DJ Kay Slay

Keith Grayson (August 14, 1965 – April 17, 2022), known professionally as DJ Kay Slay, was an American disc jockey (DJ) from Manhattan, New York. He is referred to by The New York Times as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". He released four studio albums: The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 (2003), The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 (2004), The Champions: North Meets South (with Greg Street; 2006), and More Than Just a DJ (2010). Known for extensive curation of prominent figures in East Coast hip-hop, his albums were met with success in the regional market; his first two were released by Columbia Records. Grayson died from COVID-19 in 2022. Grayson was born August 14, 1965, in New York City. He was born and raised in the East River Houses located in the East Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. He was originally a prominent graffiti artist, having been featured in the 1983 hip hop documentary, Style Wars. One of Grayson's better known tags was "Dez". As a youth involved in New York's flourishing hip hop scene, Keith witnessed firsthand the ascent of legendary disc jockeys such as Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizzard Theodore, and Kool DJ Red Alert, in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. "I didn't so much set out to be a DJ," he said. "It was just something to do that was fun and that I enjoyed doing." With the decline of the graffiti movement in the late 1980s, Dez began dealing with narcotics and consequently ended up in jail by the late 1980s. Grayson was released from jail in 1990, and claimed to have abstained from using drugs thereafter. In the early years of his life, he also met long-time friend Sauce Money, whom he was friends with until his death. DJ Kay Slay released his debut album, The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1, on May 20, 2003. In the summer of 2003, Kay Slay released a single, accompanied by a music video, for a song titled "Too Much For Me". The single, which features a chorus sung by then-up-and-coming singer Amerie, also features verses from American rappers Birdman, Nas, and Foxy Brown. The song peaked at number 53 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it the DJ's highest-charting single to date. The single's music video includes cameo appearances by Swizz Beatz, N.O.R.E., Raekwon, WC, and Lloyd Banks.[citation needed] Although the song was not a major success, its music video was aired on MTV Jams and BET. The "Too Much For Me" video did not feature Nas (because of Nas' solo projects) or Baby; so Loon was featured instead. This replacement started a feud between Nas and Kay Slay. On March 30, 2004, Kay Slay's second album The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2, was released. Another single and video were released for "Who Gives A...Where You From" with Three 6 Mafia, which peaked at number 89 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Kay Slay and the song were featured on the 2004 NFL Street video game. [citation needed] After releasing More Than Just a DJ in 2010, Rhyme or Die was released. The first album's initial two singles "60 Second Assassins" featuring Busta Rhymes, Layzie Bone, Twista, and Jaz-O and "The Kings of the Streets" featuring DJ Khaled, DJ Drama, DJ Doo Wop, and Fly Nate were released in 2011. In 2013, "About That Life" featuring Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Nelly, and French Montana was released as a single from Rhyme or Die. It debuted and peaked at #54 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it one of Kay Slay's most successful singles to date. In the beginning of 2014, "Free Again" was released featuring Fat Joe and 50 Cent, which came as a surprise for some seeing as how they had "beef" before, but later reconciled. In 2019 DJ Kay Slay Broke Bronx New York Rapper Bruse Wane's hit song Killa Soundboy live on his streets sweepers radio show. The Song Killa Soundboy featured Dj Kay Slay's protege Papoose. In 2021, Dj Kay Slay released the track "Rolling 110 Deep" which featured 110 hip hop artists with contributing verses from Ice-T, Shaq, Coke La Rock, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, Ghostface Killah, Roy Jones Jr, Omar Epps, and others. In January 2022, DJ Kay Slay's brother said he was in the hospital after contracting COVID-19, but was "in a recovery state". He died from COVID-19 in New York City, on April 17, 2022, at the age of 55. The intersection of First Avenue and East 105th Street in East Harlem was renamed "DJ Kay Slay Way" in 2023. Ivey, Michael (June 16, 2006). "DJ Kay Slay and Shaq Seek to Bridge the Gap". nobodysmiling.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved May 19, 2019. Ogunnaike, Lola (May 4, 2003). "Hip-Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2019. Gary Suarez (January 28, 2019). "DJ Kay Slay Reveals How He Lands So Many Hip-Hop Greats On His Albums". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020. Jones, Ty. "DJ Kay Slay interviews Bruse Wane". Retrieved December 28, 2024. jxd (August 15, 2019). "Bruse Wane Interview with DJ Kay Slay - Blackout Hip Hop". Retrieved December 28, 2024. O (July 17, 2019). "Lil Nas X ft. Young Thug, Billy Ray Cyrus & Mason Ramsey "Old Town Road Remix," Bruse Wane ft. Papoose "Killa Soundboy" & More | Daily Visuals 7.16.19". Hip-Hop Wired. Retrieved December 28, 2024. Ivy, Justin (July 15, 2019). "#DXCLUSIVE: Bruse Wane Connects With Papoose For "Killa Soundboy" Video". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 28, 2024. "Video: DJ Kay Slay Ft. Various Artists "Rolling 110 Deep"". Rap Radar. June 25, 2021. Archived from the original on June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021. Price, Joe (January 7, 2022). "DJ Kay Slay Hospitalized Due to COVID-19, Brother Shares Update on His Condition". complex.com. Retrieved April 18, 2022. Eustice, Kyle (April 18, 2022). "Legendary New York City DJ Kay Slay Has Passed Away Following COVID-19 Battle". hiphopdx.com. Retrieved April 18, 2022. Coscarelli, Joe (April 18, 2022). "DJ Kay Slay, Fiery Radio Star and Rap Mixtape Innovator, Dies at 55". The New York Times. Retrieved April 20, 2022. Local Laws for the Year 2023 (Local Law). New York City Council. § 10. Retrieved December 4, 2025. "DJ Kay Slay – The Soul Controller". Apple Music. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021. "Kay Slay* - The Month Of The Bad Guy". Discogs.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "The MySpace Maniac – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Sign Of The Times – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Sign Of The Times 2 – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Hate Is The New Love – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "The Return Of The God – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Blockstars – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Blockstars 2 – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "The God Is Back! - DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Long Live The King – DJ Kay Slay". Livemixtapes.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016. "Redemption". LiveMixtapes. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015. "The Soul Controller". LiveMixtapes. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015. "The Changing Of The Guard". LiveMixtapes. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2015. Zach Frydenlund. "Mixtape: DJ Kay Slay "The Return Of The Gatekeeper"". Complex. Archived from the