Throughout the entire country, rap radio stations are littered with songs that discuss nothing but violence, promiscuous women, drugs, and money. For the average listener like myself, mainstream hip-hop can become extremely monotonous after only a short period of time. In 2012 when I heard rumors that there was a 16-year-old Chicagoan making rap videos in his grandmother’s home while on house arrest, I immediately had to learn more. After a quick Google search, I discovered numerous underground music videos featuring what had to be Chicago’s most dangerous killers. What was Chief Keef, the star of all these videos, rapping about? Of course, his music was completely focused on the same themes as the dull and repetitive mainstream hip-hop that I was accustomed to. Halfway through the first song, I had heard enough. There was nothing different about this music. Although, for some strange reason I was left with mental images of the grimy settings, gang signs, and firearms for days after watching half of a music video.

This newly discovered character, “Chief Keef,” became more and more interesting as I kept thinking about him. It was inevitable that I gave his music a second chance, and when I did I fell in love. During this second listen I discovered that his music must be perceived in a certain fashion. One cannot approach his lyrics and process them like they are renowned poetry. As I began listening to more of his music, I found that it was the lack of cliché metaphors and the emphasis on real life situations that gave his music a movie-like essence. I highly encourage anyone who has disregarded Keith Cozart’s music because of his unsophisticated lyrics to revisit some of his music with a different mindset. From my listening experience, I have found that Chief Keef successfully separates himself from the vanilla rappers that plaque modern-day hip-hop with his impromptu visuals, violent lyrics, and a background that proves the authenticity of it all.

From my perspective, the eerie and unscripted music videos are an obligatory quality of Chief Keef’s music. Without the grimy visuals that constantly feature firearms, drugs, and gang signs as their main themes, many listeners may not recognize the unique realism that is embedded into Chief Keef’s music. Other artists often discuss violence and drug trafficking in their music, but these individuals are normally famous celebrities whose financial situations give them no reason to participate in such activities. By making homemade videos in run down project homes full of shirtless, tattooed teenagers, Chief Keef effectively separates himself from his wealthier competition. Keef’s music, especially songs that include videos, gives outstanding insight into the gang-infested streets of south-side Chicago. Every time I watch one of Chief Keef’s early videos, I feel like I am watching an episode of a biography about an underprivileged teenage gang member. I have found no other artists in the music industry that can provide this unique sensation. Other prominent rap artists’ videos normally appear heavily scripted, so if you find yourself uninterested by these Hollywood music videos, Chief Keef’s are a wonderful option for some variety and realism.

Chief Keef’s first hit and most popular video, “Don’t Like”:

Chief Keef’s forceful yet explicit lyricism is just as vital to his music’s success as the visuals that go with it. His unpretentious recollections from various incidents from his teen years perfectly compliment the incriminating videos that his songs play over. These two devices form a powerful combination that allows him to portray a dismal mood, accurately illustrating the despondent struggle of Chicago’s lower class. Instead of using derivative metaphors to describe unrealistic club stories, Chief Keef strays away from dubious comparisons and instead focuses his lyrics on realities; whether he is describing the style of clip that his cousin’s gun holds or what caused him to be indicted at the youthful age of sixteen, his lyrics depict the same credible realism as his videos. Chief Keef’s goal as an artist is not to replace the philosophical poets that fill your “Deep Thinking Rap” playlist. He is not attempting to compete with lyrical geniuses that contemplate the meaning of life over snares and kicks. He is giving a first person perspective into the life of a troubled teenage gang member, and at that he does a flawless job.

Without credibility, violently themed music videos and iniquitous lyrics are only artistic forms of fiction. When the vast majority of radio rappers attempt to convince their audience that they are heavily involved in violence and illegal activity, they provide little to no evidence to prove their claims. Two themes that the prevalent rap artist, “Rick Ross” commonly discusses are firearms and drug trafficking. His lyrics could seem to tell similar stories as Chief Keef’s, but a quick background check would reveal that Rick Ross was a police officer prior to his music career. If you were to do a similar check on Chief Keef’s past, you would discover that not only has he never held a formal occupation excluding his music career, but he also dropped out of school at the age of 15 to record his first studio album. I am not promoting nor encouraging his decisions in any way, but I am saying that his background ties in perfectly with his visuals as a way to increase his music’s authenticity. This is the main factor that separates Chief Keef from other rap artists. If you are tired of rap lyrics that leave you feeling like you have been lied to, you will find Chief Keef’s validity extremely refreshing.

Chief Keef’s realistic artwork illustrates the problematic memoir of a troubled teenage male living in the murder capital of the United States. Grimy music videos, genuine lyrics about violence, and an arrest record that validates his claims all contribute to his music’s success and ability to entertain. If these themes seem even mildly interesting to you, I can guarantee you will not be disappointed if you give his music a chance. Through innovation, consistency, and authenticity, Chief Keef lucratively separates himself from the ordinary rappers that riddle the modern-day rap scene. I find this style of hip-hop to be the most interesting simply because it allows me to observe a lifestyle that I would not otherwise be able to witness. I recommend Chief Keef’s music to anyone who is looking for something different out of rap music.