We recently connected with Cuzo Key and have shared our conversation below.

Cuzo, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

The biggest risk I took career wise was my last project NIONEK 3. I actually did what it takes to make a complete successful body of music. I didn’t cut corners or go the cheap route like I use to do. I took my time with it. And it was a make or break situation because NIONEK 1 & 2 didn’t hit how I thought it would so NIONEK 3 was about to be my last time recording music if it didn’t land as well. But it did! Moral of the story is stay true and genuine to your craft and it’ll all work out!

Cuzo, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Well I fell in love with music when I was about 9 or 10. Beating on lunch tables and desktops with pens and pencils. I loved how it made me and others feel. Started freestyling when I was about 15 but I didn’t take it seriously because I was still in the streets for real. Was supposed to play sports but instead I chose to join a gang at 16. I got into just about anything that’s gang related. That’s all I knew growing up and I was becoming a product of my environment. The rapping didn’t start until high school with a group of friends. A friend of mines committed suicide when we were 18. Still didn’t take rap seriously until I was about 21 when I made a song called Tha 4 and gain some traction from it. Did a couple features here and there, showed up at a few events, performed a couple of shows, started to get recognized as an artist. My first rap name was Kenion Milton. Then I changed it to COUSINKEYTHAKIDD. Ran with that but people and the fans started calling me Cousin Key so I switched it to that. That lasted for a while but then again the people and the fans would just calling me Cuzo (which is short for cousin of course). Changed my name again to Cuzo Key and it’s been up ever since. Cuzo Key is definitely my alter ego fasho. Kenion (hence my album name NIONEK is my real name backwards) is a very shy humble guy. Very quiet very lowkey. But Cuzo Key on the other hand is the complete opposite. Very outgoing. Adventurous. Spontaneous at times too. A actual comedian. So when I do music, it’s pretty much a public diary that I’m reading to the world. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a rapper, I’d say I’m a Game Giver. I like to give my side of the story from common experiences we all have been through. I love it when someone tells me that my music has brought them some type of joy and happiness for real. I’m proud that my music can be therapy for some folks.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Ight soo boom. I use to be running in the streets of Charlotte, North Carolina when I was about 16 years old. Doing just about everything a hood guy would do. But I wouldn’t get into major trouble until I was 25 when I caught my first charge of drug possession with intent to sell. Then turn and catch another charge two weeks later that landed me in jail. That situation costed me 20 thousand dollars in fees and 2 years of probation. Then when I finally get out that situation, the pandemic hit. That shut all my plans down so I had to start all over again from scratch. I’ve bounced back but I still got more to do. But that time taught me a lot about myself and to be honest I’m thankful for it. Made me a better man at the end of it all.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I build my audience on just be me for real. I don’t have a gimmick or a super crazy story, I’m just me. A country man from Charlotte, North Carolina that likes sports, cars and food. All the videos I post of me is frying wings, wiping down my rims on my 98 Pontiac Bonneville, watering my plants and shooting guns. That’s it. It’s a slow grind but I like building my audience this way. I’m letting them see the genuine me at all times.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @_cuzokey
• Facebook: Kenion Sherrill
• Twitter: @_cuzokey
• Youtube: Cuzo Key

Image Credits
1. Jalen Marlowe (IG @mrlo__) 2. Marc Prosper (IG @marcprosper) 3. Jalen Marlowe (IG @mrlo__) 4. B. Lindsay (IG @shotbylindsay)