Chief Keef
Chief Keef | |
---|---|
Chief Keef performing at Lollapalooza, 2012. | |
Born |
Keith Cozart August 15, 1995 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Other names | Chief Sosa, Almighty Sosa, Sosa |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 2011–present |
Children | 3 |
Website |
www |
Musical career | |
Genres | Hip hop, drill |
Labels |
|
Associated acts |
Keith Cozart (born August 15, 1995),[1] better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. During his teenage years and while under house arrest, Keef's music videos were met with acclaim from local high school students. His increasing popularity led to him being the subject of a brief bidding war among labels. Ultimately, Keef signed a major record deal with Interscope Records and later signed with 1017 Brick Squad. Keef also became the CEO of his own record label, Glory Boyz Entertainment, which later developed into Glo Gang. His debut album Finally Rich was released on December 18, 2012.
Since becoming famous, Keef has continued to experience ongoing legal issues. Despite being dropped from Interscope in late 2014, Keef continued self-releasing mixtapes through his Glo Gang label. Although Keef had originally planned Bang 3 to be released as his second album, a then-track from the album, "Nobody", developed into its own project. Keef released Nobody as a full-length album in December 2014, while continuing to delay the often-pushed back Bang 3.
Life and career
Early life (1995–2010)
Chief Keef was born Keith Cozart in Chicago, Illinois when his mother was 16, and is named after his deceased uncle.[2] He grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on the city's South Side.[3] Keef is estranged from his biological father;[4] when he was a minor, Keef's legal guardian was his grandmother, whom he lived with during his residence in Chicago.[5] He began rapping at a very young age, regularly listed as 5, using his mother's karaoke machine and blank tapes to record his music.[6] During his childhood, Keef attended Dulles Elementary School and the Banner School, a therapeutic day school.[6] Keef dropped out of Dyett High School at age 15.[7][8]
Early years, Finally Rich, and subsequent mixtapes (2011–13)
In 2011, Keef first earned local attention from Chicago's South Side community with his mixtapes, The Glory Road and Bang.[9] In December, Keef fired gunshots from a Pontiac Grand Prix in Chicago's Washington Park neighborhood. Police showed up at the scene and the incident resulted in Keef being arrested and charged with unlawful use of a weapon. Keef was consequently placed under house arrest at his grandmother's house for 30 days, followed by another 30 days of home confinement. It has been noted that by the time this incident occurred, Keef had already achieved local South Side popularity, and that much of his early fan base consisted of high school students in the area.[10][11] While under house arrest, Keef posted several videos to his YouTube account.[12] These videos were at the forefront of Chicago's hip hop subgenre, drill.[12][13] The attention he received increased during the short time between the release of his mixtapes, Bang and Back From the Dead, and music videos, including "Bang", "3Hunna" and "I Don't Like".[10][14] Once his house arrest ended, WorldStarHipHop released a video of a child hysterically celebrating Keef's release from house arrest, affording Keef further virality.[10][11] Early in his music career, Keef's song "I Don't Like" became a local hit in Chicago, which was described by a local party promoter, as "the perfect Chicago song because 'niggas just hate everything out here.'"[11] It also caught fellow Chicago rapper Kanye West's attention, and West created a remix of the song with rappers Pusha T, Jadakiss and Big Sean.[15] In response to these events, David Drake of Spin writes that in 2012, Keef "suddenly shot up out of obscurity."[16]
In the summer of 2012, Keef was the subject of a bidding war with many labels to sign him, including Young Jeezy's CTE World.[17] While 2013 proved to be a relatively quiet year, in terms of his music output, Keef began the year by signing with Interscope Records, as a separate deal promised his own label imprint, Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE).[17] The deal was worth $6,000,000 over a three album layout, as well as an additional $440,000 in advance, to establish GBE.[5] The deal also set up rights for Interscope to pull out of the contract in the case that Keef's debut album failed to sell 250,000 copies by December 2013.[18] Chief Keef's debut studio album Finally Rich, was released on December 18, 2012.[19] Featured guests on the album included rappers 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and his fellow Glory Boyz member Lil Reese.[20]
On March 26, 2013, it was announced that Keef would be a part of XXL Magazine's 2013 Freshman Class.[21] On May 8, 2013, Gucci Mane announced via Twitter that Chief Keef was the newest member of 1017 Brick Squad Records.[22]
Keef was featured on "Hold My Liquor", the fifth track off Kanye West's album, Yeezus, released on June 18, 2013.[23] Keef's contributions to the track were praised by musician Lou Reed, with Reed stating, "'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."[24]
On his 18th birthday, August 15, 2013, Chief Keef celebrated by releasing the mixtape Bang, Pt. 2.[25] Bang, Pt. 2 was highly anticipated as the first project following his debut album, but received a mixed to negative critical response.[26] On October 12, 2013 a further mixtape, Almighty Sosa was released.[27] Like Bang, Pt. 2, Almighty So also received mixed to negative critical responses.[26][28] Following his October 2013 jail term (see § Legal issues), he began working on his second studio album and a biopic.[29]
Bang 3, Nobody, and The Cozart (2014–2016)
Keef began experimenting with the production of his music in 2014, which Meaghan Garvey of The Fader noted as being fitting for Keef, 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."[26] In January, Keef announced working on a new mixtape entitled Bang 3.[30] In February, Keef revealed the cover art to his upcoming mixtape Back From The Dead 2, which served as the sequel to his critically acclaimed mixtape, Back From The Dead.[31] During the month, Keef stated that his former lean 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 also disappointed in both projects.[32] Later in the month, Keef announced an EP before his second studio album Bang 3, entitled Bang 4, as a preview.[33] The following day, Fredo Santana announced that he and Keef were going to release a collaboration album.[34] 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, which marked Hess's final appearance on a song before his death on April 9, 2014.[35] On March 14, Keef released the official music video for "Fuck Rehab".[36] Although Interscope executive Larry Jackson announced that Bang 3 would be released on June 10, it was again delayed.[37]
In October 2014, Keef was dropped by Interscope Records, but confirmed via Twitter that every project he had planned, including the release of the long-awaited Bang 3 would still be released, as he planned.[38] Young Chop criticized Interscope's decision to drop Keef.[39] Despite being set for a Christmas 2014 release, Bang 3 did not materialize.[40] Keef's mixtapes, Mansion Musick, which was set for a November 28 release, and Thot Breakers, which was set to release on February 14, 2015, were also noted to not release as scheduled.[41] However, Keef was successful in releasing Big Gucci Sosa, a 12-track collaborative mixtape, with Gucci Mane,[42][43] as well as Back From the Dead 2, which was made available for digital download from iTunes.[44] Keef experimented with the production of his own tracks, self-producing 16 of the 20 songs on the mixtape.[45] David Drake of Pitchfork Media, stated, "For his first steps into 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."[46] Rolling Stone ranked the mixtape 25th on its list of the 40 best rap albums of 2014, with the publication 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."[47] In November, Keef announced Nobody, a "Glo Producer album" that featured guest vocals from Kanye West and Tadoe.[48] The album was set to be released on December 2,[48] but was ultimately released on December 16.[49] The album's title track was noted for being one of Keef's more emotionally driven outputs,[50] with Chris Coplan of Consequence of Sound writing, "the track itself feels like the apex of a night spent binge-drinking."[51] Additionally, the album was awarded a 7.0/10 score by Pitchfork Media's Meaghan Garvey.[45]
On February 18, 2015, Keef released Sorry 4 the Weight, a 20-track mixtape.[52] 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."[53] The mixtape was largely a solo effort, featuring only Andy Milonakis and Glo Gang labelmate, Benji Glo.[41][54] In 2015, Keef's track "Faneto" was noted for slowly building momentum since its October 2014 release.[55][56] On April 24, 2015, Keef announced his next album, titled The Cozart, adding that it would be released soon.[57]
In May 2015, Keef signed with FilmOn Music, a division of media tycoon Alki David.
On July 11, 2015, Marvin Carr, better known by his stage name, Capo, a longtime member of Keef's Glo Gang label, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago.[58] Upon killing Capo, the drivers of the vehicle reportedly struck a stroller with 13-month-old Dillan Harris in it, killing the baby instantly. Keef later announced via Twitter that he would be holding a free benefit concert to tribute Capo, as well as encourage concertgoers to donate to Harris' family. Additionally, Keef announced the formation of the Stop the Violence Now Foundation, in an attempt to decrease crime in Chicago.[59] Due to outstanding warrants in Illinois, Keef was scheduled to attend the concert via hologram from a sound stage in Beverly Hills.[60] The concert, organized by HologramUSA and FilmOn Music originally intended to be held in Chicago's Redmoon Theater,[61] faced a series of delays after Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel's office claimed Keef was "an unacceptable role model" and that his music promoted violence.[62] Keef's representatives then worked out an arrangement with promoters of the Craze Fest event, located in Hammond, Indiana, in an attempt to hold the concert there. Keef's hologram was able to plea for peace in Chicago, stating, "Stop the violence, stop nonsense, stop the killing. Let the kids grow up," before performing "I Don't Like". Fearing that the concert was a threat to public safety, Hammond mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. successfully organized for the city's police to shut down the generators powering Keef's hologram. McDermott was quoted 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 you circumvent Mayor Emanuel by going next door."[63] Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn criticized Emmanuel and Hammond for their decisions, claiming they infringed upon Keef's First Amendment rights.[61]
Retirement (2016-present)
In March 2016, Keef tweeted that he was retiring from rapping. He confirmed his retirement in response to a tweet asking if it were true. The announcement came as Keef's recorded output was slowing down.[64] However, later in the year, Keef would be featured in MGK's song, "Young Man".[65]
Other ventures
Glo Gang
Glo Gang | |
---|---|
Founded | 2014 |
Founder | Chief Keef |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) | Independent |
Genre | Hip hop, midwest hip hop, drill |
Country of origin | United States |
Location |
Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California |
Official website | http://glogangworldwide.com/ |
As part of his signing with Interscope Records, Keef's label imprint, Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE), was established.[66] Keef, along with his manager, Rovan Manuel, each owned 40% shares of GBE. Keef's cousin and fellow rapper, Fredo Santana, Keef's uncle Alonzo Carter, and Anthony H. Dade, owned the remaining 20% of GBE.[5] Various associates of Keef's would be signed with the label, such as rappers Lil Reese, Fredo Santana and producer Young Chop.[67][68][69] The label had already been active since 2011, however only released mixtapes and was not a full on record company. After releasing Keef's Finally Rich in December 2012, the label was set to release an album by Lil Reese in the coming months, along with various mixtapes. However, on January 3, 2014, Keef said that Glory Boyz Entertainment was "no more," and was starting a new record label named Glo Gang.[70][71] Prior to his death, Blood Money revealed in an interview the members of Glo Gang to be Keef, Tray Savage, Ballout, Capo, Tadoe, Justo, and himself.[72]
Personal life
At the age of 16, Keef had his first child, a daughter, born Kayden Kash Cozart and nicknamed Kay Kay.[1] Keef was served with a request for child support by the child's mother.[73] In November 2013, DNA documents revealed that Keef had fathered a 10 month old daughter, and was subsequently ordered to begin paying child support.[74] In September 2014, Keef announced the birth of his third child, and his first son, whom he named Krüe Karter Cozart.[75] In May 2015, Keef was sued by another woman, claiming that Keef is the father of her child.[76] Due to never originally responding to the legal documents, Keef was ordered to court, with a warrant for his arrest placed as the consequence for his absence in court.[76] Despite these issues, LA Weekly reported that, at least on Instagram, Keef, "appears to take fatherhood seriously."[77] In August 2015, Keef caused controversy after naming his newborn son Sno "FilmOn Dot Com," inspired by his current record label, FilmOn Music, to promote his album Bang 3.[78][79] Nevertheless, following a paternity dispute over the child, FilmOn Music retracted the name rights until the paternity is settled.[80]
Two of Keef's cousins, Fredo Santana and Tadoe, were signed to his Glory Boyz Entertainment label.[81] Keef's stepbrother was shot dead on January 2, 2013.[82] Another of Keef's cousin, 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.[83] Hess had been signed to Interscope Records just two weeks prior to his killing.[84][85] In an interview with Billboard, Keef explains how Big Glo's death influences his life, "When that happened that was the biggest lesson. It told me 'You gotta grow up.'"[86]
After being evicted from his Highland Park home, Keef relocated to Los Angeles.[87][88] In an interview with Noisey's Rebecca Haithcoat, Keef told Haithcoat his favorite part about Los Angeles is, "the quiet."[88] After moving to Los Angeles, Keef 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 Keef.[88] Keef believed that his move to Los Angeles benefited him; in an interview with Billboard, Keef stated "I got away from all the unnecessary trouble. It's better out here [in 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 [inspired] me to go somewhere bigger."[86]
Legal issues
On January 27, 2011, Keef was apprehended on charges of heroin manufacture and distribution.[89] As a juvenile offender, Cozard was determined "delinquent", rather than guilty of his charges, and served time on house arrest.[89]
In December 2011, Keef left his grandmother's home holding a coat over his hands in front of his waistband. A policeman stopped to question the rapper, who dropped the coat, flashed a handgun and ran away. Officers chased then 16-year-old Keef, who turned around several times and pointed the gun at them. The policemen "discharged their weapons," but missed. They caught him a half-block later and recovered the pistol, which was loaded. 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.[90]
On September 5, 2012, Chicago Police stated that Keef was being investigated for a possible connection in the shooting death of fellow rapper and Englewood resident, Joseph Coleman, who performed under the stage name "Lil JoJo".[91] This came after Keef had mocked his death on Twitter,[92] which he later claimed was the result of his account being hacked.[93] Coleman's mother has openly claimed that Chief Keef paid to have her son killed.[94]
On October 17, 2012, Cook County prosecutors asked a judge to remand Keef to juvenile detention for alleged parole violations stemming from a video interview he held at a shooting range which included him discharging a firearm. A hearing was set for November 20, 2012, which was subsequently pushed back January 28, 2013, and then moved up to January 15.[95] The website that posted it, Pitchfork Media, was ordered by the court to provide the interview's footage after they removed it three months prior.[96] On December 31, 2012, Keef was issued a judicial summons for a new and unrelated alleged parole violation. Prosecutors claimed that he failed to notify his juvenile parole officer about a change of address. A hearing was set for January 2, 2013.[97] Although prosecutors requested that he be jailed, Cook County judge Carl Anthony Walker allowed him to remain free, citing that he had not been presented "any credible evidence."[98]
On January 15, 2013, Keef was taken into custody after a juvenile court judge ruled that the aforementioned gun range interview video constituted a probation violation. Two days later, Keef was sentenced to two months in a juvenile detention facility and was additionally made a ward of the state.[99] He completed serving the sentence on March 14, 2013.[100]
On January 17, 2013, Keef was sued by Washington, D.C.-based promotion company Team Major for $75,000 for a missed show. According to the firm, Keef was supposed to perform at the IndigO2 Arena in London on December 29, 2012 but never showed. Neither Keef nor his label has given any kind of response as to why he missed the date.[101] He ignored the lawsuit and the court sided with Team Major, ordering Keef to pay $230,019 to Team Major by default.[102]
On May 20, 2013, he was arrested in an upscale hotel in DeKalb County, Georgia for allegedly smoking marijuana in public and for disorderly conduct.[103] He was released later in the day.[104] Eight days later, Keef was arrested for driving 110 mph in a 55 mph zone in his hometown Chicago, and also for driving with an unlawful amount of passengers. He was later released on a bond.[105] 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.[106]
On October 15, 2013, Keef returned to jail for a 20-day sentence due to a probation violation after testing positive for marijuana.[29] On October 24, 2013, Keef was released ten days early for good behavior.[107] However, again on November 6, 2013, Keef was sent back to jail on another probation violation.[108] Then following a stint in rehab, Keef was arrested on March 5, 2014 in Highland Park, Illinois for DUI of marijuana, driving on a suspended license and cited for having no proof of insurance.[109]
On February 4, 2014, Kim Productions filed suit against Keef to recover losses they allege they incurred after he failed to appear at a RapCure benefit concert in Cleveland, Ohio in June 2013. The suit alleges that Kim Productions provided Keef with a $15,000 deposit for the performance. Despite the advance, the lawsuit further alleges that as a result of Keef's failure to appear, the concert had to be cancelled.[110]
In June 2014, Keef was evicted from his Highland Park home.[87] Although Bal Bansal, the owner of the house, maintained Keef was a good tenant, and that his departure from the home was voluntary, police confirmed it was an eviction.[87]
Image
Love Sosa – Chief Keef (2012)
| |
Problems playing this file? See media help. |
Keef is often seen as a representation of the "Chiraq" gangsta rap culture that is present in Chicago.[77] Additionally, Chief Keef is often referred to as "Sosa" by himself, his peers, and the media.[7][77][111] The nickname, "Sosa" is a reference to the drug dealer "Sosa" from Scarface the movie.[112] LA Weekly reported that 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, if you ask me."[77] The New York Times stated that Chief Keef, "symbolizes," Chicago's drill music scene, and is the "best known of the young generation of Chicago rappers."[13] In November 2012, Lucy Stehlik of The Guardian, described Keef as drill's, "alpha male."[12] David Drake of Pitchfork Media writes, "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."[46]
Keef has drawn comparisons to 50 Cent, as The New York Times writes, that like 50 Cent, Keef makes thuggery, "a major part of his early-career persona."[13] Lupe Fiasco, who has been involved with a controversy with Keef, has been referred to as an "antagonist" to 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."[13] Another rapper, Common, has praised Chief Keef's contributions to rap, stating, "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."[113] Other rappers, such as Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco, however, have been critical of Chief (see controversies section below).[114][115]
Controversies
Hip hop feuds
In June 2012, Chicago rapper Rhymefest authored a blog post critical of Keef's image and message, describing the rapper as a "bomb" and a "spokesman for the Prison Industrial Complex". The post was also critical of rappers Waka Flocka Flame and Rick Ross, citing similar reasons.[114] Rhymefest reiterated these views in a subsequent interview with Salon.[116]
In an August 2012 interview with Baltimore radio station 92Q Jams, Lupe Fiasco stated that Chief Keef "scares" him and went on to describe the other rapper as a "hoodlum" and representative of Chicago's "skyrocketing" murder rate.[115] A tweet from Keef's account threatening Lupe Fiasco was posted on September 5,[117] but then Keef claimed that his account had been hacked and that the previous tweet was inauthentic.[118] On September 13, 2012, Fiasco released a video interview in which he made amends to Keef.[119]
In November 2014, rap group Migos and Glo Gang member, Capo, were involved in a physical altercation in a Chicago restaurant.[120] Later, Keef uploaded an image onto Instagram featuring the alleged stolen chain belonging to rapper Quavo of Migos.[121] Though this incident escalated the already existing tension between members of Glo Gang and members of Migos, the feud between the two groups was later seemingly ended.[122]
On September 15, 2012, Keef uploaded an obscene photograph featuring the rapper receiving fellatio from a female fan onto the image sharing application Instagram.[123] Keef shortly removed the image from his account.[124] However, his account was subsequently banned for violating Instagram's terms of service.[125] Keef has since created another Instagram account, and has had his activities on the app mentioned by various outlets.[126][127]
Discography
- Finally Rich (2012)
- Bang 3, Part 1 (2015)
- Bang 3, Part 2 (2015)
References
- 1 2 Buyanovsky 2013.
- ↑ Celeb 2012.
- ↑ Austen 2013.
- ↑ Goldstein & Turbin 2013.
- 1 2 3 Konkol 2013c.
- 1 2 Drake 2012b.
- 1 2 Shapiro 2012.
- ↑ Gibbs 2014.
- ↑ Jeffries n.d.
- 1 2 3 Drake 2012a.
- 1 2 3 Delerme 2012.
- 1 2 3 Stehlik 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 Caramanica 2012.
- ↑ Kramer 2012.
- ↑ Lipshutz 2012.
- ↑ Drake 2012c.
- 1 2 Miles 2013.
- ↑ Horowitz 2013a.
- ↑ Horowitz 2012b.
- ↑ B. 2012.
- ↑ Fletcher 2013.
- ↑ Diep 2013.
- ↑ Yeezus 2013.
- ↑ Reed 2013.
- ↑ Russell 2013.
- 1 2 3 Garvey 2014.
- ↑ X 2013.
- ↑ Aceto 2013.
- 1 2 Jackson, D. 2013.
- ↑ Lilah 2014a.
- ↑ Smith 2014a.
- ↑ V 2014.
- ↑ Smith 2014b.
- ↑ C.M. 2014a.
- ↑ iTunes 2014.
- ↑ Ortiz 2014.
- ↑ J. 2014.
- ↑ Williams 2014.
- ↑ Smith 2014c.
- ↑ Aceto 2015.
- 1 2 Middleton 2015.
- ↑ Tardio 2014.
- ↑ Lilah 2014b.
- ↑ Carter 2014a.
- 1 2 Garvey 2015.
- 1 2 Drake 2014a.
- ↑ Drake 2014b.
- 1 2 Lyons 2014.
- ↑ Carter 2014b.
- ↑ "Listen to Chief Keef's New Single" 2014.
- ↑ Coplan 2014.
- ↑ Keef 2015.
- ↑ Pearson 2015.
- ↑ Muller 2015.
- ↑ Drake 2015.
- ↑ Galil 2015.
- ↑ Goddard 2015.
- ↑ Blidner 2015.
- ↑ O'Connell 2015.
- ↑ Iasimone 2015.
- 1 2 Zorn 2015.
- ↑ Coscarelli 2015.
- ↑ McDonald 2015.
- ↑ Coleman II 2016.
- ↑ Goddard 2016.
- ↑ Michaels 2013.
- ↑ Josephs 2012.
- ↑ Capper 2013.
- ↑ Caldwell 2014.
- ↑ Meara 2014.
- ↑ James 2014.
- ↑ Vlad 2014.
- ↑ Bossip Staff 2012.
- ↑ Muhammad 2013.
- ↑ T 2014.
- 1 2 Muhammad 2015a.
- 1 2 3 4 Simpson 2014.
- ↑ Breihan 2015.
- ↑ Young 2015.
- ↑ Stutz 2015.
- ↑ Drake 2013.
- ↑ Konkol 2013a.
- ↑ Koplowitz 2014.
- ↑ Diep 2014.
- ↑ Nickeas, Gorner & Kot 2014.
- 1 2 Muhammad 2015b.
- 1 2 3 Berger, McCoppin & Cullotta 2014.
- 1 2 3 Haithcoat 2014.
- 1 2 Konkol 2013b.
- ↑ Phillips 2013.
- ↑ Konkol, Janssen & Horton 2012.
- ↑ Horowitz 2012a.
- ↑ Kuperstein 2012.
- ↑ Muhammad 2012b.
- ↑ Ryon 2013a.
- ↑ Ryon 2012b.
- ↑ Main 2012.
- ↑ Meisner 2013.
- ↑ Main 2013a.
- ↑ Horowitz 2013b.
- ↑ Ryon 2013b.
- ↑ Rys 2013.
- ↑ Monde 2013.
- ↑ "Rapper Chief Keef arrested" 2013.
- ↑ Ryon 2013c.
- ↑ Main 2013b.
- ↑ Kramer 2013.
- ↑ Jackson, R. 2013.
- ↑ C.M. 2014b.
- ↑ Hailey 2014.
- ↑ Hudson 2014.
- ↑ Seth 2013.
- ↑ Mansell 2014.
- 1 2 Ryon 2012a.
- 1 2 Chandler 2012.
- ↑ Guarino 2012.
- ↑ Keef 2012a.
- ↑ Keef 2012b.
- ↑ Muhammad 2012a.
- ↑ Servantes 2014.
- ↑ Jenkins 2014.
- ↑ Steinfeld 2014.
- ↑ Abernethy 2012.
- ↑ XXL Staff 2012.
- ↑ Rogulewski 2012.
- ↑ Carter 2015.
- ↑ Downs 2014.
Notes
- Abernethy, Samantha (September 17, 2012). "Chief Keef Kicked Off Instagram For Posting Blowjob Photo". Chicagoist. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Aceto, Matt (October 20, 2013). "Review: Chief Keef's "Almighty So"". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Aceto, Matt (January 19, 2015). "Chief Keef's Bang 3: The Best Album That Never Happened". The Source. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- Austen, Ben (September 17, 2013). "Public Enemies: Social Media Is Fueling Gang Wars in Chicago". Wired. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- B., Jarrett (July 7, 2012). "Chief Keef "Finally Rich" Artwork". Hip Hop Wired. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- Berger, Susan; McCoppin, Robert; Cullotta, Karen Ann (June 10, 2014). "Chief Keef evicted from Highland Park home". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
- Blidner, Rachelle (July 14, 2015). "Man charged in baby's death near Chicago rapper Capo's murder scene". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- Breihan, Tom (August 27, 2015). "Chief Keef Named His Baby Sno FilmOn Dot Com To Promote His New Album". Stereogum. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- Bossip Staff (December 5, 2012). "Chief Keef Gets Served With Child Support". Bossip. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
- Buyanovsky, Dan (May 6, 2013). "From The Mag: Chief Keef At Home". XXL. Townsquare Media. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- C.M., Emmanuel (February 28, 2014). "Chief Keef And Fredo Santana Are Coming Out With An Album". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- C.M., Emmanuel (March 17, 2014). "Chief Keef Is Arrested For DUI". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Caldwell, Brandon (November 11, 2014). "Young Chop And Lil Durk Get Caught Up With 'The Murder Team' (Video)". Vibe. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Capper, Andy (February 12, 2013). "Santana's in Town - Fredo Santana on Chief Keef, G.B.E., and the Beatles". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Caramanica, Jon (4 October 2012). "Chicago Hip-Hop's Raw Burst of Change". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- Carter, Caitlin (October 31, 2014). "Stream Chief Keef's 'Back From The Dead 2' Mixtape [TRACKLIST]". Music Times. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Carter, Caitlin (December 15, 2014). "Chief Keef, Kanye West Collaboration "Nobody" Has Leaked Ahead Of Album Release". Music Times. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
- Carter, Caitlin (January 19, 2015). "Drake, Chief Keef Collaborating? GLOVO Logo Surfaces On Instagram [PHOTOS]". Music Times. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Celeb, Jr (January 11, 2012). @JrCeleb Chief Keef interview featuring DJ Kenn. PAYOLA TV. YouTube. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- Chandler, D.L. (August 30, 2012). "Lupe Fiasco Says Fellow Chicago Rapper Chief Keef "Scares Me" [VIDEO]". Hip Hop Wired. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Coleman II, C. Vernon (March 6, 2016). "Chief Keef Might Be Retiring From Rap". XXL. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- Coplan, Chris (December 15, 2014). "Chief Keef and Kanye West team up for "Nobody" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Coscarelli, Joe (July 27, 2015). "Hologram Performance by Chief Keef Is Shut Down by Police". The New York Times. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- Delerme, Felipe (August 21, 2012). "Chief Keef: Lost Boys". The Fader. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Diep, Eric (May 8, 2013). "Chief Keef Joins Gucci Mane's 1017 Bricksquad". XXL. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Diep, Eric (April 10, 2014). "Chief Keef's Cousin Blood Money Killed In West Englewood Neighborhood". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Downs, David (October 13, 2014). "Rapper Chief Keef Opens Medical Cannabis Dispensary In Compton". San Francisco Gate. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Drake, David (March 12, 2012). "Hip-Hop's Next Big Thing is On House Arrest at His Grandma's: Meet Chief Keef". Gawker. Archived from the original on March 13, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Drake, David (April 27, 2012). "Where Did Chief Keef Come From?". Complex. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Drake, David (June 25, 2012). "Chicago Rap Blazes Up from the Streets". Spin. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- Drake, David (February 9, 2013). "Q & A: Fredo Santana Talks the GBE Crew Album and Chicago Rap Misconceptions". Complex. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Drake, David (November 24, 2014). "Back From The Dead 2 / Big Gucci Sosa". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- Drake, David (December 23, 2014). "Chief Keef, 'Back From the Dead 2'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Drake, David (January 2, 2015). "Bout to Blow: 10 Dope Songs You Should Be Hearing Everywhere Soon". Retrieved April 12, 2015.
- Fletcher, James "Fletch" (March 27, 2013). "XXL Freshman Class 2013 Cover Revealed - Page 2 of 2". XXL. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Galil, Leor (April 8, 2015). "The unexpected appeal of 'Faneto,' Chief Keef's slow-growing underground hit". Chicago Reader. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
- Garvey, Meaghan (October 28, 2014). "A Definitive History Of Chief Keef As A Producer". The Fader. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Garvey, Meaghan (January 12, 2015). "Nobody". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Gibbs, Adrienne Samuels (August 17, 2014). "Chief Keef turns 19, shows for a concert, but is he growing up?". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- Goddard, Kevin (April 25, 2015). "Chief Keef Announces New Album "The Cozart"". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- Goddard, Kevin (September 22, 2016). "Machine Gun Kelly Feat. Chief Keef "Young Man" Video". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- Goldstein, Steven; Turbin, Sarah (December 20, 2013). "Chicago's 'Drill Rap' Movement: Expression of Struggle or a Glorifying of Violence?". Chicago-Bureau.org. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Guarino, Mark (December 18, 2012). "Rap's killer new rhymes". Salon. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- Hailey, Jonathon (February 4, 2014). "New Lawsuit Alleges Chief Keef Hates Cancer Charities". The Urban Daily. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
- Haithcoat, Rebecca (December 23, 2014). "We Went to Chief Keef's First Art Gallery Show and Interviewed Him". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
- Horowitz, Steven J. (September 5, 2012). "Chief Keef Laughs At Death Of Fellow Rapper". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Horowitz, Steven J. (November 12, 2012). "Chief Keef "Finally Rich" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
- Horowitz, Steven J. (January 23, 2013). "Chief Keef's Deal With Interscope Records Revealed To Be Worth $6 Million". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Horowitz, Steven J. (March 14, 2013). "Chief Keef Released From Juvenile Detention Center". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Hudson, Tanay (November 10, 2014). "Chief Keef Releases Four New Projects On YouTube". All Hip Hop. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- Iasimone, Ashley (July 12, 2015). "Chief Keef Announces Concert to Memorialize Toddler Killed After Capo Shooting in Chicago". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- "iTunes - Music - F*ck Rehab (feat. Big Glo) - Single by Chief Keef". iTunes. Apple. March 13, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- J., Miranda (March 31, 2014). "Chief Keef's New Album Has A Release Date". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Jackson, Dan (October 15, 2013). "Chief Keef Heads To Jail For Probation Violation". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Jackson, Reed (November 6, 2013). "Chief Keef Is Going Back To Jail". XXL. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- James, Nicolas (January 5, 2014). "Chief Keef Discontinues Glory Boyz Entertainment In Favor Of Glo Gang, Calls For New Artists". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Jeffries, David. "Chief Keef Bio". MTV. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- Jenkins, Brandon (November 17, 2014). "Quavo of Migos Allegedly Robbed by GBE Member, Chief Keef Instagrams Stolen Chain". Complex. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Josephs, Brian (August 20, 2012). "Who Is Lil Reese?". Complex. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Keef, Chief (September 5, 2012). "Lupe fiasco a hoe ass nigga And wen I see him I'ma smack him like da lil bitch he is #300". Twitter. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Keef, Chief (September 5, 2012). "my twitter has been hacked I think I'm making a new one dumb hating ass people #DontWannaSeeAYougNiggaShine". Twitter. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Keef, Chief (February 18, 2015). "Sorry 4 The Weight". Datpiff. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- Konkol, Mark (January 7, 2013). "Chief Keef's Stepbrother Shot Dead on South Side". DNAinfo Chicago. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- Konkol, Mark (January 14, 2013). "Police Shot at Chief Keef After Rapper Pointed Gun at Them, Cops Say". DNAinfo Chicago. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- Konkol, Mark (January 23, 2013). "Exclusive Details of Rapper Chief Keef's $6 Million Record Deal". DNAinfo. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Konkol, Mark; Janssen, Kim; Horton, Allison (September 5, 2012). "Lil JoJo Tweeted his location just hours before he was slain". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Koplowitz, Howard (April 10, 2014). "Blood Money Dead: Chief Keef's Cousin, Rapper Mario Hess, AKA Big Glo, Shot And Killed On Chicago Street [VIDEO]". International Business Times. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Kramer, Kyle (April 28, 2012). "RedEye Interview with Chicago rapper Chief Keef". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Kramer, Kyle (October 23, 2013). "Chief Keef Released From Jail 10 Days Early". Complex. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Kuperstein, Slava (September 9, 2012). "Chief Keef Denies Involvement In Murder Of Chicago Rapper Lil Jojo, Claims Twitter Account Was Hacked". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Lilah, Rose (March 31, 2014). "Chief Keef Announces "Bang 3" Release Date [Update: New Date Announced". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Lilah, Rose (October 30, 2014). "Stream Chief Keef & Gucci Mane's Collaborative "Big Gucci Sosa" Project". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- Lipshutz, Jason (May 1, 2012). "Listen: Kanye West & Friends Remix Chief Keef's 'I Don't Like'". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
- "Listen To Chief Keef's New Single, "Nobody," Featuring Kanye West". The Source. December 15, 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Lyons, Patrick (November 22, 2014). "Chief Keef Announces "Nobody: The Album" Featuring Kanye West & Tadoe". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
- Main, Frank (December 31, 2012). "Sources: Rapper Chief Keef moves to Northbrook but doesn't tell probation officer". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
- Main, Frank (January 17, 2013). "Tearful Chief Keef gets 60 days in juvenile jail for violating probation". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- Main, Frank (June 17, 2013). "Chief Keef's bad day: Pleads guilty, hit with second paternity suit — gets arrested again". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Mansell, Henry (November 24, 2014). "Common Says He Respects Chief Keef For Being Raw & Real In His Music". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
- McDonald, Soraya Nadia (July 26, 2015). "Two mayors, including Rahm Emanuel, ban Chief Keef hologram performances". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- Meara, Paul (January 5, 2014). "Chief Keef Tweets About Stolen Marijuana While In Rehab | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Meisner, Jason (January 2, 2013). "Judge: No 'credible evidence' Chief Keef moved to Northbrook". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
- Michaels, Sean (January 24, 2013). "Chief Keef's Interscope deal worth $6m, court documents show". The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Middleton, Ryan (February 18, 2015). "Chief Keef Releases 'Sorry for the Weight' Mixtape Ahead of 'Bang 3'". Music Times. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- Miles, Dante (January 19, 2013). "Chief Keef Speaks On 50 Cent Not Being His Mentor, Signing With Interscope Over CTE". HipHopDX . Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Monde, Chiderah (May 21, 2013). "Chief Keef arrested: Rapper busted for smoking marijuana at swanky hotel". New York Daily News. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
- Muhammad, Latifah (September 13, 2012). "Lupe Fiasco Makes Peace With Chief Keef, Says "I Love My Brother"". Hip Hop Wired. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- Muhammad, Latifah (December 3, 2012). "Lil JoJo's Mom Says Chief Keef "Paid Somebody" To Kill Her Son [VIDEO]". Hip Hop Wired. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Muhammad, Latifah (November 25, 2013). "Chief Keef Ordered to Pay Child Support for 10-Month-Old Daughter". BET. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Muhammad, Latifah (May 28, 2015). "Report: Chief Keef Hit with Another Paternity Suit". BET. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- Muhammad, Latifah (July 13, 2015). "Chief Keef Previews 'Bang 3,' Says Big Glo's Death 'Told Me 'You Gotta Grow Up". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
- Muller, Marissa G. (February 23, 2015). "Here's What Happens When You Get Chief Keef & Andy Milonakis in the Studio Together". Radio. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- Nickeas, Peter; Gorner, Jeremy; Kot, Greg (April 10, 2014). "Chief Keef's cousin Big Glo shot to death in Englewood". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- O'Connell, Patrick M. (July 12, 2015). "Chief Keef to hold concert to benefit family of toddler killed in crash". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- Ortiz, Edwin (March 13, 2014). "Chief Keef f/ Blood Money "F**k Rehab" Video". Complex. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Pearson, Elliot (March 25, 2015). "Sonic Reducer: Micro reviews of Drake and Chief Keef's new tapes". Alibi. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- Phillips, Rashad (January 14, 2013). "Police Shot At Chief Keef Prior To 2011 Arrest". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- "Rapper Chief Keef arrested for disorderly conduct". UPI. May 21, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
- Reed, Lou (July 3, 2013). "Lou Reed on Kanye West's Yeezus: 'It brings tears to my eyes'". The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Rogulewski, Charley (September 16, 2012). "Instagram Cancels Chief Keef's Account Over Sex Photo". Vibe. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Russell, Alex (August 15, 2013). "Mixtape: Chief Keef "Bang Pt. 2"". Complex. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- Ryon, Sean (June 27, 2012). "Rhymefest Blasts Chief Keef, Interscope Over Promoting Violent Music". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- Ryon, Sean (December 5, 2012). "Pitchfork Media Ordered To Turn Over Video Of Chief Keef At Gun Range". HipHopDX. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
- Ryon, Sean (January 8, 2013). "Chief Keef's Probation Hearing Moved Up Two Weeks". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Ryon, Sean (January 17, 2013). "Chief Keef Hit With $75,000 Lawsuit Over Missed Show". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
- Ryon, Sean (May 28, 2013). "Chief Keef Charged With Driving 110 MPH In A 55 MPH Zone". XXL. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- Rys, Dan (August 5, 2013). "Chief Keef Ordered To Pay $230,000 Over Abandoned London Show". XXL. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- Servantes, Ian (November 8, 2014). "Fredo Santana Threatens Migos for Fighting GBE Member Capo in Chicago". Complex. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Seth, Akshay (January 23, 2013). "Let's Do Some Lines: 'Love Sosa' by Chief Keef". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
- Shapiro, David (2012). "Chief Keef's Double F Life". Interview. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- Simpson, Isaac (November 6, 2014). "Was Chief Keef Too Gangster for Interscope?". LA Weekly. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Smith, Trevor (February 13, 2014). "Chief Keef Reveals "Back From The Dead 2" Mixtape Artwork". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Smith, Trevor (February 26, 2014). "Chief Keef To Release "Bang 4" EP Before "Bang 3"". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Smith, Trevor (November 7, 2014). "Young Chop On Chief Keef's Parting With Interscope: "How Did They Drop Him? He Sold 200,000"". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Stehlik, Lucy (16 November 2012). "Chief Keef takes Chicago's drill sound overground". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- Steinfeld, Mitchell (December 12, 2014). "Chief Keef & Migos Apparently Squash Beef". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Stutz, Colin (August 27, 2015). "Is Chief Keef Naming His New Baby After the Website That's Selling His Album?". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
- T, Jessica (September 23, 2014). "Chief Keef Proudly Shows Off His Newborn Son on Instagram". VladTV. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Tardio, Andres (November 1, 2014). "Gucci Mane And Chief Keef's Horror-Themed 'Big Gucci Sosa' Mixtape Is Just In Time For Halloween". MTV. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- V, Russell (January 17, 2014). "Chief Keef Admits He Hates His Mixtapes Because He Was on Lean". VladTV. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- Vlad, DJ (April 23, 2014). Big Glo's Last Interview: Gucci Mane Is Big Homie. VladTV. YouTube. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- Williams, Houston (October 21, 2014). "Exclusive: Chief Keef Dropped By Interscope Records". All Hip Hop. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
- X, Dharmic (October 12, 2013). "Mixtape: Chief Keef "Almighty So"". Complex. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
- XXL Staff (September 18, 2012). "Chief Keef Banned from Instagram for Lewd Photo". XXL. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- Young, Alex (August 27, 2015). "Chief Keef named his newborn son after the website for his record label". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- Yeezus Credits (PDF) (Media notes). Kanye West. Def Jam Recordings. 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- Zorn, Eric (July 28, 2015). "Sorry, the Constitution protects Chief Keef too". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 28, 2015.