{"id":1957,"date":"2022-04-18T13:55:39","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T17:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tpsquare\/2022\/04\/18\/hip-hop-pioneer-dj-kay-slay-dies-of-covid-19-at-age-55\/"},"modified":"2022-04-18T13:55:39","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T17:55:39","slug":"hip-hop-pioneer-dj-kay-slay-dies-of-covid-19-at-age-55","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gynesisradio.com\/tpsquare\/2022\/04\/18\/hip-hop-pioneer-dj-kay-slay-dies-of-covid-19-at-age-55\/","title":{"rendered":"Hip hop pioneer DJ Kay Slay dies of COVID-19 at age 55"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York City hip-hop influencer and graffiti artist DJ Kay Slay died on Easter Sunday at 55 after a harrowing four-month battle with COVID-19.<\/p>

The trailblazing MC battle referee\u2019s tragic passing was confirmed to The Post in a statement from his family.<\/p>

\u201cOur hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,\u201d the bereaved Grayson family wrote in a touching tribute. \u201cA 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.\u201d<\/p>

They continued, \u201cIn 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. We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve this tragic loss.\u201d<\/p>

\"New<\/a>
New York City hip-hop star and graffiti artist DJ Kay Slay died on Easter Sunday at 55 after a harrowing four-month battle with COVID-19.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Grayson had reportedly succumbed to complications of COVID-19 after being hospitalized with the disease in December and put on a ventilator, the Sun reported.<\/a><\/p>

New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97 also honored the rapper in a statement to The Post, writing: \u201cHot 97 is shocked and saddened by the loss of our beloved DJ Kay Slay. We cherish the many memories created through the twenty-plus years he dedicated to the \u2018Drama Hour.\u2019<\/a>\u201c<\/p>

\"DJ<\/a>
DJ Kay Slay had reportedly succumbed to complications of COVID-19 after being hospitalized with the disease in December and put on a ventilator.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

A week prior to his death, Wack 100 had revealed on Instagram<\/a> that the musician was \u201cstill fighting\u201d and needed all the prayers he could get.<\/p>

\u201cHe\u2019s been off the #ECMO machine for a couple weeks now,\u201d they wrote. \u201cLet\u2019s continue our prayers as our brother continues to fight.\u201d<\/p>

Born Aug. 14, 1966, in New York City, Grayson began his career as a graffiti artist, and performed hip-hop in his spare time. During that time, he was notably featured in the 1983 hip-hop documentary \u201cStyle Wars.\u201d<\/p>

Despite his talent for the art form, the rapper didn\u2019t initially intend to become a DJ.<\/p>

\u201cIt was just something to do that was fun and that I enjoyed doing,\u201d Grayson told Forbes in a 2019 interview.<\/a><\/p>

\"Grayson,<\/a>
Grayson, who went by the nickname Dez, released his flagship album \u201cThe Streetsweeper, Vol. 1\u201d in 2003.<\/figcaption><\/figure>

That changed when Grayson, who went by the nickname Dez, released his flagship album \u201cThe Streetsweeper, Vol. 1\u201d in 2003. The prolific rap artist would go on to create five more studio albums during his career: \u201cThe Streetsweeper, Vol. 2,\u201d \u201cMore Than Just a DJ,\u201d \u201cThe Big Brother,\u201d \u201cHip Hop Frontline,\u201d and \u201cThe Soul Controller.\u201d<\/p>

In his\u00a0final Instagram post in January<\/a>, Grayson promoted the single \u201cIn My Soul,\u201d which he collaborated on with artists Tre Williams, Papoose, and AZ.<\/p>

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A post shared by DJ KaySlay (@djkayslay)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>