Most may know Key! from his instrumental work with Two-9, Makonnen, Father, OG Maco and 21 Savage, but most are probably blind to his solo work and the influence he has had over the youth in Atlanta. I just recently watched an interview where Key! stated he along with Reese Laflare were the inventors of the current wave of aye ad-libs and long pauses that are so prevalent in rap flows today.
Upon learning this I checked out his music and you can definitely hear his mastery of the flow. In the interview Adam 22 characterized Key! as having a “black belt mastery” of the style that so many kids just get high on pills and lean and do, and I for one agree. Key!’s form of swag rap comes from a place of intelligence and a high level understanding of what he’s laying down rather than a drugged out zombie space, where the artist doesn’t know or even cares to know what they are saying.
That interview on No Jumper got me excited for the release of his new music as well as he claims his new project “Live Slow, Die Old”(dopest title ever) is coming soon. Standouts for me from Key!’s extensive catalogue are “New Money”, “Yo Bad”, “38 Hot”, “Puking”, and “Street Fighter” among others. Check out FATMANKEY! below, he’s fye as shit.
https://soundcloud.com/fatmankey/2-38-hot-full
https://soundcloud.com/fatmankey/new-money
https://soundcloud.com/fatmankey/11-key-yachty-yo-bad
https://soundcloud.com/fatmankey/puking
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