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Mike & Keys facts for kids
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Mike & Keys
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Money Mike (left) and J-Keys (right) in March 2021
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Futuristiks |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States, |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | Street Corner |
| Members |
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Mike & Keys are a cool American hip hop music team from Los Angeles, California. They used to be called The Futuristiks. This duo is made up of two talented people: Money Mike (whose real name is Michael Ray Cox, Jr.) and J-Keys (whose real name is John Groover). They are known for producing and writing songs for many famous artists.
Contents
The Story of Mike & Keys
Early Musical Journey
J-Keys grew up in South Sacramento. Money Mike was born in Hammond, Louisiana. Both say that their family and church helped them discover their musical gifts. They both studied at the Los Angeles Recording School in Hollywood, California.
First Big Steps in Music
Their first major work as producers was in 2009. They helped create a song for the famous rapper 50 Cent on his album Before I Self Destruct. In 2010, they worked on more hip hop albums. These included projects for artists like Dom Kennedy, Redman, and Sheek Louch. Soon, The Futuristiks became a well-known team. They produced music for hip hop, R&B, and Gospel artists.
A Big Year: 2011
The year 2011 was very important for The Futuristiks. They worked with top artists like Eminem and Royce da 5’9”. They also produced music for other well-known acts. In 2011, they produced "Last Love" for rapper Problem. This song's music video was shown on BET’s 106 & Park. It even made it to the Top Ten Countdown! They also produced main songs for mixtapes by Dom Kennedy and Skeme.
Growing Their Music Catalog
The duo kept adding to their list of hit songs. They started working with R&B artists like Jeremih. They also helped new R&B artists TeeFlii and Elijah Blake with their first projects. They didn't forget their hip hop roots either. In 2012, they produced songs for rappers like T.I., Freddie Gibbs, and Fat Joe.
Reaching the Charts
In 2012, The Futuristiks made it to the Billboard Top 100. This was for their work on Tito Lopez’s song "Mama Proud." They also reached the Billboard 200 chart. Their production on T.I.’s album Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head also made it to the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Grammy Award Nomination
As their music style grew, The Futuristiks received a big honor in 2013. They were nominated for their first Grammy Award! This was in the Best Rap Album category. It was for their work on Lupe Fiasco’s album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt. 1. Lupe's album topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap Albums charts. It also reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
More Collaborations
The Futuristiks began working with Epic Records artist Casey Veggies. They produced the main song and six others on his 2013 album Life Changes. In 2013, they also created songs for artists like Master P and Juelz Santana.
Taking on Entire Projects
Like many top producers, The Futuristiks started taking charge of whole music projects. They were the Executive Producers for Nipsey Hussle’s 2013 release Crenshaw. They also produced most of the songs on Dom Kennedy’s 2013 album Get Home Safely. Their music style is known for its smooth beats and cool sounds.