration with Greg Street; 2006), and More Than Just a DJ (2010). These albums, showcasing key figures from the East Coast hip-hop scene, found success within regional markets, with the initial two projects released under Columbia Records. Grayson passed away in 2022 due to complications from COVID-19.
Early life
Grayson was born on August 14, 1965, in New York City and first gained recognition as a graffiti artist, appearing in the 1983 hip hop documentary Style Wars. Using the tag "Dez," he was deeply embedded in New York’s hip hop culture and drew inspiration from iconic DJs such as Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizzard Theodore, and Kool DJ Red Alert. Reflecting on his entry into DJing, he remarked, "I didn't so much set out to be a DJ; it was just something fun I enjoyed."
As graffiti's popularity waned in the late 1980s, Grayson faced challenges with drug addiction and was incarcerated by the decade’s conclusion. Upon his release in 1990, he reportedly ceased drug use. Raised in the East River Houses of East Harlem, New York City, he maintained a lifelong bond with fellow artist Sauce Money.
2003–2009: Streetsweeper series
DJ Kay Slay debuted his first album, The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1, on May 20, 2003. That summer saw the release of the single "Too Much For Me," featuring vocals by singer Amerie alongside verses from rappers Birdman, Nas, and Foxy Brown. This track reached number 53 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, marking his highest-charting single to date. The accompanying music video included appearances by Swizz Beatz, N.O.R.E., Raekwon, WC, and Lloyd Banks. Due to individual projects, Nas and Baby did not appear; instead, Loon took Nas’s place, which led to a dispute between Nas and Kay Slay.
On March 30, 2004, his sophomore album The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 was released. The single "Who Gives A...Where You From," featuring Three 6 Mafia, attained number 89 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was included in the soundtrack for the 2004 video game NFL Street.
2010–2022: More Than Just a DJ and Rhyme or Die
After releasing More Than Just a DJ in 2010, Kay Slay followed up with Rhyme or Die. Early singles from this period included "60 Second Assassins," which featured artists such as Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista, and Jaz-O, as well as "The Kings of the Streets," which brought together DJs like DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, DJ Doo Wop, and Fly Nate in 2011. In 2013, the track "About That Life," featuring performances by Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Nelly, and French Montana, peaked at number 54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming one of his most commercially successful singles. Early in 2014, he released "Free Again," featuring both Fat Joe and 50 Cent, an unexpected collaboration given their prior rivalry.
In 2019, Kay Slay showcased Bronx rapper Bruse Wane’s hit "Killa Soundboy" on his Streetsweeper radio program; this track also featured Kay Slay’s protégé Papoose. By 2021, he unveiled "Rolling 110 Deep," boasting contributions from over 110 hip hop artists including names like Ice-T, Shaquille O'Neal, KRS-One, and Ghostface Killah.
Illness and Passing
In January 2022, DJ Kay Slay was admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19 but was initially reported to be on the mend. Unfortunately, he succumbed to complications from the virus in New York City on April 17, 2022, at the age of 55.
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | ||
| The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 |
|
22 | 4 |
| The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2: The Pain from the Game |
|
27 | 10 |
| More Than Just a DJ |
|
133 | 29 |
| The Big Brother |
|
— | — |
| Hip Hop Frontline |
|
— | — |
| The Soul Controller |
|
— | — |
Collaborative albums
| Album Title | Details of Release | Peak Chart Rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | ||
| The Champions: North Meets South (with Greg Street) |
|
57 | 17 |
Mixtapes
| Mixtape Title | Release Details |
|---|---|
| The Month of the Bad Guy |
|
| The MySpace Maniac |
|
| Sign of the Times |
|
| Sign of the Times 2 |
|
| Hate Is the New Love |
|
| The Return of the God |
|
| Blockstars |
|
| Blockstars 2 |
|
| The God Is Back! |
|
| Long Live the King! |
|
| Redemption |
|
| The Soul Controller |
|
| The Changing of the Guard |
|
| Return of the Gate Keeper |
|
| Grown Man Hip-Hop |
|
| Grown Man Hip-Hop Part 2 (Sleepin' with the Enemy) |
|
| The Last Champion |
|
| The Rise of a City |
|
| The Last Hip Hop Disciple |
|
| The Original Man |
*Under label Streetsweepers *Download format only |
| ’‘The Industry Purge’’ |
*Released April8,2015 *Label affiliation withStreetsweepers *Available as digitaldownload |
| '‘Shadow of the Sun’’ |
*Issued October26,2015 *Label nameStreetsweepers *Download format only |
| '‘50 Shades of Slay’’ |
*Released February15,2016 *Label affiliationStreetsweepers *Digital download available |
| '‘The Rap Attack’’ |
*Issued July1,2016 *Under labelStreetsweepers *Download format only |
| '‘Living Legend’’ |
*Released March6,2020 *Label nameStreetsweepers *Formats availableCD,digitaldownload |
| '‘Homage’’ |
*Issued November12,2020 *Under labelStreetsweepers *Available in CD and download formats |
| '‘Accolades’’ |
*Released June25,2021 *Label affiliationStreetsweepers *Formats offeredCD,digitaldownload |
Singles
| Title | Year | Highest chart rankings | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B/HH | |||
| "Too Much for Me" (featuring Nas, Baby, Foxy Brown and Amerie) |
2003 | 53 | The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 |
| "Not Your Average Joe" (featuring Fat Joe, Joe Budden and Joe) |
2004 | 63 | The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 |
| "Who Gives a Fuck Where You From" (featuring Three 6 Mafia, Lil Wyte and Frayser Boy) |
89 | ||
| "Blockstars" (featuring Yo Gotti, Jim Jones, Busta Rhymes and Ray J) |
2009 | — | More Than Just a DJ |
| "Thug Luv" (featuring Maino, Papoose, Red Cafe and Ray J) |
2010 | 112 | |
| "60 Second Assassins" (featuring Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista and Jaz-O) |
2011 | — | Non-album singles |
| "The Kings of the Streets" (featuring DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, DJ Doo Wop and Fly Nate) |
75 | ||
| "About That Life" (featuring Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Nelly and French Montana) |
2013 | 54 | |
| "Keep Calm" (featuring Juicy J, Jadakiss, 2 Chainz and Rico Love) |
— | ||
| "Don't Do It" (featuring Fat Joe, French Montana and Rico Love) |
2014 | — | |
| "Hocus Pocus" (featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Blueface and Moneybagg Yo) |
2019 | — | |
| "—" indicates a release that either did not chart or was unavailable in that region. | |||
External links
- Biography of DJ Kay Slay on Hot 97
- DJ Kay Slay chart history
- Archived Circuit City biography of DJ Kay Slay [1]
- 1965 births
- 2022 deaths
- American graffiti artists
- American prisoners and detainees
- East Coast hip-hop musicians
- Mixtape DJs
- Columbia Records artists
- Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state)
- Five percenters
- Musicians from New York City
- MNRK Music Group artists
- American hip-hop DJs
- American music industry executives
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American musicians