By Brooks Welch

The 55-year-old New York City “hip-hop influencer and graffiti artist” DJ Kay Slay passed on Easter Sunday after a battle with COVID, reports The New York Post.

His family confirmed his death through a statement released by New York hip-hop radio station HOT 97.

“Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay. A dominant figure in Hip Hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations,” read the family’s tribute. “In memory of DJ Kay Slay, our family wishes to thank all of his friends, fans, and supporters for their prayers and well wishes during this difficult time. We ask that you respect our privacy as we grieve this tragic loss.”

According to The Fader, Slay contracted the virus in December but was said to be in “a recovery state” the following month. Speaking at the time his brother Kwame Grayson told HipHopDX that he was “getting stronger” and was being moved to a private hospital to continue his recuperation.

As reported by Billboard, Grayson, who began his decades-long hip-hop career by making a name under his graffiti moniker “Dez,” released his debut album, ‘The Streetsweeper, Vol. 1′ in May 2003.

The “Drama King” collaborated with Fat Joe, Raekwon and Scarface, the Lox, 50 Cent, Mobb Deep, Black Rob, Craig Mack, The Diplomats, Eminem and 8Ball & MJG among others. The album hit No. 22 on the Billboard 200 album chart in June 2003 and No. 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart, with single “Too Much For Me” with Nas, Foxy Brown, Baby and Amerie peaking at No. 53 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart in May of that year.

For years, Kay Slay hosted “The Drama Hour” on HOT 97, on which he interviewed countless hip-hop stars and aired out (or inflamed) beef between rappers.