Music Spotlight- Key!

Music Spotlight- Key!

Max Becker

Key! wasn’t lying on his track “Street Fighter” when he said, “Okay it’s fat man Key! I wrote the game.”

In fact, you could make a list longer than this article of rappers trying to make a career off of his 2013 swag.

Hailing from Atlanta, Key! (who often affectionately refers to himself as Fat Man) first reached the mainstream as a feature on fellow Atlanta rapper Father’s 2014 “Look at Wrist”. The song quickly became a summer anthem, and even got an Instagram shout-out from the seemingly always trendy Drake. Since then, Key! has worked with a multitude of up-and-coming superstars, including ILoveMakonnen, Rich the Kid, 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, and recently and perhaps most impressively, being featured on the A$AP Mob’s “Cozy Tapes Vol. 1: Friends.”

So in a crowded Atlanta underground scene, how has Key! managed to shine so brightly? A distinct blend of hard trap bangers portraying the fast-paced Atlanta lifestyle, melodic love songs in which he croons in auto-tune over slow, provocative beats, and his own brand of original tracks, bringing his signature odd-ball flair and flow to the booth.

On “nawl fr” off his 2016 mixtape Before I Scream, (which in my opinion, for what it’s worth, was one of, if not the best, mixtapes of the year), Key! raps, “My b**** boujie / She put her name on my Uzi / Gucci hold the tooly / Tooly sing like Skooly”, bragging on the women, guns, and designer apparel that has become so pertinent in today’s hip-hop scene, all while nodding his head to fellow Atlanta artist Skooly.

Showing his softer side, Key! confesses his storybook love in the song “Romantic” ft. ILoveMakonnen. In it, he proclaims  “It’s a romance feeling / It’s a love story / It can’t be real”. Key! also has a tendency to slip into the seductive side of songwriting, such as on his 3 song EP Keyonce!, featuring the sexually charged “Had Me Like”.

One of his latest singles “LSDO” features Key! rapping in an altered pitch over triumphant horns and percussion, creating an ear-catching melody that is sure to stick in any almost listener’s head instantly, leaving them wanting more. It is precisely this originality and success in creating a unique sound that has earned Key! the growing following he is currently enjoying.

Finally, there is always one thing Key! places before rapping; his daughter. A scroll through his media on twitter will reveal photos and videos of the two dancing and spending time together, and he’s rapped on several songs that he just wants the money to support her and raise her right.

Key! is a family man, and a man for the people. If you are interested in his music, you can follow him on twitter @FATMANKEY, and be on the lookout for his next two releases, Key Cudi and Live Slow Die Old, both dropping in 2017.