Three days ago, I was listening to a Two-9 compilation mixtape released back in 2012 — titled Two-9 Forever — and it reminded me of our past two summers. Since the crew members were young adults at the time this tape dropped, Two9 Forever epitomizes adolescence. Actually, it epitomizes our teenage years, rather than adolescence in general. Engulfed by Two9's sudden popularity — plus the drugs & women that come with it — it’s fun, and sincere. Their attempts at adjusting to local fame makes for both perceptive, and naive moments throughout the tape.

Key!’s opening bars on One Time are “Fuck that bitch, mistreat that bitch.” And Johnny (now LIGHTSKINMAC11) says “middle finger to the girls I used to date, and hello to the ones that had to wait” on Ex, further continuing “I’ve been watching Belly so I’m looking for a Keisha.” Amidst all this you can find Curtis Williams counting money and Jace accompanying them in every reckless activity. It wasn’t my first time listening to the tape, but it was my first time experiencing a revival of the emotions my dawgs & I had during 2013. We were as unrestrained as plenty of those lyrics.

I realized the similarities between our mindsets at the time, when Jace said “are we fucking, or what? Like, c’mon lady, I’m grown.”
We were a groovy circle of friends that wouldn’t waste no time with bullshit. It was unacceptable to spend too much time on one single chick. Our lives seemed like a frenzy. I’m sure that if we knew Scottie 2 Hottie at the time, we'd scream “can't no bitch excite me” at the top of our lungs.

However, those lyrics do not define our summers, nor do they define Two9 Forever in particular. It’s sparkles of truthfulness that set everything alight. “I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t know who I’m being” Jace raps on Mama I’ve Been Crying — arguably the best song out of the 22 cuts — featuring Key!, Ceej (Jace’s partner from Retro Su$h!), and Damien Aidoo. Each rapper delivers extremely genuine verses, going even as far as admitting “these women and these drugs are just a part of all my lying.” Lyrics like these, were preeminent interpretations of what we’d really go through.

There were nights where it'd be only the five of us chilling at the park, or just one of the homies — be it Lorik, Petrit, Arion or Artim — and I. That’s when reality would smack us hard, and escapism was no longer an option. Sitting somewhere in a dark corner around the projects — or laying in the grass at the park — we would attain a calmer, serious vibe and discuss whatever obstacles we were facing daily. Respectfully, I think I had it the worst.

My mom had left the country last year. She migrated to the U.S so she can provide a better life for both of us. My papers weren't ready yet so I was left living with my grandparents.
I was thankful for this specific group of friends, because they'd make me forget I was kind of alone at times. They made me forget my mom is miles away, and hugging her had switched from being a daily habit to a fiery desire/undying wish. When I was with friends, nothing else mattered. However, by not having my parents beside me during such a crucial age, I’d constantly battle with inner emptiness.

That’s why candid bits and pieces from Key!’s lyrics made me relate to him right away.

I cried when I first heard him say “Myeesha I need ya” on They Love It.

Myeesha is Key!’s deceased mother.
Since my mom is alive & well, I understand the sentiment of missing a parent isn't nearly as strong, but I know the feeling is still mutual. Something so simple uttered in a doleful tone, touched me more than anything from any other rapper ever could. It only took three words to express my entire life during 2013–2015. I had a gang of people surrounding me, yet it wouldn't fill the void that’d been created. I felt like I had deep understanding of Key!’s world.

Yet, it goes deeper than that.

After a while, Interscope and Ear Drummers came into the scenario, looking to sign Two-9. That pushed Key! to leave the group— allowing them to pursue new things as a collective — thus resuming his career as a solo artist.
After a while (September of last year), I became an asshole and did an unimaginable mistake that pushed my friends to cut all ties, and fully distance themselves from me.
Unlike Key!, I wasn’t the one that decided to leave, but I was the main reason behind the departure.

Admittedly, what I'd done was all my fault but I knew awareness wasn't going to generate any chance of me being forgiven anyways. I got depressed. I knew people would talk about this, and it couldn't be avoided. After two years of being seen together nearly every day, it was impossible not to notice we're not kicking it anymore. Running away from all this seemed like the only alternative. So I did. I went on hiatus for a while. But it didn't even last long. I could only manage to be ghost for two and a half weeks, then I returned. To the city, and to social networks.

Ironically, my first tweet after a long while was a Key! ad-lib.

Nowadays, I could relate to Key! more than ever. He was essentially weird. In articles, he was described as standoffish, yet comical. And he also had rocky relationships with friends (see: OG Maco, post Give ‘Em Hell). Plus — although from the outside it seemed like Two-9 weren’t really agreeing with his decisions at first — he always repped his former crew, showing love by saying that he is still Two-9 forever. (I actually did the same when random people questioned me about our situation. Even though for me, it wasn’t as true.) I believed him. The love for your real homies cannot ever fade away.

At times, Key!’s demeanor mirrored my personality better than his lyrics. But his music is what kept me attached to his next moves.
October to February, Key!’s music was incessantly fueling my train of thoughts. In November, I spent three hours — from 4 A.M to 7 A.M — listening to Dimes and watching my balcony get blanketed in snow. In retrospect, those were the loneliest of times. But when there’s someone who raps your thoughts better than you would, all is right.

Many loosies and one EP later, I thought Key! couldn't get more relatable.
Turns out I was wrong.

It’s mid-February, 4 P.M. There’s a cool breeze blowing outside, so I decide to enjoy it by going for a walk and listening to FKEYi again. As I stroll around, I receive a call from an unknown number. I answer and immediately recognize Arion’s voice. He invites me for coffee at a local bar near all our apartments. I'm hesitant the first few seconds but then I agree to meet them. Completely anxious, I take my earphones off and listen to absolutely nothing on my way there. My legs are shaking so much I can barely walk without feeling like I’m dragging a firetruck with me. I show up, and see Arion, Petrit & Egon (a mutual friend who — as opposed to everyone else at the time — hadn’t burned bridges with me).

I shake Petrit and Arion’s hand, and dap Egon up. It’s awkward.
I feel weird, so I try and crack a few jokes. “Why the hell didn’t you pick sides, pussy?” I tell Egon, and they all laugh. Knowingly, he seeks to make everything less awkward too, by foolishly pointing out I have a big head, as a reply to my joke. Things are starting to get comfier. We catch up on what’s been going on lately. Discussions about girls, rap and such, take over most of our time that day. Thirty minutes in, we’re discussing about Drake’s IYRTITL and the resemblance between 6 Man and Key!’s .45. Just a day ago, an encounter like this sounded fanciful to me.

We're back to being friends. But obviously not as genial as we used to be.

Six months later, we're on a different page.

After first reconciling, we still remained a tad bit distant. It had been a long period of not hanging out with each other, so it was hard to promptly retrieve the feeling of true friendship. Eventually, we’d go out more, but it surely didn’t seem enough to me. Out of all them, I found it easier to keep in contact with Petrit the most. Until June of this year, my relationship with Petrit reminded me of Key! and Curtis Williams. Especially after Curtis got locked up with Key!, when he was caught at Key!’s house during the time it got raided.

But now that it’s August and summer is already over. A lot more has happened. Petrit, Arion, Artim, Lorik & I spent most of July together, reminiscing and pretty much doing the same old stuff we used to do every summer.
Key! was featured on a few tracks from Two-9 artists, as well. There’s especially one new song from FatKidsBrotha featuring him, that reminds me of vintage Two-9. Besides all this, Key! even dropped a joint EP with Jace just recently. It felt as if they’re back doing the same old stuff, too.
What struck me most is a tweet from Jace during the creating process.

One day in July, Petrit & I were the only ones at the park. It was the first time in more than a year that we got to hang out the whole day, exlusively on our own. We had a wide variety of talks, and banter. It really felt like we’re back to being the brothers everyone knew us to be. I even told him that. “Damn, I missed chilling with just you and getting all deep about life for a bit.” To me, that was Mama I Been Crying-level honesty. He smirked and nodded in agreement.
Days later I stumbled upon Jace’s tweet. Once again, I could relate to their lives slightly more than their lyrics.

With all that in mind, I now think Petrit is more Jace than Curtis. He does not plan to go solo, and truly loves his crew.
That does not matter, though. What matters is they’re all still Two-9. And I’m still Key!. They’re doing amazing things as a collective, and it’s rare you see them on their own. Meanwhile I’m focusing on my solo stuff and I’m not necessarily part of the group all the time, but you'll see me kicking it with them every now and then. And I’ll always support. Because despite not being as inseparable as we once were, it’s still Two-9 Forever.

Kudos to Two-9 & Key!, for subconsciously being a huge part of people’s lives from overseas. And love to Petrit, Arion, Lorik & Artim, for all that we’ve been through. I really feel like we were “Goodie in their prime.”
You all are the coolest, for enduring so much, and Stayin’ True.