# DJ Kay Slay

Keith Grayson (August 14, 1966 – April 17, 2022), professionally known as DJ Kay Slay, was an American disc jockey (DJ) from New York City. 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.

## Early life

Grayson was born August 14, 1966, in New York City. 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. He hailed from the East River Houses located in East Harlem, New York. In the early years of his life, he also met long-time friend Sauce Money, whom he was friends with until his death.

## Career
### 2003–2009: Streetsweeper series

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. 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.

### 2010–2022: More Than Just a DJ and Rhyme or Die

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.

## Illness and death

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.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US | US R&B/HH |
| The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1 | Released: May 20, 2003 Label: Streetsweepers, Columbia Format: CD, download | 22 | 4 |
| The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2: The Pain from the Game | Released: March 30, 2004 Label: Streetsweepers, Columbia Format: CD, download | 27 | 10 |
| More Than Just a DJ | Released: February 9, 2010 Label: Streetsweepers, E1 Format: CD, download | 133 | 29 |
| The Big Brother | Released: September 22, 2017 Label: Streetsweepers, Empire Format: CD, download | — | — |
| Hip Hop Frontline | Released: January 25, 2019 Label: Streetsweepers, Empire Format: CD, download | — | — |
| The Soul Controller | Released: December 17, 2021 Label: Streetsweepers, Empire Format: CD, download | — | — |

### Collaborative albums

List of collaborative albums, with selected chart positions and certifications :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US | US R&B/HH |
| The Champions: North Meets South (with Greg Street) | Released: August 22, 2006 Label: Koch Format: CD, download | 57 | 17 |

### Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with year released :
| Title | Album details |
| The Month of the Bad Guy | Released: 2003 Label: Streetsweepers Format: CD |
| The MySpace Maniac | Released: October 30, 2006 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Sign of the Times | Released: January 29, 2007 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Sign of the Times 2 | Released: March 6, 2007 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Hate Is the New Love | Released: August 24, 2007 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Return of the God | Released: December 21, 2007 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Blockstars | Released: October 18, 2009 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Blockstars 2 | Released: November 16, 2009 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The God Is Back! | Released: August 24, 2010 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Long Live the King! | Released: October 11, 2010 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Redemption | Released: January 14, 2011 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Soul Controller | Released: February 6, 2011 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Changing of the Guard | Released: July 24, 2012 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Return of the Gate Keeper | Released: September 8, 2012 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Grown Man Hip-Hop | Released: November 19, 2012 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Grown Man Hip-Hop Part 2 (Sleepin' with the Enemy) | Released: January 23, 2013 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Last Champion | Released: July 12, 2013 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Rise of a City | Released: January 23, 2014 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Last Hip Hop Disciple | Released: May 8, 2014 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Original Man | Released: November 14, 2014 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Industry Purge | Released: April 8, 2015 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Shadow of the Sun | Released: October 26, 2015 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| 50 Shades of Slay | Released: February 15, 2016 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| The Rap Attack | Released: July 1, 2016 Label: Streetsweepers Format: Download |
| Living Legend | Released: March 6, 2020 Label: Streetsweepers Format: CD, download |
| Homage | Released: November 12, 2020 Label: Streetsweepers Format: CD, download |
| Accolades | Released: June 25, 2021 Label: Streetsweepers Format: CD, download |

## Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | US R&B/HH | Album |
| "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) | 2004 | 89 | The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 |
| "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 | More Than Just a DJ |
| "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) | 2011 | 75 | Non-album singles |
| "About That Life" (featuring Fabolous, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Nelly and French Montana) | 2013 | 54 | Non-album singles |
| "Keep Calm" (featuring Juicy J, Jadakiss, 2 Chainz and Rico Love) | 2013 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Don't Do It" (featuring Fat Joe, French Montana and Rico Love) | 2014 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Hocus Pocus" (featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Blueface and Moneybagg Yo) | 2019 | — | Non-album singles |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||