Bio

Odeani Geovonni McBean, now better known as “Keyz”, was born on May 4th, 1987 in Kingston, Jamaica. Born to Winsome McBean, his beloved mother, the McBean’s had to endure the struggles of living in harsh conditions early. All of these struggles would later shape the first of four kids, Keyz, to become a man at a young age. Moving in with different relatives was not uncommon for Keyz, as his mother wanted to make sure he would live in the best possible environment. This also resulted in moving from school to school. Throughout his high school years, Keyz would attend three different institutions; Trenton High, Ewing High and eventually Hopewell High. As a teacher, Winsome McBean knew what it took to put her son on the right path. She lead by example to make sure Keyz would go to school and do the right things growing up. As the years passed, it turned out Keyz was blossoming into a multi-sport athlete as well as a creative lyricist. Playing football and basketball were daily hobbies for Keyz, however running track was where he had the most success. He realized that running the 40 yard dash in 4.4 seconds at 16 years of age meant a scholarship. So he would keep training to make sure to keep this opportunity alive. Next to sports, it was evident that Keyz had a talent with words. In order to cultivate this gift, Keyz started to write down everything that crossed his mind. This would later serve as the foundation of his lyrics, as he became a more experienced writer. Yet, even with the future brightening up, Keyz could not escape the influences of living in a tough neighborhood. Caught up in the drug game, Keyz was arrested while selling crack and all of his dreams were put on a sudden hold. All of the hard work, the heart and determination his mother had passed down to him were all put to test. Resilient as ever, Keyz knew he would be given a second chance and he had to make the most of it. After serving a few months in prison, he was kicked out of Ewing High and was forced to transfer to Hopewell High, which was the town over. This would help him stay out of trouble as Hopewell Valley was a high-end wealthy environment. Every morning, he would take the bus from Trenton only to arrive in a completely different world. Even with all of this change, he would never forget where he came from and the lessons he learned growing up. THE RISE OF KEYZ- THE RAPPER As a result of writing every day, Keyz had compiled a myriad of possible lyrics for future songs. Growing up in poverty and in the gang-flooded streets of Trenton, NJ, Keyz knew that writing about his life could also be a way out. Even though he was aware that dealing drugs had wasted precious time of his life, he also felt that it shaped his character. So, he decided to become the drug himself, calling himself KILO. After recording tracks with his childhood friends in his bedroom, the new KILO was getting a feel for the rap game. Change had been present his whole life so changing his name was just another step. Having two meanings at the same time, his new name “Keyz” would still hold the reference to drugs in addition to representing him as the “Keyz to the City.” When asked about his name, Keyz will usually answer, “I feel like I’m crack, that Brick of Yay, and the listeners are the phiens…” His plan is short and simple; put the city of Trenton on his back and turn all of America into Keyz addicts.