# Key Wane

Dwane Marshall Weir II (born July 12, 1990) is an American hip hop/R&B producer and songwriter, professionally known as Key Wane. Wane has produced for artists such as Big Sean, Jazmine Sullivan, Beyoncé, Drake, Jhene Aiko, Wale, Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, Juicy J, Ariana Grande, Logic, Ty Dolla Sign and Meek Mill among others. He is best known for producing Drake's "All Me", Beyoncé's "Partition", Jazmine Sullivan's "Let It Burn" & "Insecure", Meek Mill's "Amen", Big Sean's "Guap", "Beware", "IDFWU" and an extensive amount of his albums including Hall of Fame, Dark Sky Paradise, and Twenty 88.

## Early life

At the age 11, Wane began playing the piano in the church every first Sunday, initially teaching himself melodies before his mom heard him and got involved in his learning. He told XXL, “She ordered me this Casio keyboard out of a JCPenney catalog. It got mailed to the house, and I just started making beats on it. Then I started taking piano lessons, and the stuff I learned from my piano lessons, I would combine that with beats, and it really was just something that I loved to do, man. I really didn’t go out a lot cause I was always coming up with stuff." In December 2012, Key Wane graduated from Tennessee State University with a degree in Musical Arts and Sciences.

## Musical career

In 2002, Wane started making beats in his mother's basement. Wane met rapper Big Sean in the 8th grade through his older brother who told Wane to play beats for Sean. Big Sean was friends with Wane's older brother and cousin at their high school, Cass Technical High School in Detroit. Around the same time Wane started taking record production seriously, and begun sending him beats periodically. During mid-2010 before his junior year of college, Wane first became known after producing "Memories" by Big Sean, from his third mixtape Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG. In 2011, Wane produced and co-wrote Tyga's "Drink the Night Away" featuring The Game and Mario, "Don't Wake Me Up" and "Hypnotized", all of which featured on his mixtape Black Thoughts Vol. 2. In November 2011, Warner/Chappell and Big Sean signed Wane to a co-publishing deal.
In early 2010, Wane produced "Amen" for Meek Mill after running into him while in New York. Meek Mill picked it up and released it as the lead single from his debut album Dreams and Nightmares. Many Christian hip hop artists and religious leaders commented negatively on the song. However the song peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. After his significant contributions over the years, XXL named Wane one of hip-hops most must-watch producers. Wane was also included in XXL's Freshman Producer Class of 2013.
In December 2012, Wane confirmed working with Drake, Jhene Aiko, Big Sean and Beyoncé on their upcoming albums. On August 1, 2013 Drake released a song titled "All Me" produced and co-written by Wane, featuring 2 Chainz and Big Sean, from his upcoming third studio album Nothing Was the Same. He had originally produced the instrumental for himself, but after the record had sat for a couple months, Wane sent the instrumental to Drake, who immediately picked up the beat. Along with No ID, Wane produced the majority of Big Sean's second studio album Hall of Fame (2013), including the highest-charting singles of the album, "Guap" and "Beware" featuring Jhene Aiko and Lil Wayne. He contributed production to six songs in total. Key Wane co-produced Big Sean's "IDFWU" as well. In December 2014, Wane was nominated for his first Grammy for his production contribution on the Grammy nominated "Beyonce" for Album of the Year. In December 2015, Wane was nominated the following year at the Grammy's for his production on Jazmine Sullivan's "Let It Burn" for Best R&B Song of the Year.

## Production style

Key Wane's production has been described as "soulful instrumental music". His production is based around a melodic piano driven sound and a kickdrum.

## Awards and nominations
### Grammy nominations

| Year | Nominee/Work | Award | Result |
| 2015 | "BEYONCÉ" | Album Of The Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | "Let It Burn" $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | Best R&B Song Of The Year | Nominated |

### BET Hip Hop Awards

| Year | Nominee/Work | Award | Result |
| 2015 | "IDFWU" | Best Club Banger | Won |
| 2015 | "IDFWU" | Best Track Of The Year | Nominated |

### Certifications

| Title | Year | Certifications | Album |
| "Amen" $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | 2012 | RIAA: Gold | Dreams and Nightmares |
| "Guap" $^{(Prod.KeyWaneCo-Prod.YoungChop)}$ | 2012 | RIAA: Platinum | Hall of Fame |
| "Beware" (Big Sean featuring Lil Wayne & Jhene Aiko) $^{(Prod.KeyWaneCo-Prod.MikeDean)}$ | 2013 | RIAA: Gold | Hall of Fame |
| "All Me" (Drake featuring Big Sean & 2 Chainz) $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | 2013 | RIAA: Platinum | Nothing Was the Same |
| "Partition" (Beyoncé) | 2014 | RIAA: Platinum | Beyoncé |
| "IDFWU" | 2014 | RIAA: 4× Platinum ARIA: Gold BPI: Silver | Dark Sky Paradise |
| "I Know" | 2015 | RIAA: Gold | Dark Sky Paradise |
| "Play No Games" $^{(Prod.KeyWane&JayJohnHenry)}$ | 2016 | RIAA: Gold | Dark Sky Paradise |
| "Jump Out The Window" $^{(Prod.KeyWane&Camper)}$ | 2017 | RIAA: Gold | I Decided |
| "Insecure" $^)$ $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | 2017 | | Insecure |

## Production discography
### Singles produced

| Year | Title | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Album |
| Year | Title | US | US R&B/HH | US Rap | UK R&B | Album |
| 2012 | "Amen" $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | 57 | 5 | 4 | — | Dreams and Nightmares |
| 2012 | "Guap" $^{(Prod.KeyWaneCo-Prod.YoungChop)}$ | 71 | 21 | 17 | — | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | "All Me" (Drake featuring Big Sean & 2 Chainz) $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | 20 | 6 | 4 | 33 | Nothing Was the Same |
| 2013 | "Beware" (Big Sean featuring Lil Wayne & Jhene Aiko) $^{(Prod.KeyWaneCo-Prod.MikeDean)}$ | 38 | 10 | 7 | _ | Hall of Fame |
| 2014 | "Partition" (Beyoncé) | 23 | 9 | — | 15 | Beyoncé |
| 2014 | "IDFWU" | 11 | 1 | — | 67 | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | "Let It Burn" $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | — | 22 | — | — | Reality Show |
| 2015 | "Play No Games" $^{(Prod.KeyWane&JayJohnHenry)}$ | 84 | 28 | — | — | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2016 | "On The Way" (Twenty88) (Prod. Key Wane) | — | — | — | — | Twenty88 |
| 2016 | "Déjà Vu" (Twenty88) (Prod. Key Wane & Cam O'bi) | — | 21 | — | — | Twenty88 |
| 2017 | "Jump Out The Window" $^{(Prod.KeyWane&Camper)}$ | 76 | | | | I Decided |
| 2017 | "Insecure" $^{(Prod.KeyWane)}$ | | 19 | | | HBO: Insecure Soundtrack |

### Key Wane's production

| Year | Artist | Song | Project |
| 2009 | Big Sean | "4 My People" | XXL's 10 Freshman For '10 Mixtape |
| 2010 | Big Sean | My Closet | Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG |
| 2010 | Big Sean | "Almost Wrote You a Love Song" (co. produced by No ID) | Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG |
| 2010 | Big Sean | Memories | Finally Famous Vol. 3: BIG |
| 2011 | Tyga | Don't Wake Me Up | Black Thoughts Vol. 2 |
| 2011 | Tyga | Hypnotized | Black Thoughts Vol. 2 |
| 2011 | Tyga | Drink The Night Away | Black Thoughts Vol. 2 |
| 2011 | Mickey Factz | "The Finer Things" | N/A |
| 2011 | Big Sean | Intro | Finally Famous |
| 2011 | Chevy Woods | Down | The Cookout |
| 2012 | Tyga | "Potty Mouth" (featuring Busta Rhymes; addition production by Jess Jackson) | Careless World: Rise of the Last King |
| 2012 | Rockie Fresh | "So Long" | Driving 88 |
| 2012 | King Chip | "Pocket Full" | Tell Ya Friends |
| 2012 | Meek Mill | "Amen" (featuring Drake; co-produced by Jahlil Beats) | Dreams and Nightmares |
| 2012 | Chevy Woods | "Ace N Mitch" | Gang Land |
| 2012 | Roscoe Dash | "MoWet" (featuring French Montana) | 2.0 |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "Higher" | Detroit |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "24 Karats of Gold" (featuring J. Cole) | Detroit |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "Woke Up" (co-produced by BP & Young Chop) | Detroit |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "I'm Gonna Be" (featuring Jhené Aiko) | Detroit |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "RWT" (co-produced by Southside) | Detroit |
| 2012 | Big Sean | "Guap" (co-produced by Young Chop; additional production by DJ Camper & Rob Kinelski) | Detroit |
| 2012 | Alley Boy | "I'm That" | War Cry |
| 2012 | Lil Wayne | "Awkward" (co-produced by Jahlil Beats) | The Appreciation Vol. 5: Holiday Edition |
| 2012 | Wale | "Money Changes" | Folarin |
| 2012 | Young Jeezy | "Knob Broke" (co-produced by Jahlil Beats) | It's Tha World |
| 2013 | Logic | "Life Is Good" | Young Sinatra: Welcome to Forever |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "Higher" | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "10 2 10" (add. production) | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "Beware" (featuring Jhené Aiko & Lil Wayne) (co-produced with Mike Dean) | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "It's Time" (featuring Young Jeezy & Payroll) | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "World Ablaze" (co. produced with No ID) | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Big Sean | "Guap" (co-produced by Young Chop; additional production by DJ Camper & Rob Kinelski) | Hall of Fame |
| 2013 | Drake | "All Me" (featuring 2 Chainz & Big Sean) (additional production by Noah "40" Shebib) | Nothing Was the Same |
| 2013 | Meek Mill | "Dope Dealer" (featuring Nicki Minaj & Rick Ross) | Dreamchasers 3 |
| 2013 | Beyoncé Knowles | "Yoncé" / "Partition" (co-produced by Timbaland, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, Justin Timberlake and Beyoncé Knowles) | Beyoncé |
| 2013 | Beyoncé Knowles | "Mine" $_{(co-produced&writtenbyNoah"40"Shebib,Drake,Beyoncé,MajidJordan,Sidney"Omen"BrownandKeyWane)}$ | Beyoncé |
| 2013 | Diggy Simmons | "Mama Said" (featuring B.o.B and Key Wane) | TBA |
| 2014 | Big Sean | "1st Quarter Freestyle" (co-produced by Travi$ Scott) | non-album singles |
| 2014 | Big Sean | "4th Quarter" | non-album singles |
| 2014 | Ariana Grande | "Best Mistake" (featuring Big Sean) | My Everything |
| 2014 | Jhené Aiko | "My Afternoon Dream" | Souled Out |
| 2014 | Jhené Aiko | "Eternal Sunshine" | Souled Out |
| 2014 | Jhené Aiko | "Mirrors" | Souled Out |
| 2015 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Dumb" (featuring Meek Mill) (co-produced with Salaam Remi) | Reality Show |
| 2015 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Mascara" | Reality Show |
| 2015 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Silver Lining" | Reality Show |
| 2015 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Let It Burn" | Reality Show |
| 2015 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Veins" | Reality Show |
| 2015 | Big Sean | "I Don't Fuck with You" (featuring E-40) (add. production) | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | Big Sean | "Play No Games" (featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla $ign) (co-produced with Jay Henry) | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | Big Sean | "I Know" (featuring Jhené Aiko) (co-produced with DJ Mustard) | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | Big Sean | "Deep" (featuring Lil Wayne) (co-produced with DJ Mustard) | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | Big Sean | "Platinum & Wood" | Dark Sky Paradise |
| 2015 | Jordin Sparks | "Work From Home" (featuring B.o.B) | Right Here, Right Now |
| 2015 | Jordin Sparks | "100 Years" | Right Here, Right Now |
| 2015 | Ne-Yo | "Run" | Non-Fiction |
| 2016 | Twenty88 | "Déjà Vu" | Twenty88 |
| 2016 | Twenty88 | "On The Way" | Twenty88 |
| 2016 | Twenty88 | "London Bridge" | Twenty88 |
| 2016 | French Montana | "Holy Moly" | Wave Gods |
| 2016 | Dreezy | "Bad Bitch" | No Hard Feelings |
| 2016 | DJ Khaled | "Tourist" (featuring Travis Scott & Lil Wayne) | Major Key |
| 2017 | Jhené Aiko | "Sing To Me" (featuring Namiko Love) | Trip |
| 2017 | Gucci Mane | "Changed" (featuring Big Sean) | Mr. Davis |
| 2017 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Insecure" (featuring Bryson Tiller) | HBO: Insecure Soundtrack |
| 2017 | Big Sean | "Jump Out The Window" | I Decided |
| 2018 | Royce Da 5'9 | "Woke" | Book Of Ryan |
| 2018 | Royce Da 5'9 | "1st Of The Month" (featuring T-Pain & Chavis Chandler) | Book Of Ryan |
| 2020 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Bodies (Intro)" | Heaux Tales |
| 2020 | Jazmine Sullivan | "Put It Down" | Heaux Tales |