I’ve come to notice that Key Wane doesn’t simply make beats or produce tracks. He creates compositions, obviously heavy on the ivories, that are plush sound clouds for artists to fall backwards into like a trust exercise. Rappers don’t have to worry because Wane’s going to give them the best that he’s got and his creations will stand on their own while rhymes are no more than garnish.
And to date, Key Wane’s done the majority of his work while flying under the radar. That’s until recently when his work found its way to radio – most notably on Meek’s “Amen” and Big Sean’s “Guap.” So Many Keys is a compilation of Key’s other hits that listeners may have missed, ranging from production for Wale and Jeezy – and now Raekwon on the remix to “24K” – to making music with fellow Michigan men Dusty McFly, Sayitainttone and, at times, songs for himself as he steps to the mic.
The moves he’s making are the ones that shift a producer from unknown to household name, from charging his homeboys a few hundred to picking up a few thousand for each production. What’s happening is it’s time for heads across the map to get in tune with Wane before he blows up and never looks back.
