Talay Riley, real name Mark Orabiyi, had successes as both a performer and a songwriter. His singing career brought him together with prominent British acts like rapper Chip (formerly Chipmunk) and dance act Wilkinson, as well as landing at 17 on the UK Hiphop Chart with solo effort ‘Make You Mine’ in 2011. However his prolific writing career, which began with work with UK artists Chip, Tinie Tempah and Jessie J, led him to working with international acts including Usher, Jason Derulo and H.E.R. The track ‘Lights On’, which he wrote with American singer-songwriter H.E.R., went on to be used on her self-titled compilation LP which won the Best R&B Album Grammy in 2019. Other tracks he is credited with include Dua Lipa’s 2016 song ‘Last Dance’, Britney Spears’ 2016 cut ‘Clumsy’ and Khalid’s 2017 hit ‘Young, Dumb & Broke’.

Police were called to a reported stabbing incident in Silvertown in the East London borough of Newham last Friday, at around 9am. Orabiyi had tragically died at the scene, and another male was found with stab wounds, which at time of writing are not believed to be life-threatening as he his treated in hospital. Three people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, as the investigation continues.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cleo Amedume (@queencleo)

Since news of Talay Riley’s passing broke, many in the world of music have shared tributes online. His brother Michael Orabiyi, known as writer and producer Scribz Riley, shared a heartfelt message saying “I never thought the day would come where I’d be writing this, but unfortunately I can confirm that in the morning of Friday 5th June my big brother YINKA (Talay Riley) passed away. My heart is shattered! This doesn’t feel real. It feels like a bad dream. Just before he went to sleep we spoke about the future, staying positive and about everything we still had left to do. I never imagined that would be our last conversation.” In response to his post, several artists replied including Stormzy, who wrote “I’m sorry bro”, and Kehlani, who said “big hugs scribz i’m so sorry”.

Elsewhere, frequent collaborator and long-term friend Chip posted an emotional message that read “You ain’t deserve to go out like that fam. Fly high bro. Your pen will live forever. What a day man. What a life… RIP Talay Riley. I’ll cherish the memories forever fam. Prayers and thoughts go out to your family.” Craig David, who Riley worked with on his 2018 album ‘The Time Is Now’ wrote “Sending so much love to you & the family. His beautiful energy will continue to be felt & shown from the other side.”

London Metropolitan Police have shared a tribute from Orabiyi’s family, which says “Mark was a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend. He brought love, light, and joy to our family and to all who knew him. We will always cherish his kindness, beautiful spirit, and remarkable talent. His presence touched many lives, and his memory will remain in our hearts forever. May his soul rest in perfect peace.” Detective Chief Inspector Joanna York has also issued a request for information as the investigation moves forward – “This is a tragic incident and my thoughts remain with Mark’s family and loved ones. Our investigation continues at pace. I would like to appeal for anyone who was in the area at the time of this incident to speak to police. We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who might have CCTV or other footage from the morning of the incident that could assist our investigation.”