Chief Keef is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, and influencer. He started out in the music industry in the year 2008 and has been seen several times on the top of Billboard Rap charts.
His thirteen-year-long career as a hip-hop rapper saw him going to court several times in connection with criminal charges against him. The 25-year-old who has a gangster and highly influential image has been charged for illegal weapons possession, physical altercations, and more. Today, we have a look at the mysterious and super-successful career of Chief Keef.
Early Life
Chief Keef is the stage name of Keith Farrelle Cozart. He was born to minors in Chicago, Illinois and never had a strong relationship with his father, Alfonso Cozart. Chief Keef remained away from Alfonso forever. His mother was Lolita Carter. She was 15 and unwed at the time of Chief Keef’s birth. His legal guardian was his grandmother.
Keef’s family life is indeed a complex story but none of it has held him back in his life. His passion for rap music ignited at a young age. He began rapping verses when he was just 5 years old. He used his mother’s karaoke machine and tapes to develop his songs.
Chief Keef was a student at Dulles Elementary School. At age 15, he dropped out of Dyett High School.
Chief Keef Shoots To Popularity
Now the question remains, how did Keith Farrelle Cozart come to be known as Chief Keef? There’s a story behind this that dates back to the year 2011. In the month of December, Chief Keef got into trouble with the Chicago police department for open firing from his car in the Chicago Washington Park neighborhood.
This attracted 30 days of home arrest in his grandmother’s house for Chief Keef. After he completed the house arrest, his fate met with another 30 days of solitary confinement. It was during this time that Chief Keef had begun posting his musical works on YouTube for the world to listen to. This was the breakthrough of the emerging rapper.
Kanye West Notices Chief Keef
The world got to know about the young and talented Chief Keef when the wildly popular American singer Kanye West remixed the song ‘I Don’t Like’ with his fellow rappers Big Sean and Pusha T. I Don’t Like was an original song of Chief Keef that became a massive hit in Chicago.
With Kanye West coming into the picture, even a stone turns to diamond. Chief Keef attracted major record labels who were outbidding each other to sign him with their label. Even though Chief Keef had not released a lot of music in 2012, he signed with Interscope Records this year which was a major achievement.
Debut Album
Formalities were completed. Chief Keef was offered his very own label imprint by the name of Glory Boyz Entertainment. Chief Keef’s debut album was called Finally Rich. It featured guest appearances from Wiz Khalifa, 50 cents, Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy.
Chief Keef later went on to feature in a Kanye West album Yeezus that was released in 2013. The rapper celebrated his 18th birthday by releasing a solid and majestic mixtape called Bang, Pt.2. There was a lot of excitement in the air prior to the release of this project but it failed to create the hype expected once it was released. Keef admitted that this happened due to the bad mixing of the vocals and his substance addiction in the past. He was determined to change things for the better.
‘Unacceptable Role Model’
Chief Keef changed lanes now. With the past poor performance serving as motivation to do better in the upcoming raps, Chief Keef released many albums the following year. Sorry 4 the Weight and Faneto were amongst the best performances he gave later on.
Chief Keef tried to organize a free benefit concert in Chicago following the murder of his long-time friend and fellow label artist Marvin Carr but was denied permission. The concert was planned at the Redmoon Theater in Chicago but the mayor’s office banned him from performing and called Chief Keef an ‘unacceptable role model’ whose music promotes violence.
Chief Keef later held his concert in Hammond, Indiana, and also made a sincere request to stop violence, stop the shootings and let kids grow up at the show. He performed his first-ever viral rap song titled ‘I Don’t Like’ that night.
Controversies
Chief Keef was born to a minor mother and things weren’t quite different with him either. He became a father to a daughter when was 16. He was ordered to pay child support in 2013 when it was crystal clear from the DNA documents that he was a father to a 10-month old daughter. Chief’s third child and first son were born in September 2014. He named his son Krue Karter Cozart.
Chief Keef was in legal trouble when a woman filed a court case against him claiming that he was the father of her child. Chief Keef did not arrive in court when he was asked to and an arrest notice was issued against him.
While he was just 16, 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.
A few years back in 2017, Chief Keef was arrested yet again for stealing a Rolex watch and pointing firearms at a producer named Ramsay Tha Great. However, there was a lack of evidence in this case and Chief Keef was freed.
This young powerhouse is set to deliver more electrifying rap music and the listeners await more from Chief Keef.
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