dj kay slay ArchivesAmbrosia For Heads

200 MCs Celebrate DJ Kay Slay On The Ultimate Posse Cut

Last year, Hip-Hop lost DJ Kay Slay. The Harlem legend passed away on April 17, 2022. His 40+ year legacy began with graffiti and evolved into him becoming one of the biggest mixtape DJs in the world. The self-proclaimed "Drama King" ultimately used his tastemaking skills as a record executive... Read more

November 3, 2023 Video

Pusha-T Used His New Album As A Verzuz Between Kanye & Pharrell

In the last week, one of the year's biggest albums released. Pusha-T competes for his first #1 on the charts with the arrival of It's Almost Dry. The G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Records collection follows up the veteran MC's 2018 Grammy-nominated campaign for DAYTONA. That LP, the first of a Kanye West-produced five-album summer series,... Read more

April 26, 2022 Video

DJ Kay Slay Has Passed Away At The Age Of 55

DJ Kay Slay has died. The man born Keith Grayson passed away yesterday (April 17) after a four-month-long battle with COVID-19. Kay Slay's Hip-Hop career stems back more than 40 years from his days as a graffiti icon into a leader in music, radio, and street publishing. The bold personality... Read more

April 18, 2022 News

Kanye West’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Turns 10. Is It His Best Album?

One decade ago (November 22, 2010), Kanye West released a blockbuster album in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Whereas 2008's 808's & Heartbreak confronting loss and lust with sounds that veered beyond 'Ye's first three albums, 2010's M.B.D.T.F. marked a return to form, even if it was nothing like the Roc-A-Fella Records mid-2000s run. Just... Read more

November 23, 2020 Fresh

Locksmith Explains Why He Was Relieved Not To Get A Deal From Dr. Dre (Video)

Locksmith is one of the Bay Area's most prolific MCs. Since the early 2000s, the Richmond, California rapper has laid forth a slew of mixtapes, albums, and freestyles to bolster his catalog and put his expert lyricism on full display. In 2018, Locksmith kept especially busy, releasing full-length Ali, and... Read more

May 20, 2019 Interview, Video

Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne Have Fire In Their Bellies As They Slay This Track

Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne go back. Just over a decade ago, the Leaders Of The New School co-founder was a standout guest on Weezy's Carter III affair. Wayne returned the favor on Bus' Back On My B.S. More notably for the time, the two artists worked together on "Thank... Read more

January 18, 2019 Audio

Locksmith’s State Of The Rap Union Address Is A Fiery Freestyle

A month removed from the release of Ali, Locksmith continues to shine a light on his veteran talent. The MC's latest stop finds the Richmond, California native at the helm of DJ Kay Slay's booth, in which the TeamBackPack staple shows off his fierce freestyle skills. Clocking in at just... Read more

January 12, 2019 Video

Joell Ortiz, Jon Connor & Locksmith Are Bringing Bars Back To Hip-Hop (Video)

In a time where name-dropping and direct disses are getting all the attention in Hip-Hop, a group of independent MCs is bringing back some old fashioned, cypher-oriented raps with hard punches aimed at no one in particular. The song "Back To The Bars (Intro)" features East Coast spitters MCs Joell... Read more

September 8, 2018 Video

Jay Rock Shows Again Why He’s One Of The Best Guest MCs Of His Generation (Video)

Although he was the first artist on the powerhouse record label that is TDE, Jay Rock's output has been relatively sparse, compared to that of Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q and others in the family. Rock has only released one album in the last six years, 2015's stellar 90059. The Watts... Read more

November 28, 2017 Video

AZ, Papoose & Mysonne Are Grown Men Who Are Unafraid To Rap Like It (Video)

Rap music about street exploits is a lot of what is made every single day. AZ, Papoose, and Mysonne have all done this, quite effectively, at various points in their respective careers. However, these three New York City MCs also know when it's time to spit about the exit strategy—not... Read more

September 14, 2017 Video

The Game, Busta Rhymes & Tech N9ne Have Bars That Jealous Ones Envy (Audio)

Last month, DJ Kay Slay orchestrated quite the collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, and Kevin Gates for "Cold Summer." The Drama King is not backing down as he reloads with "Jealousy." This collabo links up The Game, Busta Rhymes, and Tech N9ne for an attack on people that hate... Read more

September 7, 2017 Audio

Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller & Kevin Gates Re-Heat The Summer With A Cold Collabo (Audio)

In three different pockets of Rap music, Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller, and Kevin Gates are three stars of the 2010s. Critically and commercially, these three artists are leaders within their classes, not in the same ways, and certainly not with the same styles. Kendrick and Mac have decorated collaborative history,... Read more

August 29, 2017 Audio

Kay Slay Recruits Redman, Raekwon & Royce 5’9″ To Attack The Wack (Mixtape)

They do not call DJ Kay Slay "the drama king" for nothing. Since the late 1970s, the Harlem, New York graffiti writer-turned-DJ-turned-record executive seemingly lives for the spirit of competition. Now a Shade 45 radio mainstay, Kay Slay is one of the few talents who was making mixtapes 15 years... Read more

July 1, 2016 Mixes

DJ Kay Slay’s New Mixtape Features Big K.R.I.T., Freeway, Styles P, Raekwon & More (Mixtape)

After several hot leaks over the last few months, DJ Kay Slay releases his latest mixtape, The Industry Purge. The project features a host of guest MCs, including, Raekwon, Styles P, Big K.R.I.T., Jon Connor, Freeway, Lil Fame, Young Buck, Sheek Louch, Papoose, Chris Rivers, Locksmith, Troy Ave and more.... Read more

April 8, 2015 Mixes

Young Buck, Freeway & Lil Fame Take a Trip Down Memory Lane with Kay Slay (Audio)

On the eve of the release of DJ Kay Slay's mixtape, The Industry Purge, he teams up with Young Buck, Freeway and Lil Fame (of M.O.P) to bring us “Memories”. In this Stay Gettin'- produced track, the MCs take turns spitting candidly about the things they've witnessed on their rise... Read more

April 8, 2015 Audio

Raekwon, Styles P, Sheek Louch & Vado Line Up The Lyrics For DJ Kay Slay (Audio)

DJ Kay Slay's Rolodex weighs a ton, and the Hip-Hop mainstay is never afraid to use it. The Drama King "declares war" calling in 2/3 of The LOX, along with Raekwon, Vado, and Rell. "I Declare War" is four MCs, one singer, and an iconic mixmaster/radio personality. Coming from The... Read more

February 19, 2015 Audio

DJ Kay Slay Points To His Pioneering Status, With D-Block, Loaded Lux & Memphis Bleek (Mixtape)

After nearly 40 years in Hip-Hop, DJ Kay Slay refuses to slow down. The Drama King lays down The Original Man, with its Egyptian-themed cover, perhaps reminding Heads that he's been making tapes longer than some of his latest peers have been alive. With that sense of personal, professional, and... Read more

November 5, 2014 Audio, Fresh, Mixes

Here’s Kay Slay’s New Mixtape Featuring Raekwon, Young Buck, ONYX, Jay Rock, Joell Ortiz, Tony Yayo & Many More (Mixtape)

DJ Kay Slay has released his new mixtape, The Last Hip Hop Disciple. The project is STACKED with artists of all styles, including Raekwon, Young Buck, ONYX, Jay Rock, Joell Ortiz, Tony Yayo, Papoose, Jon Connor, Memphis Bleek, Sheek Louch, Vado, Gunplay, Trae tha Truth, Saigon, Chi Ali, Locksmith and... Read more

May 8, 2014 Mixes

DJ Kay Slay Brings It Back To His Graffiti Roots With Termanology, Chris Rivers, Papoose & More (Video)

The Drama King has been a nonstop content supplier lately. The Harlem, New York graffiti writer-turned-DJ-turned-radio personality let go of a visual from recent audio single "Enter The Cypher," featuring Termanology, Papoose, Chris Rivers, and William Young. As was the case with another recent Slay and Pap' collabo, the visual... Read more

May 5, 2014 Fresh, Video

Joell Ortiz, Sheek Louch & Sauce Money Rep New York Overtop James Brown For DJ Kay Slay (Audio)

DJ Kay Slay aligns a strong trio to rep their hometown. The Drama King gathers Sheek Louch, Joell Ortiz and Sauce Money, making a rare appearance, on NYC Shine. Why do you think Kay Slay is so passionate about these ongoing NYC Hip-Hop songs? Related: Joell Ortiz Has Got BARS…But... Read more

April 30, 2014 Audio, Fresh

After 35 Years In Hip-Hop, DJ Kay Slay Brings Papoose, Vado & Ransom To Illustrate His Present-Day Definition (Video)

If ever you've watched the film Style Wars, you know that DJ Kay Slay's roots in Hip-Hop run deep. Back when he was an Uptown train-bomber (with paint, that is) named "Dez" to his days winning back at Justo's Mixtape Awards, The Drama King brought as much love for the... Read more

April 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Termanology, Chris Rivers, Papoose & More Get Old School Fresh On A DJ Kay Slay Cypher (Audio)

Coming from Uptown, DJ Kay Slay certainly knows about a lil "Uptown anthem" in the form of The Mohawks' "Champ." Later used as a comeback crossover single for KRS-One in "Step Into A World," this famous Bronx park-jam break is as Hip-Hop as it gets. So are the corresponding cypher... Read more

April 22, 2014 Audio, Fresh

To All The Strong Freestyles In 2014, Locksmith’s Latest May Take Your Seat (Video)

From E-40 to Tajai to Del to Brotha Lynch Hung, the Bay area has some amazing lyricists in Hip-Hop history. Locksmith hopes to further that trend. Once a protege of Spice 1/Ice Cube producer E-A-Ski, Locksmith has worked extensively with Ski Beatz and others in a cross-coast movement that puts... Read more

April 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

The Drama King Is About Keeping New York Hip-Hop Unified On The Rise Of A City (Mixtape)

A decade ago, DJ Kay Slay was a wager of war. The Mixtape Awards winner took on the Drama King persona in the '90s, and was not above strong arm tactics on tapes, on radio, and in the streets to reign supreme in the highly-competitive culture of exclusives and style-jackers.... Read more

January 24, 2014 Fresh, Mixes

Game & Young Buck Release a Song Together. Is a G-Unit Reunion Out of the Question in 2014? (Audio)

In 2013, the world saw the pictures of former G-Unit members Young Buck and Game together in the studio. There were all smiles and daps, but did any music ever come of it? With Outkast back at it, and 50 Cent and Fat Joe sharing mics, the conversation quickly changed.... Read more

January 23, 2014 Audio

DJ Kay Slay Unifies Members Of Wu-Tang Clan, LOX, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga & M.O.P. To Honor The ’90s (Audio)

DJ Kay Slay has a deep network, in and out of New York City. From his appearance in Style Wars to his longtime Thursday night show on HOT 97, the Uptown DJ has fought to keep his city rugged. That quest is ongoing on "90s Flow," which features Ghostface Killah,... Read more

January 15, 2014 Audio

Bun B Kicks A Legit Backroom Freestyle With DJ Kay Slay (Video)

Bun B stopped by "106 & Park" to kick a 90-second freestyle. With The Drama King DJ Kay Slay on the decks, Bun takes it slow, but drives words with his hammer of a vocal tone. The Trill O.G. has one of the most sincere deliveries in Hip-Hop, and that's... Read more

November 20, 2013 Fresh, Video

Termanology – Off The Block ft Sheek Louch, Lil Fame & DJ Kay Slay

Bronx, New York-based Termanology puts out projects (as does Statik Selektah) at an alarming rate. However, that doesn't mean that the content isn't strong. The Brick/ST. Records tandem has provided a ton of opportunities to a true-school community of lyricists, especially Lil Fame (who's featured on this concrete-inspired cut from... Read more

July 26, 2013 Audio, Fresh

DJ Kay Slay – Grown Man Hip-Hop Part 2 (Sleeping With the Enemy) (Mixtape)

Kay Slay released his new mixtape Grown Man Hip-Hop Part 2 (Sleeping With the Enemy) today. It features verses from Raekwon, Styles P, Sheek Louch, Jay Rock, Busta Rhymes, Jon Connor, Beanie Sigel, Joell Ortiz, Saigon, Bun B and more. You can listen to and download the entire mixtape below.... Read more

January 23, 2013 Mixes