CEE Brown's "Growing Apart" Trilogy Brings Fading Relationships Together

Xhibit One Productions

Local hip-hop artist CEE Brown gets personal in his latest series of releases, which came out in three distinct parts highlighting different emotional and personal perspectives. These videos were conceived and produced in a collaborative effort with Crew Life.

In January of 2023, local hip-hop artist CEE Brown released "Growing Apart Pt. 1" on YouTube. Amidst his other work, he subsequently debuted Part 2 in October of 2023, with Part 3 coming out in March of 2024. A thematic series about fading friendships, the three pieces illustrate an all-too-familiar feeling we experience as we grow older. We sat down and talked to him about it.

Nick Warren (NW): With the "Growing Apart" trilogy, was that always the plan from the start to write, record, and release them that way?

CEE Brown (CB): When I wrote Part 1, I had so much on my heart. But I had no clue that I was going to do a trilogy and what feelings were going to be exuded. I just knew that I had more to say, which is why the first one is titled "Pt.1." I honestly thought that I would be done after Part 2. But as far as the one long-verse format, that was intentional whether I was going to do one song or three.

NW: You can hear definitive tonal shifts in each section. Did you feel your perspective change when writing each part?

CB: My perspective had deepened with each song. As time passes, I become more appreciative of close relationships. But the more that appreciation isn't reciprocated, the more it hits a sore spot.

NW: The first line is talking directly about death. How do you compare literal death with the death of a friendship?

CB: Sometimes I can't compare. A friendship that ends can hurt worse than a person actually dying. If a person you love is still alive but doesn't reach out to you, it stings because they're not taking the chance to continue that bond while they still can. With death, a person can leave this world with you both knowing that you tried and cared for one another. That alone can help heal.

NW: How was working with Crew Life? How many videos have you done with them altogether?

CB: Working with Crew Life has always been a blast! Lately, I've only been working with Dommy Doo of Crew Life because his partner Devon Herbele shoots visuals out of town.

Both Dommy and Devon trust me creatively and vice versa. I don't feel held back or pressured working with them. Collectively, we have done over 20 videos.

NW: Which parts of the visuals were your idea vs theirs?

CB: For the "Growing Apart" series, Dommy shot and edited each video. Part 1 was my idea thematically. Part 2 mostly stems from Dommy with the location, angles, and effects. I only added one idea. Part 3 is a collaborative effort.

NW: As we get older, "growing apart" seems to happen more and more. In Part 3 you seem to have some advice for maintaining those relationships, can you detail that?

CB: Part 3 is definitely the most philosophical one. If you can't take five seconds out of your day to see how someone is doing, then that says enough about your character. Why wait on getting together or making a call? Why wait on texting someone back? Is it that strenuous? Stay in touch. Make plans. Have a tradition amongst each other. Check up on your people because they might be fighting a war that you know nothing about. Remember why and how you became close. Remember who you already lost and how they can't come back. But, people make time for who they want to make time for. No one is that busy. No one.

NW: Do you hope that people you have grown apart from see these videos? If so, what do you want them to take away from that?

CB: I absolutely want them to, even if I lose them more than I already have! I'm sowing a seed. I want people to take away from my videos that we should do better before our time is up. And that can be anytime! With "Growing Apart," I'm taking everyone to trial for the betterment of our relationship.

NW: What is one time when you feel you let someone down as a friend?

CB: There was a time when I had let a lot of people down simultaneously. I had sent a mass text to folks explaining that I wanted to take myself out. It was so selfish but I couldn't see that. Thank God that I'm still here, and I am immensely sorry to everyone that had to go through that.

Go to youtube.com/@CEEBrown to view these videos and more. Look for CEE Brown's contributions in the Erie Reader championing Erie's hip-hop music/culture and mental health.