Since bursting onto the scene as a 17 year old with “Finally Rich”, Keith Cozart aka, “Chief Keef”, has found himself in a plethora of trouble, most recently in Miami.
Keith hit platinum in 2012 with the song, “I don’t like” on the album, Finally Rich. Keef has produced 23 mix tapes, two albums (Bang 3 2015 and Bang 3 Pt. 2 2015 ) and a number of collaborations since. Keef has produced two mix tapes in 2018, “The Leak 4” and “The Leak vol. 5”. While it remains clear that Keef hasn’t released a project like, Finally Rich since its debut in 2012, it is also clear he’s revered in the game, and has changed rap culture with the introduction of the sub genre “Drill”.
Chief has had drug problems in the past and the same problem has occurred once more. In April 2017, Keef was arrested in Miami under suspicion of transacting marijuana from his green Lamborghini. When officers brought Keef in under the charge of a DUI (inebriation), the rapper admitted that “You’ll find weed in me”
The drug results are as follows: morphine, codeine, promethazine, hydrocodone, norcodeine, dihydrocodeine, and hydromorphone, along with the THC. That’s one drug test, 8 total drugs in one person, at one time. We all hope for the 22 year old to not to join the 27 club, if not that, then for his kids, we hope he gets better.
However, the negative stipulations that surround Keith are overbearing. So, why not something positive for Chief Keef, and all the burdens he succumbs to? After all, high school wouldn’t have been the same without him.
It started with the Chicago City officials and their long line of problems with Keith. Claiming that he is a bad influence, promotes violence, guns, drugs, and abuse. He has all but been run out of his hometown by the Cities authorities and rival gang members. Something again that has been inflicted upon himself. But can you blame somebody for carrying out the ways of their youth? Should you instead be pointing a finger at the way we institutionalize the ghettos, keeping slum ridden teens destine for the same path their predecessors followed?
The bright side of Chief Keef comes out of a morbid situation. It is something you may not have known, but on July 11, 2015, Keef’s good friend, Marvin Carr (22), fell victim to gun violence in Chicago’s streets, along with 13-month-old Dillan Harris. Keef paid for the funerals of Carr and Harris, who was killed by the suspected shooters in an attempt to flee the situation. Dillan Harris’s mother sued 20 unnamed officers for disregarding orders to stop the pursuit, which evidently killed her son.
Chief Keef changed his message shortly after the losses, and was a major proponent to Chicago’s own, “Stop the Violence” and, “Put the Guns down, Chicago” campaigns.
Later on, Keef wanted to host a concert to raise money and donate it to these campaigns, however, he was not allowed to perform in Chicago. So, he performed at Hologram, just outside of Chicago in Indiana. The concert was shut down within 20 minutes by the authorities concern for the crowd Keef could draw.
Everybody who was involved on Keef’s side were admit about taking this to court. Trying to get the word out that the City of Chicago is denying Keef’s 1st amendment right. Also denying the right of Keef to promote a beneficial campaign to raise awareness and funds to Chicago, which has been plagued by violence.
This case was left open and there is no telling what has happened, but the message is clear; Keith Cozart is not wanted in his hometown, and the authorities will do their best to stop him, even if a 13-month-old’s death is involved.
The question once more is, what has been up with Keef lately? The answer to that, it’s hard to say. Keef stays out of the media with a low profile, making guest appearances, performing concerts (mainly in California) and pursuing his GloGang enterprise. Keef continues to have trouble, and children, in which he is up to 5 now. It’s always hard to believe that at the age Keef is at, he has been in the media’s limelight since age 17. It’s also easy to say that he has worked tremendously hard for this, he has also overcame a mental illness (asperger’s), he has come out of Chicago’s most threatening neighborhood (Englewood), but he has also stood out as someone to respect, and somebody who keeps on the tradition of what it means to be a gangster rapper.
