If you’re a hip hop fan, you’re likely already familiar with the musical stylings of Grammy-nominated record producer Tay Keith. The musician, born BryTavious Lakeith Chambers, helped shape the sound of modern hip hop through chart-topping collaborations with Drake, Travis Scott, Beyoncé and Cardi B. Unfortunately, the rap world was shocked in June 2026 when it was announced that the Memphis-born artist had passed away at the young age of 29. According to NBC News, Tay Keith was found dead in his Nashville apartment when local police performed a wellness check. At the time, no foul play was suspected, which left the artist’s fans quite puzzled. In September, the Nashville Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Chambers’ death was accidental and revealed the cause. Per the Medical Examiner, Tay Keith passed away from an accidental drug overdose due to the toxic effects of ketamine and several compounds of the plant-based sedative kratom.
Tay Keith’s death brought renewed attention to the risks associated with ketamine and the potential dangers of combining psychoactive substances. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used in some medical settings, but it is also enjoyed recreationally, and it’s known to cause altered perception, sedation and impaired coordination. Kratom can also produce stimulant-like effects at lower doses, but carries risks that include liver damage, seizures and opioid-like responses within the body. Tay Keith’s tragic story is unfortunately all too relatable, especially in the hip hop world where drug use is quite rampant. Hopefully, this tragedy can be used as a cautionary tale to keep the public informed about the dangers of drug use and highlight exactly what these substances do to the human body.
How did Tay Keith die?
Tay Keith died in June 2026 from an accidental drug overdose. Per People, the Nashville Medical Examiner’s Office identified ketamine and kratom as the substances responsible. Specifically, several compounds of kratom were found in Tay Keith’s system, including mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. Ketamine is regularly administered in medical settings by professionals, often as a form of anesthesia, but it has become a common recreational drug under the street name “Special K.”
Likewise, kratom is frequently taken on the streets as a pain reliever or mood booster. Kratom is not currently banned at the federal level, nor has it been approved for medical use by the FDA. The DEA currently lists the substance as a “drug of concern,” and several states have imposed local bans. In the case of Tay Keith, it seems that the combination of these two psychoactive substances caused adverse health effects, though the medical examiner didn’t release the precise quantity of the drugs found in his system.
What is ketamine used for?
According to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic medication used in medical settings and, outside clinical care, as a recreational drug. It was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the late 1960s and is commonly administered by intravenous injection to induce or maintain general anesthesia during surgical procedures. It may be used alone or alongside other medications, and is also approved for veterinary use. While ketamine is meant to be administered by medical professionals, the drug has attracted attention recreationally due to its potential role in treating mental health disorders. Ketamine itself is not FDA-approved to treat any psychiatric disorders, though clinicians may prescribe it off-label as part of an experimental approach to fight treatment-resistant depression.
Dr. Diana Rangaves, PharmD reminds Blavity Health readers, “Each patient responds differently to intravenous ketamine treatment for depression. You’ll likely feel euphoric, dizzy or nauseated. Most of these effects fade within a short period. However, the long-term effects are transformative. Over time, you will feel an improved mood, reduced depressive symptoms, a significant change in your perspective toward life, and a better quality of life.”
As noted, ketamine is sometimes used recreationally outside of medical settings, often sold under the street name Special K. Recreational use may involve snorting or injecting the drug, or consuming it in its common liquid form. Its dissociative and hallucinogenic effects can alter a person’s perception of their surroundings, distort sensory experiences and create a feeling of detachment when taken this way. Although ketamine has legitimate medical applications, unsupervised use carries significant risks. High doses can cause severe confusion, unconsciousness and dangerously slowed breathing. Combining ketamine with other substances, such as alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Its medical value depends on professional oversight and careful monitoring.
What’s happening in your body during a ketamine overdose
A ketamine overdose occurs when someone takes enough of the drug to overwhelm the body’s ability to tolerate its effects. As a dissociative anesthetic, ketamine impacts the brain’s communication systems, particularly by blocking N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors involved in memory, perception and pain processing. At excessive doses, these effects can become dangerous, disrupting vital bodily functions. During an overdose, a person may experience a range of side effects, including dissociation, confusion, hallucinations or an inability to respond to their surroundings. As the drug’s effects intensify, they may lose consciousness and become unresponsive. Ketamine can also impair coordination and judgment, increasing the risk of accidental injury.
Additionally, Ketamine can affect the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. An overdose may cause changes in heart rate, blood pressure or result in dangerously slowed breathing. In severe cases, impaired breathing can deprive the brain of oxygen, leading to life-threatening complications. Because an overdose can rapidly progress to unconsciousness, suspected ketamine overdose is a major medical emergency. Warning signs include severe confusion, an inability to wake up and abnormal breathing. If you or someone you know begins experiencing these symptoms, call 911 immediately. A person experiencing an overdose should not be left alone or left to sleep it off. At this stage, prompt medical care and supportive treatment may be required and can be lifesaving.
Common causes
Like most drug overdose cases, the common cause of a ketamine overdose is fairly straightforward. Recreational users are likely to experience an overdose because they’ve taken more of the drug than their body can safely tolerate. Plus, the lack of medical supervision often means symptoms will progress significantly before emergency care can be provided. If, for some reason, someone were to overdose on ketamine in a medical environment, doctors and nurses could quickly adjust levels, address symptoms and course-correct in real time. Needless to say, that situation would constitute medical malpractice, and it would be exceedingly rare. On the streets, however, drug overdoses are quite common, largely due to the illicit nature of substance abuse. Users often take drugs alone, or combine substances with other additives such as alcohol. This places undue strain on the body and increases the risk of death, since nobody is around to call 911.
Unsupervised use of ketamine outside of a medical environment is not guaranteed to result in an overdose, but it is exceptionally dangerous. The likelihood of overdose increases through numerous factors, including taking excessively large quantities of the drug, mixing it with other substances, and indulging in drug use without any supervision. Ketamine’s effects also vary depending on the route of administration and individual response. A 2019-2021 study from the National Library of Medicine found that injection-only administration of ketamine was associated with a higher likelihood of major adverse effects or death.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosing a ketamine overdose typically involves evaluating a person’s symptoms, medical history and possible exposure to other substances. Because ketamine may not appear on routine drug tests, healthcare professionals generally rely on clinical findings, including altered consciousness, agitation, hallucinations, abnormal heart rate or blood pressure and breathing difficulties. Depending on the patient’s condition, clinicians may order blood tests, an electrocardiogram and additional testing to identify complications or rule out other causes of symptoms. If you call 911 to report a possible overdose, be sure to describe any drug paraphernalia at the scene to responding EMTs. Doing so can help to identify exactly what was taken and can be life-saving.
There is no specific catch-all antidote for a ketamine overdose, so treatment primarily involves supportive medical care. Emergency teams monitor the patient’s airway, breathing, circulation and other vital signs, and provide supplemental oxygen, intravenous fluids, assisted ventilation and other interventions as needed. Medications such as benzodiazepines can also be administered by clinicians to manage severe symptoms, including seizures. Patients with serious complications may require intensive care and continued observation. From there, the path to recovery depends largely on the amount consumed and the severity of the symptoms. Some cases resolve with brief monitoring and supportive care, while severe overdoses can result in life-threatening complications.
When to see a doctor
Anyone who may have taken too much ketamine should seek prompt medical advice, even if symptoms initially appear mild. Ketamine can impair judgment, making it difficult for someone to recognize when their condition is worsening. That’s why it’s important to be an advocate when your friends or loved ones engage with the substance. Combining ketamine with alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines or other sedatives can further increase the risk of serious complications. If the user becomes unresponsive or loses consciousness, dial 911 immediately. Seizures, difficulty breathing and a discoloration of the lips may indicate life-threatening complications and should be noted to your 911 dispatcher.
Do not leave the patient alone during an overdose, and never allow them to drive while under the influence. If they fall unconscious but continue to breathe normally, place them on their side while waiting for emergency responders. For suspected ketamine exposure without severe symptoms, you can contact your regular clinician or dial poison control for guidance. Poison control can be reached at 1-800-222-1222 in the United States, and they’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Bottom line
Tay Keith’s tragic death underscores the fatal consequences of substance abuse. While ketamine does have legitimate medical applications, it can be extremely dangerous when used recreationally or without professional supervision. Excessive doses can cause a myriad of health concerns, especially when combined with other psychoactive substances like alcohol, opioids or kratom. Overdose deaths account for hundreds of thousands of lives lost each year, especially as outside pollutants such as fentanyl continue to find their way into other controlled substances on a street level. Recognizing the warning signs of an overdose, such as unresponsiveness, seizures or difficulty breathing, can be lifesaving. Anyone who suspects an overdose should call 911, while Poison Control can provide round-the-clock guidance for suspected poisoning.
Per NBC News, Tay Keith’s family and loved ones will remember him as a “visionary producer, songwriter, entrepreneur, philanthropist and cultural force whose work helped define the sound of a generation.” In a statement to the press, Chambers’ family explained, “A proud graduate and honorary professor of Middle Tennessee State University, BryTavious remained an active alumnus, mentor, and advocate for young creatives. He was also a passionate supporter of mental health awareness and cancer-related causes in honor of his late mother.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ketamine a pill?
Under standard medical care, ketamine is not delivered in a pill form. It is generally administered as a liquid injection or intravenous infusion. On the streets, ketamine may appear in the form of a white powder, similar to cocaine. Recreational users often snort the powder, but it could technically be pressed into a pill when mixed with other pharmaceuticals. It is always important to test drugs of unknown origin before ingesting, as any number of outside pollutants can be added when outside of a medical setting.
Is ketamine an opioid?
Though ketamine can be a dangerous drug when taken outside the supervision of medical professionals, it is not classified as an opioid. It is legally identified as a dissociative anesthetic. Opioids, such as morphine or fentanyl, belong to a different drug class and affect the body in a notably different way.
Citations
Lenthang M. Tay Keith, Grammy-nominated record producer, found dead in Nashville at 29. NBC News. Published June 18, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tay-keith-grammy-nominated-record-producer-found-dead-nashville-29-rcna350807
DeSantis R. Producer Tay Keith’s Cause of Death Revealed as Accidental Kratom and Ketamine Overdose. People. Published September 18, 2026. https://people.com/tay-keith-cause-of-death-revealed-accidental-kratom-ketamine-overdose-12006331
National Library of Medicine. Characteristics of poisonings involving ketamine in the United States, 2019–2021. National Library of Medicine. Published August 1, 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10244478
Johns Hopkins. What To Know About Ketamine. Johns Hopkins. Published January 26, 2024. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/what-to-know-about-ketamine
DEA.gov. Ketamine. DEA.gov. https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/ketamine
Poison Control. What Is Ketamine? Poison Control. https://www.poison.org/articles/ketamine