You needn’t have had access to New York radio to know the slogan “The Drama King is in the building!” The opening line of Kay Slay's Hot 97 show, which would go on to become his calling card, was unmistakable. But what the Drama King loved more than even drama itself was the culture of hip-hop. DJ Kay Slay would go on to wear many hats over a career that spanned some five decades—Slay first appeared as graffiti writer Dez in 1983’s Style Wars documentary—but staked his biggest claim to fame in the late '90s with his ability to procure yet-to-be-released songs from some of New York City’s most popular rappers for his mixtapes. If that music happened to contain shots at other MCs, Slay was all the more elated to intro the track to the general public, believing the spirit of competition to be as integral to hip-hop as any of the original five elements. Slay also held a special place in his heart for the “brothers locked behind the walls,” making it a point to shout out different penitentiaries during his radio show and also founding his beloved Straight Stuntin magazine with them in mind. Official Kay Slay albums would boast appearances from the DJ’s favorite underground MCs as well as just about every hip-hop heavyweight of his era, Slay having been a huge fan and also proud architect of the blockbuster posse cut. He would leave the world in April of 2022, following a battle with COVID-19, but the Drama King’s memory lives on through the many songs he can be heard shouting over, excitedly egging on a contributing MC's best effort.