April of this year marked the first anniversary of DJ Kay Slay's death. The renowned creative lost his life last spring after a battle with COVID-19, leaving behind a noticeable hole in his absence. This past New Music Friday (November 3), a legendary tribute to the late DJ finally surfaced online in the form of a posthumous effort called "Rolling 200 Deep." Hundreds of lyricists came together to make the project possible, unleashing both a lengthy music video and a 16-track chopped-up version of the song.
Sheek Louch is the first person we hear from "Rolling 200 Deep" begins, followed by Snoop Dogg, Raekwon, Papoose, and Bun B. That only begins to cover the iconic rappers who laid down bars as an homage to Kay Slay, including other New Yorkers like Dave East and Jim Jones. As HipHopDX notes, the fallen 55-year-old would've loved to see so many creatives coming together in his memory.
Hip-Hop Comes Together in Honour of DJ Kay Slay
In 2010 he tapped 25 MCs to help him out with a similar song, later doubling that to 50 in 2020. The next year, Kay Slay pushed his limits, teaming up with an astounding 110 artists for a joint release. He may not have been here to physically orchestrate the creation of this weekend's new arrival, but still, the DJ's fans and loved ones are happy to see his legacy continuing to leave its mark on the music industry.
Check out the hour-long tribute to the late, great, DJ Kay Slay above. If you'd rather digest all the bars spit in "Rolling 200 Deep" in bite-sized pieces, you can find a 16-track breakdown on Spotify/Apple Music. Which of the many rappers featured on the posthumous homage has your favourite verse? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Quotable Lyrics:
Equivalent to none, relevant to all
Kay Slay, we pray, 'cuz heaven sent the Dogg
Reppin' with my particulars, ratchet with my vernacular
Stall with eight bars, there's nothing that's too spectacular
[Via]