NELSON “KEYZ” BRIDGES
The Roots
Fiercely rooted in the magic of black and white keys, Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter
Nelson “Keyz” Bridges, professionally known as Bridgez, realized his passion for music at an early
age. Born in the small town of Waco, North Carolina, Bridgez grew up in a single-wide trailer on a
dirt road with a cotton field on the other side. At age 8, his parents enrolled him in classical piano
lessons. As his interest in music grew, his grandfather, who was pastor of Mt. Zion Church of God in
Gastonia, NC, taught him to play by ear. As word of his talent began to spread, Bridgez earned work
playing the keyboard for local artists, including Harold Williamson and The Wondering Souls (a
gospel quartet group based in Shelby, NC) and Ed Will the Gospel Poet. After graduating from Burns
High School in Lawndale, NC, Bridgez went on to attend Gardner-Webb University on a full
academic scholarship.
The Road
During his sophomore year at Gardner-Webb, Bridgez met Bradrick “Rick Gee” Gregory. The two
dubbed themselves The Globetrakkers and started their own production company, Globetrakkers
Music Group, in their dorm room. The newly formed duo signed their first artist, Marquiet Pettis, in
2005. Marquiet released two albums in 2006 and 2007. Bridgez continued to hone his craft of
producing and developing artists, becoming a beacon to creatives in the Carolinas.
In 2008, Bridgez saw his first record hit radio with “Kiss Me” by his new R&B group Metal
Roze. That success caught the attention of Mark Pitts, the president of RCA Records and Notorious
B.I.G.’s former manager. Pitts managed Metal Roze for 4 years and brought The Globetrakkers in to
produce for his girl group, RichGirl.
Bridgez took his industry know-how back to Shelby, NC, where he developed the talents of
artists Joey Bandz and Major Maestro, who both went on to sign major deals under his tutelage.
Bridgez also traveled to Los Angeles and Atlanta often to produce for Clinton Sparks, Jack & Jack,
Rocko, and other mainstream artists. Realizing that most of his relationships in the music industry
were outside of the Carolinas, Bridgez refocused and moved to Atlanta, GA, with longtime friend
Brandon Terry. There he joined forces with Vurdell “VScript” Muller and created the production
company SupaFriendz Music.
Through hard work, networking, and taking advantage of every opportunity presented, The
SupaFriendz produced and wrote records for A-list talents Chris Brown, MoneyBagg Yo, Yung Bleu,
and others. At a time when many were fearful, The SupaFriendz were bold. While many sheltered in
place during the pandemic in 2020, Bridgez continued to network and make his presence known in
the industry. On one business trip to L.A., The SupaFriendz met Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, who
became a valuable mentor. Together, they have collaborated on numerous projects for artists
including H.E.R., DaniLeigh, and Ty Dolla $ign.
The Rise
In 2022, Bridgez was nominated for four (4) Grammy Awards for his notable work with H.E.R. and
Eric Bellinger: Progressive R&B Album of the Year for Eric Bellinger (New Light), and both
R&B Album of the Year and Album of the Year for H.E.R. (Back of My Mind).
In 2023, Bridgez was nominated for R&B Album of the Year again. This time for Chris Brown – Breezy
With a standard of excellence and his passion for making timeless music, Bridgez continues
to pour his heart and soul into production and artist development. He has cemented himself in the
music industry as a go-to expert for many artists and labels. Bridgez aspires to develop more artists,
launch his own record label, and change the landscape of the music industry as we know it.