Seeing is believing within the rap world, however Tay Keith already knew Sexyy Purple was destined for stardom. Earlier than Sexyy’s natural meteoric rise and Rookie of the 12 months marketing campaign silenced her critics, Keith noticed the imaginative and prescient to crown the Hood’s Hottest Princess.
Discover
See newest movies, charts and information
See newest movies, charts and information
The Memphis-bred tremendous producer trusted his educated ear and disregarded these questioning his determination to achieve out to Purple in 2022 and collaborate with the St. Louis native. It obtained to the purpose Tay Keith mentioned folks “crucified” him and even these in his trusted internal circle suggested towards him teaming up with Large Sexyy.
“Folks have been trolling the s–t out of me,” he contests to Billboard. “They have been real-deal trolling me. It wasn’t a lot good suggestions. It was coming from even folks round me, ‘What you doing?’ I noticed the potential. That’s so simple as it was, me believing in her.”
First, the dynamic duo invited everybody to “Pound City” on the high of 2023, which captured Nicki Minaj’s consideration and a remix helped Sexyy earn her first Sizzling 100 entry and Tay Keith’s first as a billed artist. Keith’s bouncy manufacturing made her really feel proper at house as this was allegedly Purple’s first time freestyling on a document.
Subsequent, “SkeeYee” caught hearth as a tune of the summer time candidate and have become the official observe anthem for the New York Jets. The viral observe christened the TikTok Billboard High 50 chart with a No. 1 bow.
Tay Keith and Sexyy Purple carried their momentum into 2024 with “Get It Sexyy.” After a TikTok snippet gained steam, their newest raunchy strip membership anthem arrived through Open Shift/gamma in March simply days following a Miami link-up and studio session.
“After I completed the beat, I’m telling Sexyy, ‘This the one. This the hit.’ I’m telling her staff. I’m simply realizing once I made it proper there I’m like, ‘That is the hit,’” Keith remembers. T.Ok.’s instinct was confirmed proper, because the frenetic tune (accompanied by a video starring Soulja Boy) gave Attractive her highest-charting solo single on the Sizzling 100, peaking at No. 20 and at the moment sitting at No. 22.
“I really feel like we make one of the best membership music proper now,” Tay Keith declares of his chemistry with Sexyy Purple. Even outdoors of the studio, Keith says they’ve an incredible rapport turning up and having enjoyable. He compares it to a brother-sister relationship, and says Sexyy reminds him of the ladies he grew up round in Memphis.
With the entire wins (and the simple membership bangers) stacking up, it’s solely proper that Tay Keith and Sexyy Purple staff up for a full-length joint challenge. Keith guarantees they’re laborious at work placing the collab album collectively, however doesn’t wish to put a launch date on that simply but.
Take a look at the remainder of our interview with Tay Keith under, as he touches on being “10 p.c music, 90 p.c enterprise” at this level in his profession, working with the likes of Sexyy Purple, Jennifer Lopez and Drake, plus extra.
Final time I interviewed you, it was the beginning of your rise through the summer time of 2018 after working with Drake on Scorpion. What’s the largest change for you in your life in comparison with then?
Tay Keith: At first, the primary factor that has modified for me is my mom’s passing. She handed two years in the past, so this would be the third [anniversary] in November. That kinda modified all the pieces for me with my mindset about numerous issues. Simply going by the feelings with that, and constructing myself again up and going more durable and getting again centered on my grind. Once you undergo issues like that, it’s no handbook to let you know how one can take care of that. So having to proceed making music — it’s a journey for me, and that’s one of many largest adjustments in my life.
Are you somebody that threw your self into your work after [your mother’s passing] or are you somebody that steps away from music and disconnects?
I undoubtedly threw myself into work. Music has all the time been my getaway. I felt like once I didn’t don’t have anything, I had music. I’d be within the room cooking up once I was in highschool. All I had was music, so it was a getaway. I undoubtedly buried myself into music. I went by remedy and s–t. I needed to higher myself and concentrate on not simply music, however spending extra time with my different household. Private life took a toll on me, however we right here immediately. We nonetheless profitable.
I’m nonetheless having profitable runs in my profession and I’m blessed. I didn’t let nothing cease me. I stayed centered. I needed to learn to take care of sure issues.
I believe you’re underselling your profitable streak there only a bit. One in every of your most up-to-date wins was with Sexyy Purple, as you guys teamed up once more for “Get It Sexyy,” which is a high 20 hit on the Sizzling 100. What’s the artistic course of when working with Sexyy and the way natural is it within the studio?
That entire scenario is so loopy. We had did it within the final week of February or [the] starting of March. I made the beat and we did the document that week. She did the snippet and it kinda caught on. So when she launched the tune, it took its course. It was a spontaneous tune we had created. We was in Miami and had simply left from Memphis. I flew to go work together with her. I’m like, “We gotta get one other huge document.” After I had began on the beat, I had my producer ship me some chops. We chopped it and I heard it and I’m like, “I do know precisely what I needed to do with it.” I made the beat from the pattern chop.
After I completed the beat, I’m telling Sexyy, “This the one. This the hit.” I’m telling her staff. I’m simply realizing once I made it proper there I’m like, “That is the hit.” I obtained a very good ear for music. Quick-forward, she began on the document and he or she went to St. Louis to complete and we launched it within the subsequent week and a half and it simply went loopy. It was an natural second. I really feel like we make one of the best membership music proper now. I undoubtedly thought it was successful – simple. Typically once I make beats, I get a sense of “that is the one.” That was undoubtedly one of many beats that I obtained that feeling for.
What’s been particular concerning the rapport between you and Sexyy Purple? What’s there in that connection or the origin there? It’s been loopy.
She simply remind me of a girl from Memphis. She is simply uncooked. It’s simply genuine. She from St. Louis, so it really feel like we type of bonded and began creating music out of getting enjoyable. We having fun with the occasions and s–t. Not simply within the studio locked in, we actually take pleasure in ourselves kicking s–t. I really feel like when it’s real, that’s the place the hits got here from. We obtained a real brother-sister relationship. I f–okay together with her heavy. We simply proceed to maintain it going. Each time we get within the studio we make successful.
So she’s somebody you’ll grasp with outdoors of the studio and simply kick it?
Yeah, we simply kick s–t. We’ll come out right here and there. Flip up and s–t. Earlier than I had labored with Sexyy, I labored with numerous Memphis artists. I knew numerous the beats I used to be making was catered towards the membership s–t. I believe that’s what made her wish to work with me. The data I make, strip membership anthems. The songs that go within the chilling states. I believe us working got here from her wanting that kind of sound.
I like how natural her rise was all through final 12 months.
It’s undoubtedly natural. I believe that’s what the folks didn’t anticipate. Simply how uncooked it was to change into that profitable and massive. The considered that wasn’t even actual. I believe folks doubted me working together with her as a result of they didn’t see the explanation to do it. I undoubtedly seen the potential. I inform folks on a regular basis how lengthy I used to be watching Sexyy Purple’s music earlier than she blew up. I used to be watching her s–t for some time. Like occurring YouTube and listening to her s–t. Sending folks her music and labels and folks I do know at sure labels. On the time, I didn’t know what I might do with it. I despatched it to people, “Y’all gotta f–okay together with her.” I didn’t know what to do with it — however it’s gon’ work, I swear to God!
What made me attain out was she ended up working with Wikid Movies. A giant music director in Memphis. Him connecting together with her made me wish to strive some s–t.
When’s the collab album coming?
That’s obligatory. We attempting to provide you with a reputation. Should you obtained names for us, you can provide us some assistance on how we gon’ run it. We undoubtedly obtained a collab album on the way in which. We placing work in cooking up s–t. In a way, we simply engaged on numerous s–t. I contact up numerous data. I really feel like she do what she do greatest. She don’t essentially want no writers or different producers. I actually simply come and do my occasion and [not] overstep and let her be as artistic as she needs. It been working for her this lengthy.
You suppose it is going to launch this 12 months?
I don’t know, man. We nonetheless working. I can’t put a date on it. We undoubtedly obtained some warmth. We obtained numerous [records] for certain.
How was working with Jennifer Lopez on her album [This Is Me… Now]?
That was legendary. It was dope. I got here in and co-produced on a few data. It was a very good expertise linking together with her and anyone on her degree. Angel Lopez introduced me in to work with them. We truly labored [in the studio] on that challenge. It wasn’t a lot concerning the course of it was extra about bridging the hole between the music she creates and the music I create.
Should you hearken to the tracks I produced, you’ll be able to hear just a little bounce to it. The method was how one can mix these worlds collectively. It was one thing I needed to expertise simply rising up listening to J. Lo from elementary on out. That was some cool s–t. Needed to verify that off the bucket record.
You reunited with Drake final 12 months for an additional Sizzling 100 No. 1 hit, how did “First Particular person Shooter” with J. Cole come collectively?
We barely slept for 4 days ending that tune. It was simply a kind of songs you knew it was one in all them huge hits. We was up in Toronto – no sleep – engaged on that s–t. We simply vibed out. It was final 12 months proper earlier than the album had dropped. It was a very good expertise to prepare dinner up with everyone – Boi-1da, Vinylz, Oz. [Cole’s] half was [done] earlier than I obtained there.
With the “Large 3” discuss on there, who’re your “Large 3” of producers?
Drumma Boy, Metro [Boomin] and Dr. Dre. I really feel like Drumma Boy was probably the most influential producers for my era. The Memphis sound was huge earlier than folks even knew. I really feel like he ought to’ve gotten extra recognition with the sound he created and the folks he placed on. Metro setting the bar even increased for producers paving the way in which. Dr. Dre set the bar so excessive for producers past music. You possibly can’t do nothing however respect it.
Would you wish to do your individual solo album like Metro Boomin did?
Yeah, most undoubtedly. I’m engaged on that too. Positively obtained s–t within the vault. I really feel like I’m not the place I wish to be to launch an album. The collab taking place with Sexyy and lots of extra collab albums are on the way in which.
Who else do you wish to lock in with? I do know you wish to work with Put up Malone too.
Put up doing his factor out right here [in Nashville] too. I wish to join the dots [with Post Malone] on some entice s–t. However I wouldn’t be stunned if we did another s–t. Put up Malone is among the folks I’ve needed to work with, as a result of I like his music. I simply wish to manifest that. Working with Jay-Z additionally, I gotta get a Hov document. I set the bar excessive for myself. I wish to do huge s–t with artists who have been an enormous a part of my story, and impressed me earlier than I grew to become profitable.
Are you sending any beat packs out to Cardi B?
Yeah, info. We obtained a few data. I did “Freaky” on Offset’s album. We obtained a number of songs. That could be a very good one.
What tendencies are you noticing which are resulting in hits and chart success in rap?
It’s realizing that you simply gotta make music that’s for you and never the business commonplace. Should you peep the horny drill occurring with Money Cobain, that music wasn’t anticipated. That wasn’t one thing anticipated to explode. Even the music with me and Sexyy — in fact folks didn’t anticipate it to explode as a result of it was a lot within the pocket of the artist. Anyone who creating music now, I really feel like one of the simplest ways of blowing up or mainstream is creating what you suppose is progressive and new.
Even with me, once I first got here within the recreation in 2017, I used to be making music that no one was creating. I had a sound that had Memphis origins, however my model to it. That’s actually the formulation: simply make good s–t no one’s making. You possibly can’t be scared to showcase it.
Outdoors of music, what are you entering into? I do know you’ve gotten a tequila model.
To be trustworthy, I’m 10 p.c music, 90 p.c enterprise at this level in my life. My most important factor is constructing my firm Drumatized, which I’m a 50/50 associate in with my supervisor. We been constructing that and branching out into totally different avenues. We obtained the compound now we have numerous artists come document in. We bridging the hole with the studio staff and us being a hub in Nashville for rap.
[The tequila is with] my colleague Teddy Jasper and we went to varsity collectively. I invested within the firm a 12 months in the past. He had the play so proper it was one thing couldn’t move up. The beginning-ups and tech firms I’ve been investing in. [There’s a ] new firm Udio I invested in a few months in the past, and that’s an AI music-generated software program.
You talked about the AI music firm you invested in, numerous artists have spoken out about AI and music however it sounds such as you’re leaning into it. Are you able to communicate to what you see coming there?
I simply met Ghostwriter on the Grammys occasion. What he did was revolutionary. He modified the sport with the AI voice s–t. That may result in so many avenues. The music business must get forward of it. I might suppose the labels begin to signal artists off of AI. It may also be used to our benefit in methods, for gathering royalties and publishing on the enterprise tip.
