We’re looking forward to introducing you to Cuzo Key. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Cuzo , thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Hanging with the guys over the weekend watching the games. Great laughs as always. Sometimes the most simple moments means the most.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Well, I’m Kenion, like Keenan Ivory Wayans. I go by plenty of names, Key, Keyman, Cuddy, Cuzo, a bunch more for real. Born and raised in Charlotte, NC since 1992. I grew up close to downtown, in a neighborhood called Norf Charlotte. Stayed there until I was about 10, then my folks moved us to Davidson, about 20 minutes north on I-77.
I stayed in Davidson until I graduated in 2010, then moved back to the Norf, balancing family, work, and finding my lane. Music came early, around 18, just recording for fun with my friends. I started off using my name Kenion Milton, then switched to COUSINKEYTHAKIDD. Caught a little buzz around the city, and people started calling me Cousin Key, so I ran with it.
That same kind of energy came back around again later, and that’s when I became Cuzo Key, The Himalaya Playa, the Game Giver who loves to cook, drive Chevys, and live life with elevation.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Most times, bonds don’t break from one big thing — it’s small things left unspoken. Ego, pride, distance, or just growing in different directions. Sometimes the bond doesn’t end out of hate, it just stops matching your energy.
What restores it is truth, accountability, and presence. Two people have to want to understand again — not just talk again. Forgiveness helps, but real healing only happens when both have grown and can meet again on higher ground.
So yeah, bonds break when energy falls out of rhythm, but they’re restored when both souls return to truth.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me patience, presence, and perspective — three things success never gave me.
When you’re going through pain, you start to see what’s real and what’s just noise. It strips away ego. You stop caring about attention and start valuing peace.
Success gives you applause. Suffering gives you awareness.
I learned how to stay still in chaos — how to move with calm when everything’s heavy. That’s where Himalaya Playa came from: realizing peace isn’t at the top of the mountain, it’s inside you while you’re climbing it.
Pain taught me how to detach without becoming cold. It showed me that control isn’t about controlling life — it’s about controlling my reaction to it.
No win or check could’ve taught me that. So now when success comes, I appreciate it — but I don’t depend on it. Because the same way pain passes, praise passes too. My balance stays in the middle — calm, clear, and climbing.
Suffering taught me how to rise slow, not loud.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to building a life that reflects my vision and values. I’m patient with the process but focused on the goal.
For me, it’s about growth — creating and shaping my path on my own terms. Whether that’s through music, the people I keep around, or the choices I make daily — everything I do connects back to that mission.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I’m committed to building a life that reflects my vision and values. I’m patient with the process but focused on the goal.
For me, it’s about growth — creating and shaping my path on my own terms. Whether that’s through music, the people I keep around, or the choices I make daily — everything I do connects back to that mission.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/_cuzokey
- Instagram: @_cuzokey
- Twitter: @_cuzokey
- Youtube: Cuzo Key
- Soundcloud: Cuzo Key
Image Credits
Mrlo
Marc Prosper
B Lindsay
