Memphis honours Tay Keith with key to city and library music lab

Memphis honoured late hip-hop producer Tay Keith with the key to the city at a ceremony on Sept. 21.

Mayor Paul Young presented the key and legislative proclamations to Keith's family, three months after his death at age 29, Billboard reported.

Sept. 20, Keith's birthday, will now be recognised in Memphis as Tay Keith Day. The designation was confirmed at the same ceremony.

His family also unveiled the Tay Keith Music Lab in partnership with Memphis Public Libraries. The lab is located at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis.

It sits inside Cloud901, the library system's music production lab, which has been dedicated to Keith. The new space will teach a beatmaking crash course to aspiring creatives, producers and musicians.

The library said the room followed a donation from Keith, City of Memphis reported. The dedication took place at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 21, after the city announced the plan on Sept. 17.

Keith was a Memphis native whose work reached well beyond the city. He produced tracks for Drake, Eminem and Travis Scott, according to earlier reporting by the Commercial Appeal.

He earned two Grammy nominations, 11 top 10 hits and four No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100, the US singles chart, Billboard reported.

Keith, whose legal name was Brytavious Lakeith Chambers, was found in his Nashville apartment on June 18. Metro Nashville Police said there was no foul play involved.

For young makers in Memphis, this means a practical place to start. The key is ceremonial. The lab is not.