Chief Keef

Chief Keef
Chief Keef in 2019
Chief Keef in 2019
Background information
Birth nameKeith Farrelle Cozart[1]
Also known as
  • Sosa
  • BigGucci Sosa
  • Almighty So
Born (1995-08-15) August 15, 1995 (age 29)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Discography
Years active2008–present
Labels
Member ofGlory Boyz
Children9
Websitechiefkeef.org

Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995),[5] better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago's South Side, he began his recording career as a teenager and initially garnered regional attention and praise for his mixtapes in the early 2010s.[6] Cozart is often credited with popularizing the hip hop subgenre drill for mainstream audiences, and is considered a progenitor of the genre.[7][8][9][10][11]

His fifth mixtape, Back from the Dead (2012), spawned the single "I Don't Like" (featuring Lil Reese), which became a local hit and marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] A bidding war between several major labels resulted in Cozart signing with Interscope Records, who commercially re-released the song, along with its follow-up, "Love Sosa", which received quintuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Both served as lead singles for his debut studio album, Finally Rich (2012), which was met with moderate critical and commercial response, also serving as his only release on a major label. His following independent studio albums—Bang 3 (2015), Bang 3, Pt. 2 (2015), 4Nem (2021), and Almighty So 2 (2024)—have each entered the Billboard 200. Two of his guest appearances—on the songs "Bean (Kobe)" by Lil Uzi Vert and "All the Parties" by Drake—have peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[12][9]

Rolling Stone has credited Cozart with "personif[ying] Chicago drill",[13] while Stereogum referred to him as a "modern rap folk hero".[14] He is also considered one of the most prominent Black Disciples members of his generation.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

  1. ^ "Chief Keef Arrested in Miami Beach After Cops Find Sizzurp". nbcmiami.com. April 9, 2017. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  2. ^ "Maybe This Is Why Modern Mumble Rap Exists..." HipHopDX. February 25, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  3. ^ Harold, Oscar. "Review: 'Mumble Rap' is a poor label for new Hip-Hop". The Cardinal Times. Retrieved September 19, 2018.
  4. ^ Guan, Frank (December 20, 2017). "The Year Rap Overtook Pop". Vulture.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  5. ^ Buyanovsky 2013.
  6. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Biography & History – Chief Keef". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  7. ^ Roti, Jessi (June 17, 2024). "Chief Keef wraps up 2024 Summer Smash, a huge hometown moment a long time coming". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Turner, Ashley (May 31, 2024). "How Chief Keef Spearheaded The Drill Movement". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Artist – Chief Keef". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  10. ^ Carter, Dominique. "Finally Rich: The Way That Chief Keef Has Influenced A New Generation of Artists". Hypefresh Mag. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  11. ^ Barber, Andrew (June 20, 2022), "10 years ago, Chief Keef launched drill music into the mainstream", Mic.com, archived from the original on August 18, 2022, retrieved July 28, 2022
  12. ^ Drake, David (February 12, 2018). "How Chief Keef became the most influential hip-hop artist of his generation". The Outline. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  13. ^ Reeves, Mosi (July 1, 2024). "Chief Keef, 'Finally Rich'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  14. ^ Berry, Peter A. (May 16, 2024). "Chief Keef, Still Almighty". Stereogum. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  15. ^ Main, Frank (February 9, 2019). "CPD fears revenge killings after Black Disciples gang leader is gunned down". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  16. ^ Main, Frank; Charles, Sam (August 7, 2020). "Killing of Black Disciples 'king' could be linked to Mexico's Gulf Cartel drugs, FBI says". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Nuelle, Jack (June 6, 2014). "Navigating Chiraq: Music and Life in the Second City". Home. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  18. ^ "Chief Keef Celebrates BD Day". Welcome to Kollegekidd.com. February 4, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  19. ^ "Chief Keef Questions History Of The Black Gangster Disciple Nation". Welcome to Kollegekidd.com. October 10, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Shaw, A.R. (September 13, 2012). "10 Things to Know About Chief Keef and the Black Disciples". Rolling Out. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Urban Violence and Identity: Chief Keef's Story and Solutions". EBONY. September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2024.