If you type Two-9 into Google the first thing to illuminate your screen is a calculator offering the helpful answer of “-7.” Should you bother to investigate the second result, however, you’ll find a site home to Ludacris’ opening act for the A&O Ball on April 27 at the Riviera Theatre. We all know Ludacris: superstar rapper, actor, philanthropist and restaurateur, but exactly who is Two-9 and why the hell should we go see them? Here’s the breakdown:
Who they are
Hailing from Ludacris’ old stomping grounds, Two-9 is an Atlanta-based hip-hop collective group consisting of Curtis Williams, Key!, DJ Osh Kosh, Gunner Stal, OrginalFani, Jace and Ceej of Retro Su$h! and FatKidsBrotha members Johnny and Dave. Though the group only released their first collaboration album, “Two-9FOREVER,” in July 2012, they have been performing together since 2009, according to their Facebook page
“Two-9 represents motherfucking young ni**as staying positive, gettin’ money, being successful and just loyalty. There’s a bunch of real ni**as out here and all the real ni**as reppin’ Two-9,” says Curtis Williams in the Two-9 “Where the Money At?” official music video.
Though the group is fairly new itself, its members are well-versed in the ways of hip-hop, earning them large recognition from magazines like XXL, who described them as one of “hip-hop’s most buzzed-about and fastest-rising crews.” This success is partly due to their early alignment with 2012’s breakout producer Mike Will Made It, who they collaborated with for his “Est in 1989 (Part 2)” mixtape.
What to expect
Smooth rhymes, simple, trap-inspired beats and plenty of bass. True to Southern hip-hop style, the crew favors sound and slang over lyrical content, rapping about cars, money, women and growing up on the streets of Atlanta. Though Two-9 has primarily performed at a string of local Georgian venues, they were featured at the Austin music festival South by Southwest last month. With such a large group, a packed stage is inevitable, but the Two-9 members do a good job of engaging the crowd, and this dude at 2:26 sure did seem to have a great time pretending to know the lyrics.
Notable tracks
“Where the Money At?”
Arguably the song that put them on the map, “Where the Money At” is featured on Mike Will’s “Est in 1989 (pt. 2.5)” mixtape among tracks from notable artists like Rihanna, Jim Jones, Gucci Mane and B.o.B. The song heavily criticizes the 9-5 grind, with the Two-9 crew rapping, “My momma always told me get a 9-5, I said fuck that, where the money at?” Between renditions of the shout-along chorus, Williams raps about Two-9’s road to success, from smoking in his car and running from the law to getting with models and throwing money “with his free hand.” If there’s one song to learn before Saturday’s concert, “Where the Money At?” is undoubtedly it.
“Scottie 2 Hottie”
On the first single from their mixtape, Two-9 cofounders Key! and Curtis Williams rap about weed, ecstasy and women over steady bass and fast-paced snare. During SXSW the crew shot an impromptu music video for the track, gathering friends in the backyard of their temporary Austin home for a mid-morning rager. The video showcases the group’s candid appeal, allowing the viewer an inside look at the lives of these up-and-coming rappers.
“DooRag”
This head-bobbing single offers a new set of voices, highlighting FatKidsBrotha members Johnny and Dave in their pursuit of the ever-elusive dollar. Produced by Los Angeles local Snubnose Frankenstein, “DooRag” samples more of a West Coast flavor, drawing influences from early ‘90s G-Funk artists like Dr. Dre. The music video complements Two-9’s uninhibited yet slightly reckless style, featuring the brothers getting tatted up, guzzling 40 ounces and rolling around Atlanta’s streets.
Similar Artists
2 Chainz, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, N.W.A.