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Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular during his teen years in the early 2010s among high school students from Chicago's South Side. In 2012, his popular local single " I Don't Like" was remixed by American rapper
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and reached the ''Billboard'' Rap Top 20, further raising Cozart's profile. A bidding war between major labels resulted in Keef signing with Interscope. His debut album ''
Finally Rich ''Finally Rich'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. It was released on December 18, 2012, by Glory Boyz Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Reese, Rick Ro ...
'' was released in December 2012, and featured the singles " I Don't Like" and "
Love Sosa "Love Sosa" is the second single by rapper Chief Keef from his debut studio album ''Finally Rich'' (2012). It was released on October 18, 2012. The song was produced by Young Chop, and written by both him and Chief Keef. The accompanying musi ...
", which would popularize the Chicago rap subgenre drill. Chief Keef has faced ongoing legal issues during his career, including weapons possession charges, house arrest sentences, and a performance ban imposed by Chicago authorities. Though he was dropped from Interscope in late 2014 and later signed to
1017 Records The New 1017 Records, also known as 1017 Global Music, LLC and formerly 1017 Brick Squad, So Icey Entertainment, & 1017 Eskimo, is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane after his departure from Mizay Entertainment and the closing of So ...
, he continued self-releasing projects through his own Glo Gang label. These included: ''
Nobody Nobody may refer to: * Nobody, an indefinite pronoun Nobody may also refer to: Fictional characters * Nobody (''Kingdom Hearts''), a race of beings in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' video game series *Nobody, a character in the Jim Jarmusch films '' D ...
'' (2014), ''
Back from the Dead 2 ''Back from the Dead 2'' is a mixtape by Chief Keef Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular durin ...
'' (2014), ''
Bang 3 ''Bang 3'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. The LP is a double album itself, serving as the third installment of Chief Keef's ''Bang'' trilogy. It was leaked online on August 1, 2015. Soon after the album was released off ...
'' (2015), and ''
Thot Breaker The discography of American rapper Chief Keef consists of four studio albums, four extended plays, thirty-eight mixtapes, and twenty-eight singles (including seventeen as a featured artist). Chief Keef released his first studio album '' Finally ...
'' (2017). As of the late 2010s, critics have pointed to Chief Keef as the progenitor of the drill subgenre, noting the impact of his music on other artists.


Life and career


Early life (1995–2010)

Chief Keef was born Keith Farrelle Cozart in
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, on August 15, 1995, to Lolita Carter who was 15 and unwed. He is named after his deceased uncle, Keith Carter, who was known as "Big Keef". He lived at the
Parkway Garden Homes Parkway Gardens Apartment Homes is a privately-owned low-income apartment complex located on the border of Woodlawn and Washington Park. Chicago’s Woodlawn and Washington Park community areas are located on the South Side of Chicago, Illino ...
located in the Washington Park neighborhood on the city's South Side, a stronghold for the
Black Disciples The Black Disciples (often abbreviated as BDN, BDN III, BD's) is a large street gang based in Chicago, Illinois, which received significant news coverage after the murder of one of their own members, an 11-year-old named Robert Sandifer. H ...
street gang of which Chief Keef is a member. Chief Keef has been estranged from his biological father, Alfonso Cozart, since he was a minor. His legal guardian was his grandmother with whom he lived in Chicago. He began rapping as a five-year-old using his mother's
karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music i ...
machine and tapes to record his music. During his childhood, Chief Keef attended Dulles Elementary School and the Banner School, a therapeutic day school. He dropped out of
Dyett High School Walter Henri Dyett High School For The Arts (formerly known as Dyett Academic Center and commonly known as Dyett High School) is a public four–year arts high school located in the Washington Park neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Ill ...
at age 15.


Early years, ''Finally Rich'', and subsequent mixtapes (2011–2013)

In 2011, Chief Keef first attracted local attention from Chicago's South Side community with his mixtapes, ''The Glory Road'' and ''Bang''. In December, he was arrested for firing a gun from his car in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood; he was placed under house arrest at his grandmother's residence for 30 days, followed by another 30 days of home confinement. While under house arrest, he posted several videos to his
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
account, forerunners to Chicago's hip hop subgenre, drill. Keef's song "I Don't Like" became a hit in Chicago. A local party promoter called it "the perfect Chicago song because 'niggas just hate everything out here'". It caught
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's attention, and he remixed the song with rappers
Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 201 ...
,
Jadakiss Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York. He began his career in the 1990s as a member of the rap trio The Lox, managed by Ruff Ryders and signed with B ...
and
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
. As a result, Keef "suddenly shot up out of obscurity". In the summer of 2012, Chief Keef was the subject of a bidding war among record labels wishing to sign him, including Young Jeezy's
CTE World CTE World (or Corporate Thugz Entertainment also relaunched on October 14, 2022 as CTE New World) is an American record label founded by American rapper Jeezy & his former manager Demetrius “Kinky B” Ellerbee. In December 2012, Young Jeezy s ...
. While 2012 proved to be a relatively quiet year in terms of his musical output, Chief Keef began the year by signing with Interscope Records. In a separate deal, he was promised his own label imprint, Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE). The deal was worth $6,000,000 over a three album layout, with an additional $440,000 advance to establish GBE. The deal gave Interscope the right to pull out of the contract if Chief Keef's debut album ''
Finally Rich ''Finally Rich'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. It was released on December 18, 2012, by Glory Boyz Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Reese, Rick Ro ...
'', released on December 18, 2012, had failed to sell 250,000 copies by December 2013. Featured guests on the album include rappers: 50 Cent,
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 20 ...
,
Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
, Rick Ross and his fellow Glory Boyz member
Lil Reese Tavares Lamont Taylor (born January 6, 1993), known professionally as Lil Reese, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Hailing from Chicago's drill scene in the early 2010s, he is known for his collaborations with fellow rappers Chie ...
. In May 2013 he signed with
1017 Brick Squad Records The New 1017 Records, also known as 1017 Global Music, LLC and formerly 1017 Brick Squad, So Icey Entertainment, & 1017 Eskimo, is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane after his departure from Mizay Entertainment and the closing of So ...
. Chief Keef is featured on " Hold My Liquor", the fifth track on Kanye West's album, ''
Yeezus ''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, ...
'', released on June 18, 2013. Keef's contributions to the track were praised by musician Lou Reed who said, "'Hold My Liquor' is just heartbreaking, and particularly coming from where it's coming from – listen to that incredibly poignant hook from a tough guy like Chief Keef, wow." On his 18th birthday, August 15, 2013, Chief Keef celebrated by releasing the mixtape '' Bang, Pt. 2''. It was highly anticipated as the first project following his debut album, but received a mixed to negative critical response. On October 12, 2013, another mixtape, ''Almighty Sosa'', was released. Like ''Bang, Pt. 2'', ''Almighty So'' also received mixed to negative critical reviews. After serving his October 2013 jail term (see § Legal issues), he began working on his second studio album and a biopic.


''Nobody'' and ''Bang 3'' (2014–2016)

Chief Keef began experimenting with producing his music in 2014. Meaghan Garvey of ''
The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...
'' noted this was fitting as the rapper has "always been more concerned with vibe than meaning, and production is his most efficient tool to create a mood without getting bogged down by pesky syntax." In January, Chief Keef announced he was working on a new mixtape entitled ''
Bang 3 ''Bang 3'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. The LP is a double album itself, serving as the third installment of Chief Keef's ''Bang'' trilogy. It was leaked online on August 1, 2015. Soon after the album was released off ...
''. In February, he unveiled the cover art to his upcoming mixtape ''Back From The Dead 2'' the sequel to his critically acclaimed mixtape, '' Back From The Dead''. During February, Chief Keef said his former
lean Lean, leaning or LEAN may refer to: Business practices * Lean thinking, a business methodology adopted in various fields ** Lean construction, an adaption of lean manufacturing principles to the design and construction process ** Lean governm ...
addiction and bad mixing contributed to the lack of quality music on his two mixtape projects ''Bang Pt. 2'' and ''Almighty So'' and that he was disappointed in both projects. Later in February 2014, he announced an EP before his second studio album ''Bang 3'', entitled ''Bang 4'', as a preview. The following day, Fredo Santana announced he and Chief Keef were going to release an album collaboration. In March, Keef released the first official single from ''Bang 3'' entitled "Fuck Rehab" featuring his fellow Glo Gang artist and cousin Mario "Blood Money" Hess. This marked Hess's final recording before his death on April 9, 2014. On March 14 Chief Keef released the official music video for "Fuck Rehab". Although Interscope executive Larry Jackson announced that ''Bang 3'' would be released on June 10, it was delayed again. In October 2014, Chief Keef was dropped by Interscope Records. He confirmed via Twitter that every project he had planned, including the release of the long-awaited ''Bang 3'', would still be released. Young Chop criticized Interscope's decision to drop Chief Keef. Despite being set for a December 2014 release, ''Bang 3'' did not materialize. Chief Keef's mixtapes, ''Mansion Musick'' set for a November 28 release, and ''Thot Breakers'' set to release on February 14, 2015, were not released as announced. However, he was successful in releasing '' Big Gucci Sosa'', a 12-track collaborative mixtape, with
Gucci Mane Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
, as well as ''
Back From the Dead 2 ''Back from the Dead 2'' is a mixtape by Chief Keef Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular durin ...
'', which was made available for digital download from iTunes. Chief Keef self-produced 16 of the 20 songs on the mixtape. David Drake of ''
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
'' said, "For his first steps into the rapper-producer territory, he shows promise—though it's tough to imagine most of these beats working outside the context of a Chief Keef album, as they are primed to frame his vocals." ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranked the mixtape 25th on its list of the 40 best rap albums of 2014 commenting, "The bleak world from which he came still shapes his sound; it's a bleak and lonely record, with few guests and a darkly psychedelic shape formed by drugs and likely PTSD. Yet he finds a gleeful humanity inside the world's rotten core, with bluntly potent, economical rapping that gets strong mileage per word." In November, he announced ''
Nobody Nobody may refer to: * Nobody, an indefinite pronoun Nobody may also refer to: Fictional characters * Nobody (''Kingdom Hearts''), a race of beings in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' video game series *Nobody, a character in the Jim Jarmusch films '' D ...
'', a "Glo Producer album" that featured guest vocals by
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and Tadoe. It was set to be released on December 2, but appeared on December 16. The album's title track was noted for being one of Keef's more emotionally driven tracks. Chris Coplan of ''
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' wrote "the track itself feels like the apex of a night spent binge-drinking." The album was awarded a 7.0/10 score by ''Pitchfork Media''s Meaghan Garvey. On February 18, 2015, Chief Keef released '' Sorry 4 the Weight'', a 20-track mixtape. Elliott Pearson of ''The Alibi'' commented: "''Sorry 4 the Weight'' is another consistent chapter in the rapper's singular Midwestern gothic repertoire, and if 'What Up' is any indication, he's made serious progress as a beat-maker too." The mixtape was largely a solo effort, featuring only
Andy Milonakis Andrew Michael Milonakis (; born January 30, 1976) is an American actor, comedian, rapper, and streamer. He is best known for his work on '' The Andy Milonakis Show'', a sketch comedy series that aired on MTV and MTV2 from 2005 to 2007. Othe ...
and Glo Gang labelmate, Benji Glo. In 2015, his track "Faneto" was slowly building momentum since its October 2014 release. On April 24, 2015, Chief Keef announced his next album, titled ''The Cozart'', saying it would be released soon. He signed with FilmOn Music, a division of media tycoon Alki David, in May 2015. On July 11, 2015, Marvin Carr, better known by his stage name Capo, a longtime member of Chief Keef's Glo Gang label, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago. After killing Capo, the driver of the vehicle reportedly struck a stroller holding 13-month-old Dillan Harris killing him instantly. Chief Keef announced on Twitter he would be holding a free benefit concert as a tribute to Capo and encouraged concertgoers to donate to the Harris family. He also announced the formation of the Stop the Violence Now Foundation, in an attempt to decrease crime in Chicago. Because of outstanding warrants in Illinois, Keef was scheduled to attend the concert via hologram from a sound stage in
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
. The concert, organized by HologramUSA and FilmOn Music, was planned to be held in Chicago's
Redmoon Theater Redmoon Theater was a Chicago based not-for-profit theatrical company under the direction of Jim Lasko and Frank Maugeri that specialized in site-specific productions emphasizing visual spectacle. Productions were often out of doors, sometimes ti ...
. It faced a series of delays after Chicago mayor
Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel (; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current United States Ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served two terms as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 ...
's office claimed Chief Keef was "an unacceptable role model" and that his music promoted violence. Chief Keef's representatives then worked out an arrangement with promoters of Craze Fest in Hammond, Indiana, to hold the concert there. Chief Keef's hologram made a plea for peace in Chicago saying, "Stop the violence, stop nonsense, stop the killing. Let the kids grow up", before performing "I Don't Like". Fearing the concert was a threat to public safety, Hammond mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. had the city's police department shut down the generators powering Chief Keef's hologram. McDermott was quoted as saying, "I know nothing about Chief Keef. All I'd heard was he has a lot of songs about gangs and shooting people — a history that's anti-cop, pro-gang and pro-drug use. He's been basically outlawed in Chicago, and we're not going to let imcircumvent Mayor Emanuel by going next door." ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' columnist Eric Zorn criticized Emmanuel and Hammond for their decisions, claiming they infringed upon Chief Keef's
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
rights.


''Dedication'', ''Glotoven'' and ''Almighty So 2'' (2016–present)

In March 2016, Chief Keef tweeted that he was retiring from rapping. The announcement came as his recorded output was slowing down. However, later in the year he was featured on
MGK Colson Baker (born April 22, 1990), known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly (MGK), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is noted for his genre duality across alternative rock with Hip hop music, hip hop. Machine Gun Ke ...
's song, "Young Man". He also released a 17-track mixtape ''Two Zero One Seven'' in January 2017. Chief Keef joined a long line of rappers, including Jay Z, Lupe Fiasco,
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated Flow (rapping), flow in her rapping, alter e ...
and others, who claimed to have retired only to return to making music. Chief Keef released four mixtapes in the lead up to releasing his third album, ''Dedication'', on December 1, 2017. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' called ''Dedication'' his "most satisfying album to date". In 2018, Chief Keef was able to drop more mixtapes, such as ''Mansion Musick'' and ''Back from the Dead 3'' and more mixtapes in ''The Leek'' series. He also did more features for musicians such as
Playboi Carti Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope ...
, Soulja Boy, and
G Herbo Herbert Randall Wright III (born October 8, 1995), better known by his stage name G Herbo (formerly Lil Herb), is an American rapper from Chicago. G Herbo is signed to Machine Entertainment Group. He has released the mixtapes '' Welcome to Faz ...
. In early 2019, Chief Keef and
Zaytoven Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), professionally known as Zaytoven, is an American trap music record producer, disc jockey, and keyboardist from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Ma ...
worked together in the studio. Chief Keef later confirmed they were making a collaborative mixtape called ''Glotoven''. It was released on March 15, 2019, and was supported by the single "Spy Kid". On April 20, 2019, Chief Keef revealed he had another mixtape planned, dubbed ''Almighty So 2''. He then released a song with
Youngboy Never Broke Again Kentrell DeSean Gaulden (born October 20, 1999), known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), is an American rapper. Between 2015 and 2017, he released eight independent mixtapes and steadi ...
called "Fireman". The mixtape is also scheduled to have features from
Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
, Soulja Boy and Lil Reese, among others. Chief Keef also released another single titled "Boost". In March 2020, Chief Keef earned his first major production credit on
Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
's second studio album, ''
Eternal Atake ''Eternal Atake'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It is their first project since their 2017 studio album '' Luv Is Rage 2''. After being initially announced in 2018, the album was released on March 6, 2020, through G ...
'', with the song "Chrome Heart Tags". Chief Keef was later featured on Uzi's album '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2'' with a vocal performance on the song " Bean (Kobe)", which became his highest-charting song on the Hot 100 at number 19.


Other ventures


Glo Gang

As part of his contract with Interscope Records, Chief Keef's label imprint, Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE), was established. He and his manager, Rovan Manuel, each owned 40% of GBE's shares. Chief Keef's cousin and fellow rapper,
Fredo Santana Derrick Coleman (July 4, 1990 – January 19, 2018), known professionally as Fredo Santana, was an American rapper. The older cousin of Chicago rapper Chief Keef, Santana began recording music in 2011, releasing a series of mixtapes throughou ...
, his uncle Alonzo Carter, and Anthony H. Dade, owned the remaining 20% of GBE. Various associates would be signed with the label, such as rappers Lil Reese, Fredo Santana and producer Young Chop. The label had been active since 2011 but had only released mixtapes and was not a fully functioning record company. After releasing Chief Keef's ''Finally Rich'' in December 2012, the label was set to release an album by Lil Reese in the following months, along with various mixtapes. However, on January 3, 2014, Chief Keef said that Glory Boyz Entertainment was "no more", and he was starting a new record label named Glo Gang. Prior to his death, Blood Money revealed in an interview the members of Glo Gang were Chief Keef, Tray Savage, Ballout, Capo, Tadoe, JusGlo, and himself.


Current artists

* Chief Keef * Tadoe * Ballout * Lil Flash * Benji Flo * Terintino * JusGlo


Former artists

* Lil Reese *
Lucki Lucki Camel Jr. (born May 30, 1996) known mononymously as Lucki (stylized in all caps) is an American rapper and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. He came to public attention in 2013, after receiving recognition for his debut project, '' A ...
* Tray Savage * Fredo Santana * Gino Marley * Capo * Blood Money * SD * Snap Dogg


43B

Announced on June 6, 2022, through a partnership with
RBC Records RBC Records is an American online independent record label and management company founded by partners Brian Shafton and Bob Grossi. It provides artists and independent labels with a full-service "virtual label" alternative to signing with a maj ...
and BMG Rights Management, Chief Keef announced the founding of 43B, otherwise known as Forget Everybody, and its first signee, Lil Gnar.


Personal life

At the age of 16, Chief Keef had his first child, a daughter, born Kayden Kash Cozart—nicknamed Kay Kay. He was served with a request for child support by the child's mother. In November 2013, DNA documents revealed that he had fathered a 10-month-old daughter, and was subsequently ordered to begin paying child support. In September 2014, Chief Keef announced the birth of his third child, and his first son, whom he named Krüe Karter Cozart. In May 2015, he was sued by another woman who claimed he is the father of her child. Since he had failed to respond to the legal documents with which he was served, he was ordered to appear in court. After failing to do so, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Despite these issues, '' LA Weekly'' reported that at least on Instagram Chief Keef "appears to take fatherhood seriously." In August 2015, he caused a controversy after naming his newborn son Sno "FilmOn Dot Com", inspired by his record label, FilmOn Music, to promote his album ''Bang 3''. Following a dispute over the child's paternity, FilmOn Music retracted the name until the matter is settled. Two of his cousins, Fredo Santana and Tadoe, were signed to his Glory Boyz Entertainment label. His step-brother was shot dead on January 2, 2013. Another of his cousins, Mario Hess, also known as Big Glo, who performed under the stage name Blood Money, was shot and killed in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood on April 9, 2014. Hess had been signed to Interscope Records just two weeks prior to his killing. In an interview with '' Billboard'', Chief Keef explained how Big Glo's death influenced his life saying, "When that happened that was the biggest lesson. It told me 'You gotta grow up.'" After being evicted from his Highland Park home, he relocated to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. In an interview with Noisey's Rebecca Haithcoat, Chief Keef told her his favorite part about Los Angeles is, "the quiet". After moving to Los Angeles, he began indulging in his new-found hobby of art collecting, once he discovered the paintings of art teacher Bill da Butcher while in rehab. Once acquainted, da Butcher began working on paintings personally meant for Chief Keef. He believed that his move to Los Angeles benefited him; in an interview with ''Billboard'', he said: "I got away from all the unnecessary trouble. It's better out here n L.A.than in Chicago, because I got in so much trouble. I like living out here. I think it improved me. It changed me, and nspiredme to go somewhere bigger."


Legal issues

On January 27, 2011, Chief Keef was apprehended on charges of heroin manufacture and distribution. As a juvenile offender, he was determined to be a "delinquent", rather than guilty of his charges, and served time under house arrest. In December 2011, he left his grandmother's home holding a coat over his hands in front of his waistband. A policeman stopped to question the rapper. He dropped the coat, flashed a handgun and ran away. Officers chased the then-16-year-old Chief Keef, who turned around several times and pointed the gun at them. The policemen "discharged their weapons" but missed. They caught him and recovered the loaded pistol. Chief Keef was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on a police officer and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. He was also given a misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest. He was held in the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center until a judge sentenced him to home confinement at his grandmother's house. On September 5, 2012,
Chicago Police The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...
stated Chief Keef was being investigated for a possible connection to the shooting death of fellow rapper and Englewood resident, Joseph Coleman, who performed under the stage name "Lil JoJo". This began after Chief Keef had mocked his death on Twitter, which he later claimed was the result of his account being hacked. Coleman's mother has openly maintained Chief Keef paid to have her son killed.
Cook County Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
prosecutors asked a judge to remand him to
juvenile detention In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile det ...
for alleged parole violations on October 17, 2012. This was in response to a video interview he held at a shooting range which included footage of him discharging a firearm. A hearing was set for November 20, 2012, which was subsequently delayed and moved up to January 15, 2013. The court ordered ''Pitchfork Media'', which had posted the now removed video, to provide the interview's footage. On December 31, 2012, Chief Keef was issued a judicial summons for a new and unrelated alleged parole violation. Prosecutors claimed he failed to notify his juvenile
parole officer A probation and parole officer is an official appointed or sworn to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation or those released from incarceration to community supervision such as parole. Most probati ...
of a change of address. A hearing was set for January 2, 2013. Although prosecutors requested that he be jailed, Cook County judge Carl Anthony Walker allowed him to remain free, saying he had not been presented with "any credible evidence" to warrant incarceration. Chief Keef was taken into custody on January 15, 2013, after a juvenile court judge ruled that the gun range interview video constituted a probation violation. Two days later, he was sentenced to two months in a juvenile detention facility and was made a ward of the state. He was released on March 14, 2013. On January 17, 2013, Chief Keef was sued by
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
-based promotion company Team Major for $75,000 for a missed show. According to the firm, he was supposed to perform at
The O2 Arena The O2 Arena, commonly known as the O2 (stylised as The O2 arena), is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the centre of the O2 entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in southeast London. It opened in its present form in 2007. It has the s ...
in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
on December 29, 2012. He never showed up and neither he nor his label has explained why he missed the date. He ignored the lawsuit, and the court ordered him to pay $230,019 damages to Team Major by default. He was arrested in an upscale hotel in
DeKalb County, Georgia DeKalb County (, , ) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 764,382, making it Georgia's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat is Decatur. DeKalb County is inclu ...
, for allegedly smoking marijuana in public and for disorderly conduct on May 20, 2013. He was released later in the day. Eight days later, Chief Keef was arrested for driving 110 mph in a 55 mph zone in his hometown of Chicago, and for driving with an unlawful number of passengers. He was later released on bond. He returned to court on June 17 and pleaded guilty to speeding. He was ordered to pay a $531 fine, serve 18 months of probation, complete 60 hours of community service and undergo random drug tests. On October 15, 2013, Keef returned to jail for a 20-day sentence for a probation violation after testing positive for marijuana. On October 24, 2013, he was released early for good behavior. However, on November 6, 2013, Chief Keef was jailed on another probation violation. Following a stint in rehab, Chief Keef was arrested on March 5, 2014, in Highland Park, Illinois, for driving under the influence of marijuana, driving on a suspended license and was cited for having no proof of insurance. On February 4, 2014, Kim Productions filed suit against him to recover losses they allege were incurred after he failed to appear at a RapCure benefit concert in
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, in June 2013. The suit alleges that Kim Productions provided him with a $15,000 deposit for the performance. The lawsuit also alleges that as a result of his failure to appear, the concert had to be cancelled. In June 2014, Chief Keef was evicted from his Highland Park home. Although Bal Bansal, the owner of the house, maintained he was a good tenant and that his departure from the home was voluntary, police confirmed it was an eviction. In January 2017, Chief Keef was arrested for allegedly beating up and robbing a producer by the name of Ramsay Tha Great. He claimed that Chief Keef stole his
Rolex Rolex SA () is a British-founded Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex'' as the brand name of ...
watch and pointed firearms at him. These charges were dropped for lack of evidence. Chief Keef was arrested in South Dakota for smoking cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia in June 2017. He was able to make bail and took the charges to trial. In April 2019 he pleaded
no contest ' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
and was given a suspended sentence.


Image

Chief Keef is often seen as a representation of the "Chiraq" gangsta rap culture that is present in Chicago. He often refers to himself as "Sosa" as do his peers and the media. The nickname "Sosa" is a reference to Alejandro Sosa, the drug kingpin in the movie ''Scarface''. ''LA Weekly'' reported that Chief Keef's Glo Gang entourage respects the rapper. One member of the Glo Gang, Ballout, stated, "We learned all that from Sosa, we be in the studio with him so much", calling him, "a rhyming machine. A music genius. Black
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
, if you ask me." ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' stated that Chief Keef "symbolizes" Chicago's drill music scene and is the "best known of the young generation of Chicago rappers." In November 2012, Lucy Stehlik of ''The Guardian'' described Chief Keef as drill's "alpha male". David Drake of ''Pitchfork Media'' wrote, "Chief Keef is in rarefied air for street rap—a creative voice with an original, cohesive aesthetic", adding, "to the grassroots, among a new generation of stars, he sits at street rap's aesthetic center, not its margins." A ''The New York Times'' article compared Chief Keef to 50 Cent, noting that, like him, Chief Keef makes thuggery, "a major part of his early-career persona." Lupe Fiasco, who has been involved in a controversy with him, has been referred to as an "antagonist" to Chief Keef's more gangsta-rap persona. ''The New York Times'' writes, "Lupe Fiasco is a stern and didactic teacher, but it's arguable that Chief Keef's music is far better at ringing warning bells." Another rapper, Common, has praised his contributions to rap saying, "I think Chief Keef brought something that nobody else was doing and he brought it raw. He brought it real. With that, I have to respect that as an artist that he has come and brought that." Other rappers, such as Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco, however, have been critical of Chief Keef. In June 2012, Rhymefest authored a blog post critical of his image and message, describing him as a "bomb" and a "spokesman for the Prison Industrial Complex". The post was also critical of rappers
Waka Flocka Flame Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...
and Rick Ross, citing similar issues. Rhymefest reiterated these views in a subsequent interview with '' Salon''. Lupe Fiasco's criticisms of Keef touched off a feud between the two.


Influence

Many publications have referred to Chief Keef as a highly influential figure in contemporary hip-hop, for both his musical style and gangster image. His melodic style of rapping and his characteristically slurred delivery of lyrics has been called the catalyst for the success of Chicago drill and Mumble rap, and an influence on a large number of modern artists especially such as:
21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
,
YoungBoy Never Broke Again Kentrell DeSean Gaulden (born October 20, 1999), known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), is an American rapper. Between 2015 and 2017, he released eight independent mixtapes and steadi ...
,
Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
,
Lil Pump Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona. Li ...
,
XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
,
Ski Mask The Slump God Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne (born April 18, 1996), known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God (formerly stylized as $ki Mask "The Slump God"), is an American rapper. He initially rose to prominence alongside XXXTentacion and their collectiv ...
,
Trippie Redd Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
,
Juice Wrld Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the emo rap and ...
,
Polo G Taurus Tremani Bartlett (born January 6, 1999), known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his singles " Finer Things" and " Pop Out" (featuring Lil Tjay). His debut album ''Die a Legend'' (2019) peaked at ...
, and
Tay-K Taymor Travon McIntyre (born June 16, 2000), known professionally as Tay-K ( ) is an American rapper. He is best known for his 2017 hit song " The Race", which reached number 44 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the ...
among the others. Additionally, Chief Keef's heavy use of adlibs, specifically the word "aye" as a large part of a song was a major influence on the Soundcloud rap subgenre and the artists that emerged from it.


Controversies


Hip hop feuds

In an August 2012 interview with
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
radio station 92Q Jams (WERQ-FM), Lupe Fiasco stated that Chief Keef "scares" him and described him as a "hoodlum" and a representative of Chicago's "skyrocketing" murder rate. A tweet from Chief Keef's account threatening Fiasco was posted on September 5. Chief Keef claimed that his account had been hacked and the tweet was not his. On September 13, 2012, Fiasco released a video interview in which he made amends to Chief Keef. In November 2014, rap group Migos and Glo Gang member, Capo, were involved in a physical altercation in a Chicago restaurant. Later, Chief Keef uploaded an image onto Instagram featuring an alleged stolen chain belonging to rapper Quavo of Migos. Though this incident escalated the already existing tension between the two groups' members, the feud seemingly ended. Chief Keef was involved in a feud with rapper 6ix9ine in May 2018. This stemmed from Tadoe's domestic abuse and relationship issues relating to fellow rapper Cuban Doll. She was in a relationship with Tadoe but also friendly with 6ix9ine. 6ix9ine then dissed Chief Keef and rapper Lil Reese on social media posting a video of his semi-romantic vacation to Hawaii with Cuban Doll to Instagram, and driving up to Chief Keef's old neighborhood and taunting him. 6ix9ine also contacted Aereon Clark, known professionally as Slim Danger, the mother of one of Chief Keef's sons and recorded himself buying her designer clothes, verbally taunting Chief Keef and later receiving fellatio from her. On May 8, 2018,
Trippie Redd Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
previewed the song "I Kill People" on Instagram, featuring Chief Keef and Tadoe, which was aimed as a diss toward 6ix9ine and Cuban Doll. On June 2, 2018, Chief Keef was fired upon outside the W Hotel in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. He was not hit and there were no injuries from the incident. Due to the ongoing feud, 6ix9ine was confirmed to be under investigation by the New York Police Department for possible involvement in the incident despite being in Los Angeles at the time. In February 2019, 6ix9ine pleaded guilty to ordering the shooting of Chief Keef. He had offered his associate Kintea "Kooda B" McKenzie $20,000 to shoot at Cozart. 6ix9ine was later found to be an informant for the U.S. Government helping to lock up Kooda B, and his manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan.


Instagram

On September 15, 2012, Chief Keef uploaded a photograph of him receiving
fellatio Fellatio (also known as fellation, and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off) is an oral sex act involving a person stimulating the penis of another person by using the mouth, throat, or both. Oral stimulation of the scrotu ...
from a female fan onto Instagram, which he removed shortly afterwards. However, his account was subsequently banned for violating Instagram's terms of service. He has since created another Instagram account, and has had his activities on the app mentioned by various outlets.


Discography

* ''
Finally Rich ''Finally Rich'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. It was released on December 18, 2012, by Glory Boyz Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Reese, Rick Ro ...
'' (2012) * ''
Bang 3 ''Bang 3'' is the second studio album by American rapper Chief Keef. The LP is a double album itself, serving as the third installment of Chief Keef's ''Bang'' trilogy. It was leaked online on August 1, 2015. Soon after the album was released off ...
'' (2015) * '' Dedication'' (2017) * ''4NEM'' (2021)


References


Notes


Sources

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