For Detroit’s KeY Wane, Graduation Has Two Degrees of Success

Once Wane got to TSU, things started to pick up for him professionally. He continued to grow his talents and joined the staff of TSU’s radio station, WTST-The Blaze. He soon became the station’s music director. While attending TSU, Wane’s star also began to rise. It started with his first major production credit when Big Sean landed a spot on XXL Mgazine’s Freshmen 10 for ’10 mixtape. Wane, then only 19, produced the track, “4 My People.”

Then, once Sean dropped his Finally Famous, Vol. 3 mixtape hosted by DJ Don Cannon, four tracks Wane produced ended up making the tracklist, including “Memories,” a song so popular among fans that a remix of it was featured on Sean’s major label debut, Finally Famous.

Next came placements on projects for Young Money’s Tyga, R&B crooner Jeremih and MMG’s Meek Mill, the latter of which spawned the summer smash hit, “Amen” — a gospel-sounding anthem that has been mired in controversy for its unwholesome content. Fortunately, controversy sells and the record peaked to 4 and 5 on Billboard Magazine’s “Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs” and “Rap Songs” charts, respectively.

As for the controversy surrounding the lyrical content of “Amen,” Wane shrugged it off. He explained, “A lot of (these artists) are blessed by God to be doing what they do. God gave me a gift to make that song. It got me in a better position.”

“Just hearing some of his early music, I knew that Wane was going to be successful,” Brinkley said. “The melodies and arrangements he comes up with were great even upon first listening. He’s an overall good musician.”

Brinkley believes that Wane has the potential to become one of the biggest names in producing, citing Wane’s work ethic and determination. “Sky is the limit for him,” he said.

Now that his classes for the day are over, Wane is about to sequester himself in the studio for the next eight or nine hours. Wane’s dreams today are the same as they have been since he was 12 years old: “Put out a positive image musically and work hard so my family doesn’t have to work again.”

Wane has come a long way from the house he grew up in on Ewald Circle — way too far to ever give up on finishing the degree he’s worked so hard to obtain. When he crosses that stage in a few weeks, he will be doing so knowing that this is only the beginning of what is yet to come.

“Growing up I just wanted to show the world my talent. Now, the world knows my talent,” he said, breaking up the silence from a pensive, reflective moment. “I’ve seen how far I’ve come so I know how far I can go. So I won’t stop.”