Nicki Minaj Mourns The Loss Of Tay Keith: "What A Talented Person"

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares Published on June 21, 2026

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Nicki Minaj Mourns Loss Tay Keith Talented

Feb 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Rapper, Nicki Minaj attends the NBA game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. The Clippers won 111-110. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

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Nicki Minaj had a feature on the Tay Keith-produced track "Pound Town 2" from him and Sexyy Red back in 2023.

Tay Keith tragically passed away earlier this week, and the circumstances of his passing remain unknown at press time. The hip-hop world and beyond continues to pay tribute to his legacy and memory, including recent statements from Nicki Minaj.

During a Twitter Spaces conversation on Saturday (June 20), the Queen of the Barbz took a moment to share her condolences with the Memphis icon's loved ones. She spoke about not getting to meet him, but still recognizing the sheer talent and greatness he offered the world.

"I think that it's such a tragic, heartbreaking loss," Nicki expressed, as caught by Nicki Crave on Twitter. "I'm sending my deepest condolences to his family, his fans, and the artists who had the pleasure of working with him. I don't believe that I met him, but of course, I was on one track as a feature that he did. And he was clearly so beyond talented. I mean, my goodness. What a talented, talented young person gone way too soon. Wanted to make sure I said that."

Nicki Minaj and Tay Keith collaborated on the Keith-produced "Pound Town 2" from Sexyy Red.

Tay Keith Tributes

Various other artists have paid tribute to Tay Keith, including a recent Instagram Story post from Travis Scott. "We gon miss ya broozayy Gon keep goin hard for ya....!!!" he wrote, as caught by Complex Music on IG.

Also, Drake honored the 29-year-old's indelible contributions via an Instagram post of his own. "Endless and eternal gratitude for your spirit and your contributions to this thing that we all love so much…you will be deeply missed," he shared.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Sexyy Red mourned Tay Keith in a series of IG posts. However, some fans pointed to a dispute between Keith and her label, Rebel Music, concerning unpaid royalties.

Both parties' representatives quickly clarified this dispute is very close to a resolution, and they are now working even harder to ensure Keith's estate gets proper compensation. Other folks like BlocBoy JB, Juicy J, Key Glock, Tyler, The Creeator, and many more shared messages. It's a massive loss, and hip-hop will do its part to make his legacy last forever

Rest In Peace Tay Keith.

About The Author

Gabriel Bras Nevares

Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.