Chief Keef facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chief Keef
|
|
|---|---|
Chief Keef in 2019
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Keith Farrelle Cozart |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | August 15, 1995 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Labels |
|
Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), known as Chief Keef, is an American rapper and music producer. He grew up in Chicago's South Side. He started making music as a teenager. In the early 2010s, his mixtapes gained local attention. Chief Keef is often seen as the artist who helped make drill popular. Drill is a type of hip hop music.
His mixtape, Back from the Dead (2012), included the song "I Don't Like". This song became a local hit. It was also his first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Many record labels wanted to sign him. He chose Interscope Records. They re-released "I Don't Like" and his next song, "Love Sosa". "Love Sosa" became very popular, selling millions of copies.
These songs were the main singles for his first album, Finally Rich (2012). This album was his only release with a major record label. His later albums, like Bang 3 (2015) and Almighty So 2 (2024), also appeared on the Billboard 200 chart. He has also been featured on songs by other artists, like Lil Uzi Vert and Drake. These songs reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Rolling Stone magazine has said that Chief Keef "personifies Chicago drill." Stereogum called him a "modern rap folk hero."
Contents
Chief Keef's Life and Music Journey
Early Life and Start in Music (1995–2010)
Chief Keef was born Keith Farrelle Cozart in Chicago, Illinois, on August 15, 1995. He was named after his uncle, Keith Carter. He grew up in the Parkway Garden Homes in Chicago's Washington Park area.
Chief Keef started rapping when he was five years old. He used his mother's karaoke machine to record his songs. He went to Dulles Elementary School and Dyett High School. He left high school during his first year.
First Success and Major Album (2011–2013)
In 2011, Chief Keef started getting noticed in Chicago. This was because of his mixtapes, The Glory Road and Bang. While under house arrest, he shared videos on his YouTube channel. These videos helped start the Chicago drill music style.
His song "I Don't Like" became very popular in Chicago. It even caught the attention of famous rapper Kanye West. Kanye West remixed the song with other rappers. This remix made Chief Keef suddenly very famous.
In 2012, many record labels wanted to sign Chief Keef. He signed with Interscope Records. As part of the deal, he also got his own record label called Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE). The deal was worth $6 million for three albums. He also received money to start GBE.
His first album, Finally Rich, was released on December 18, 2012. Famous rappers like 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, and Rick Ross were featured on the album. In May 2013, he also signed with 1017 Brick Squad Records.
Chief Keef was featured on the song "Hold My Liquor" from Kanye West's album, Yeezus. This album was released on June 18, 2013. Musician Lou Reed praised Chief Keef's part in the song.
On his 18th birthday, August 15, 2013, Chief Keef released his mixtape Bang, Pt. 2. This mixtape was highly anticipated. However, it received mixed reviews from critics. Another mixtape, Almighty Sosa, was released in October 2013.
New Music and Challenges (2014–2016)
Chief Keef started trying to produce his own music in 2014. In January, he announced a new mixtape called Bang 3. In February, he showed the cover for his upcoming mixtape Back From The Dead 2. This was a follow-up to his popular mixtape, Back From The Dead.
Later in 2014, Chief Keef was no longer with Interscope Records. He said that all his planned music projects would still be released. Young Chop, another producer, disagreed with Interscope's decision. Despite delays, Chief Keef released Big Gucci Sosa, a collaboration with Gucci Mane. He also released Back From the Dead 2.
Chief Keef produced 16 of the 20 songs on Back From the Dead 2. Critics praised his first attempts at producing. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it among the best rap albums of 2014.
In November, he announced Nobody, an album featuring Kanye West. It was released in December. The main song on the album was noted for being more emotional.
On February 18, 2015, Chief Keef released Sorry 4 the Weight. This mixtape had 20 songs. It was mostly a solo effort. In 2015, his song "Faneto" started gaining popularity. He also signed with FilmOn Music, a record label.
In July 2015, Marvin Carr, known as Capo, a member of Chief Keef's Glo Gang label, was killed. Chief Keef announced a free concert to honor Capo. He also started the Stop the Violence Now Foundation to help reduce crime in Chicago. Chief Keef planned to perform at the concert using a hologram.
The concert faced problems because Chicago's mayor said Chief Keef was "an unacceptable role model." The concert was then moved to Hammond, Indiana. Local police stopped the concert there too. Chief Keef's hologram asked for peace in Chicago before the concert was shut down.
Recent Albums and Collaborations (Since 2016)
In March 2016, Chief Keef said he was retiring from rapping. However, he later appeared on MGK's song "Young Man." He also released a mixtape called Two Zero One Seven in January 2017.
Chief Keef released four mixtapes before his third album, Dedication, on December 1, 2017. The Guardian newspaper called Dedication his "most satisfying album to date."
In 2018, Chief Keef released more mixtapes like Mansion Musick and Back from the Dead 3. He also worked with other musicians like Playboi Carti and Soulja Boy.
In early 2019, Chief Keef and producer Zaytoven worked together. They made a collaborative mixtape called Glotoven, released on March 15, 2019. Chief Keef also announced another mixtape, Almighty So 2. He released a song with Youngboy Never Broke Again called "Fireman."
In March 2020, Chief Keef produced the song "Chrome Heart Tags" for Lil Uzi Vert's album Eternal Atake. He was also featured on Uzi's album Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2 on the song "Bean (Kobe)". This song became his highest-charting song on the Hot 100, reaching number 19.
Other Ventures
Glo Gang
| Glo Gang | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Entertainment One |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Chief Keef |
| Status | Dormant |
| Distributor(s) | E1 Music |
| Genre | Hip hop, midwest hip hop, drill |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California |
As part of his deal with Interscope Records, Chief Keef started his own record label called Glory Boyz Entertainment (GBE). He and his manager each owned 40% of the company. Other family members and associates owned the rest. Rappers like Lil Reese and Fredo Santana were signed to the label.
The label had been active since 2011, releasing mixtapes. In 2014, Chief Keef announced that Glory Boyz Entertainment was "no more." He then started a new record label called Glo Gang.
Current artists
- Chief Keef
- Tadoe
- Ballout
- DooWop
- Lil Flash
- Benji Flo
- Terintino
- JusGlo
- SmokeCamp Chino
Former artists
- Lil Reese
- Lucki
- Tray Savage (deceased)
- Fredo Santana (deceased)
- Gino Marley
- Capo (deceased)
- Blood Money (deceased)
- SD
- Snap Dogg
- Rocaine
43B
| 43B | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | BMG, RBC |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Chief Keef |
| Status | Active |
| Distributor(s) | BMG |
| Genre | Hip hop, midwest hip hop, drill |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois Los Angeles, California |
On June 6, 2022, Chief Keef announced a new record label called 43B. It is also known as Forget Everybody. This label was started with RBC Records and BMG Rights Management. The first artist signed to 43B was Lil Gnar.
Personal Life
Chief Keef had his first child, a daughter, when he was 16 years old. In 2014, he announced the birth of his third child, his first son.
In August 2015, he caused a discussion when he named his newborn son Sno "FilmOn Dot Com." This was inspired by his record label, FilmOn Music. The name was meant to promote his album Bang 3. However, the label later took back the naming rights.
Two of his cousins, Fredo Santana and Tadoe, were signed to his Glory Boyz Entertainment label. His step-brother passed away in 2013. Another cousin, Mario Hess, known as Big Glo, also passed away in 2014. Big Glo had just signed with Interscope Records before his passing. Chief Keef said that Big Glo's passing taught him that he "gotta grow up."
After moving from Chicago, Chief Keef relocated to Los Angeles. He said he liked living in Los Angeles because it was "quiet." He also started collecting art. He believes moving to Los Angeles helped him. He said it "changed me, and [inspired] me to go somewhere bigger."
Chief Keef's Image and Influence
Chief Keef is often seen as a symbol of the "Chiraq" gangsta rap culture in Chicago. He is often called "Sosa" by his friends and the media. This nickname comes from a character named Alejandro Sosa in the movie Scarface.
LA Weekly reported that Chief Keef's group, Glo Gang, respects him. One member, Ballout, called him "a rhyming machine. A music genius."
The New York Times said that Chief Keef "symbolizes" Chicago's drill music scene. They also called him the "best known of the young generation of Chicago rappers." Lucy Stehlik of The Guardian described Chief Keef as drill's "alpha male." David Drake of Pitchfork Media wrote that Chief Keef is a "creative voice with an original, cohesive aesthetic."
The New York Times compared Chief Keef to rapper 50 Cent. They noted that both artists made a tough image a big part of their early careers. Rapper Common has praised Chief Keef's contributions to rap. He said, "I think Chief Keef brought something that nobody else was doing and he brought it raw. He brought it real."
Some rappers, like Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco, have criticized Chief Keef. In 2012, Rhymefest wrote that Chief Keef's image was harmful. Lupe Fiasco's criticisms led to a disagreement between the two artists.
Influence on Music
Many people say Chief Keef has greatly influenced modern hip-hop. This includes his music style and his tough image. His unique way of rapping and his slurred words are seen as key to the success of Chicago drill music. He also influenced many modern artists. Some of these artists include 21 Savage, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti. Even pop artists like Doja Cat and Billie Eilish have been influenced by him.
Chief Keef's frequent use of ad-libs, especially the word "aye," also had a big impact. This influenced the Soundcloud rap style and the artists who came from it.
In 2023, boxer Gervonta Davis used Chief Keef's song "Love Sosa" for his entrance music.
Chief Keef is also credited with making the phrase "glow up" popular. He also helped popularize the phrase "smoking [opps]." This phrase means defeating rivals. He also made the slang term "thot" popular.
Discography
- Finally Rich (2012)
- Bang 3 (2015)
- Dedication (2017)
- 4Nem (2021)
- Almighty So 2 (2024)
