It seems like nearly every week when we do our 'Essentials' piece, it's on an upcoming Atlanta outfit. That's just the way hip hop seems to be in 2016, where the dirty south hub has been birthing rising talent for the better half of the past decade.
Today's subject, Two-9 is a group signed to Mike Will Made-It's EarDrummers Entertainment label. The collective was founded by Curtis Williams and Key! back in 2009, and since then added Johnny, Reese, Dave, and Retro Sushi to the crew before ultimately losing Key! and Reese. Key! told The Source of the split, "There is no bad blood, [they] are still my friends."
Without any beef within the group and its former members, the crew has steady released music over the years, with four official projects released last year alone. Today the collective is represented as Curtis Williams, FatKidsBrotha, Retro Su$h!, DJ Osh Kosh, OriginalFani, and Gunner Stahl. As we look forward to new music from them, let's look back at some essential tracks from the current lineup or collective at large.
"Full House" with Retro Su$h!, Ty Dolla $ign & Wiz Khalifa
So here's one of the more popular tracks from the collective, featuring Retro Su$h! (CeeJ and Jace) alongside Taylor Gang-bangers Ty$ and Wiz. Metro Boomin laces the crew up with a beautiful instrumental, and they all bless it with their distinctive styles. With Dolla Sign on the hook and each rapper bringing their A-game, it's no wonder that this is a certified hit.
"World Go Crazy" with Cartier Dave, CeeJ, LightSkinMac11, Jace & Curtis Williams
Cuts like this are what a rap collective is all about. Five young and talented MCs come together to flex on a beastly beat crafted by Backpack. With serious visuals to match the serious bars, each artist comes correct in a cypher-like fashion.
"Rolling" with Jace, LightskinMac11 & CeeJ [Prod. By Curtis Williams]
That in-house production always reigns supreme, and Two-9 founder Curtis Williams is a boss with the beats. Here he crafts a smoky one for Jace, LightskinMac11 and CeeJ to floss on.
"Thirty Seven Thirty Two" with Retro Su$h! and OJ Da Juiceman
Apart of the Space Invaders 10 project, "Thirty Seven Thirty Two" is of a higher caliber than your usual mixtape cut. The beat backs up OJ Da Juiceman and CeeJ as they flex with their rhymes, the latter of which comes especially hard with these four bars:
"And I'm feeling just like Biggie on the stoop
Right to my brother kid I spend it then recoup
I got money on my line and I pick up every time
Since '09 I've been Two-9 and we stay true, we stay true"
"Never See Me Again" with Jace & Swae Lee [Prod. By Mike WiLL Made-It]
Label boss Mike Will gave Jace and Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee some real magic with "Never See Me Again," and the two young talents didn't waste it. They ease into the airy instrumental to talk drugs and women in between Swae Lee's eerie hooks.
"My Dawgs" with FatKidsBrotha and Jace
You don't want to take yourself too seriously, and FatKidsBrotha prove that with the video for "My Dawgs." As they dress up in big dog suits and rap around the neighborhood, you can't help but to root for these kids. They're young and talented, having a blast and making some killer music along the way.
"Scottie 2 Hottie" with Curtis Williams and Key!
Key! might have left the crew to focus on solo efforts, but you can't knock the his input. Here he and co-founder Curtis Williams turn it up with one of the early, successful Two-9 tracks. You can see how far they've come with their visuals and aesthetic with this one too.
"Everything" with Curtis Williams & Jace
Off bossman Mike Will's #MikeWiLLBeenTriLL project, "Everything" shines the spotlight on Curtis Williams and Jace. The song borders on drill territory, with a super-slow, evil sound coming out the speakers. Both MCs crush it, doing Mike Will proud for the project that also boasts Future, 2 Chainz, Jay Z and many more.
"Drugs" with Curtis Williams [Produced by Sonny Digital]
If there's one common thread in the batch of new Atlanta talent - the Young Thugs, the Migos, the ILoveMakonnens, the Two-9 crew - it's drugs. The illicit substances permeate nearly each and every song coming out of a young ATLiens mouth, and with this one, Curtis Williams gets straight to the point. Shout out Makonnen for the cameo at the beginning of the video too.
"Pressure" with FatKidsBrotha
They may not get quite as much attention as Curtis or the Retro Su$h! cats, but FatKidsBrotha are baaaad. With "Pressure" they prove that they are an elite couple of artists themselves, crafting a sound that is distinctively Two-9, Atlanta, and their own as well.
