DJ Kay Slay, Dead Of COVID-19 At Age 55

Sadly, DJ Kay Slay is dead at age 55.

NBC News reported that the New York City rapper passed away from COVID-19. DJ Kay Slay, whose real name was Keith Grayson, reportedly worked with influential artists like Lil Nas X, Kendrick Lamar, Busta Rhymes, and Jadakiss.

DJ Kay Slay, who grew up in Harlem, got an early start as a teenage graffiti artist and was featured in the 1983 hip hop documentary “Style Wars.” In the early ‘90s, he began selling bootleg mixtapes on street corners and released his first studio album, “The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1,” in May 2003. He released several more albums since that time.

On Monday, the late rapper's family released a statement through New York radio station’s HOT 97 on Twitter. DJ Kay Slay had hosted “The Drama Hour” on the NYC radio station for more than two decades. The station released its own statement, saying, “Hot 97 is shocked and saddened by the loss of our beloved DJ Kay Slay.”

“Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the family statement began.

“A dominant figure in hip hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations,” the statement continued.

“In memory of DJ Kay Slay, our family wishes to thank all of his friends, fans, and supporters for their prayers and well wishes during this difficult time,” they concluded. “We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve this tragic loss.”

Many took to social media to pay their respects to the late hip-hop legend.

One user tweeted, "DJ Kay Slay aka Dez, the legendary graffiti artist turned prolific DJ, reportedly passed away this evening. He's been an active, vital part of Hip Hop for nearly 40 years."

Termanology tweeted, "R.I.P. DJ KAY SLAY!!!! WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW MUCH OF A LEGEND HE WAS AND WHAT HE MEANT TO OUR CULTURE!!!! 💔💔💔💔💔💔"

Andrew Barber tweeted, "RIP DJ Kay Slay. Dez. The Drama King. Mr. Smack Your Favorite DJ. Not only did he premiere 'Ether,' host Dipset’s first mixtape and unleash countless songs and freestyles. But he was also featured in the movie ‘Style Wars’ in 1983. A true pioneer, innovator and legend. 🕊"

Another user tweeted, "When I started gettin serious about DJing one of the most important films I was told to watch was Style Wars. Everyone in that doc was someone I immediately studied and it’s helped shaped my own style. It’s hard to see such pivotal pillars of hip hop go. RIP DEZ aka DJ Kay Slay."