Demetrious Robinson, also known as DJ Shay, has died following a battle with COVID-19. 

DJ Shay was only 48 years old, but his mark on Buffalo's hip hop music scene will be talked about for generations to come, according to many of the artist he worked with. 

"Shay cultivated the [Buffalo] sound back in the 90's," said recording artist, Rick Hyde. "Shay was actually one of the first out of Buffalo to actually have a record deal outside of Rick James."

In 1992, his group the Brotherhood Nation was signed to Amherst Records. 

Back then, their music videos were on heavy rotation on shows like The Box.

DJ Shay later went on to work with Griselda Records in addition to forming his own record label, Buff City Records.

He created music and developed their artists like West Side Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher. 

"The Buffalo style of hip hop is different because it's raw, it's authentic, but it also has a mass appeal," added Hyde. 

That appeal caught the attention of Rap moguls Eminem and Jay-Z. Over the last few years, many of the Buffalo artists who worked with DJ Shay have been signed to Shady Records or Roc-Nation Records. 

"That's what he worked his whole life for just to get Buffalo respected like it was during the Rick James days even further than that," said recording artist, Marcus 'Mars' Cherry.  "He spent his whole life for that and I'm glad I got to see it come to fruition."