BeatKing, Hero of Houston Club Music, Dies at 39

Houston rapper and producer BeatKing, who rose to prominence in the 2010s with his fusion of hip-hop and raw club rhythms, has died. His longtime manager, Tasha Felder, announced the news in a statement posted to her Instagram. “BeatKing has been the best part of the club for over a decade,” she wrote. “He has produced and worked with many artists, that his sound will forever live. He loved his daughters @clubgodparenting, his music and his fans. We will love him forever.” A cause of death has not yet been revealed. BeatKing was 39 years old.

Born Justin Riley in 1984, BeatKing took up drums as a child, accompanying his mother while she played piano at their local church. The MC and producer first burst out of the Houston underground scene in 2010 with his debut album, Kings of the Club, which remains one of his best-selling records. The 23-track LP featured “Crush” and “Hammer,” both of which crept into Billboard’s hip-hop chart.

BeatKing released a trove of music over the past 14 years, becoming an influential and adored figure within the Southern club scene. As a producer and rapper, he worked with fellow Southerners like 2 Chainz, T-Pain, Bun B, Slim Thug, and Gangsta Boo. In 2020, his Queendome Come collaboration “Then Leave” went viral on TikTok, proving his lasting appeal and vast reach.

In addition to his prolific music career, BeatKing (who also recorded as Club Godzilla) became easily identifiable for his arsenal of self-written slogan T-shirts. He could be seen sporting such gems as “I Unfollow Back,” “Gum Is Not Toothpaste,” and “Girls With That Lil Lite Mustache :).”

Just last month, BeatKing issued the final album of his lifetime, Never Leave Houston on a Sunday.