Memphis Public Libraries dedicated its Cloud 901 music production room Monday as the Tay Keith Music Lab following a donation from the Tay Keith Legacy Foundation.
The city declared September 21 as Tay Keith Day and handed over the keys to the city, honoring the legendary producer who shaped modern Hip-Hop from the ground up. Mayor Paul Young and the Memphis community came together to celebrate a life that changed music forever. The real magic happened when Memphis Public Libraries announced the Tay Keith Music Lab, a permanent space dedicated to keeping his creative spirit alive. The Keith family partnered directly with the library system to build something that actually matters for the next generation of producers and beat makers coming up in Memphis.
Dr. Eric D. Harris, the director of Memphis Public Libraries, made it clear this project represents something bigger than nostalgia. The Music Lab connects young creatives to the tools and knowledge that made Tay Keith legendary in the first place. It’s about preservation, education, and making sure Memphis stays a hub for music innovation.
The Tay Keith Legacy Initiative includes four components:
- Tay Keith Music Lab: Cloud901’s music production room, named in his honor, gives young people a place to learn and create music.
- Tay Keith Beat Making 101: The library will develop a curriculum that introduces young people to beat making and music production.
- Tay Keith Collection: The library will work with Keith’s family and others connected to his life and career to establish a permanent archival collection.
- Tay Keith in 901Voices: Family members and others who knew Keith will be invited to share their memories through Memphis Public Libraries’ 901Voices oral history initiative.
Keith worked with artists including Beyoncé, Drake and Travis Scott. He attended White Station High School and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 2018. His family created the Tay Keith Legacy Initiative to continue his work motivating and uplifting young people.