News Thu Sep 06 2012

Chief Keef's Crude Tweet Lands Him Under Police Investigation

By Katie Karpowicz

The Tribune and Sun-Times are reporting that 17-year-old much-buzzed-about local rapper Chief Keef is being looked into by police for connections to the tragically fatal shooting of fellow Chicago teen rapper Lil JoJo (real name Joseph Coleman). According to reports, Coleman's death follows a possibly gang related feud between Coleman and Chief Keef's (real name Keith Cozart) "300 squad." Coleman's recent song "3hunna K," released digitally, mocked Keef's crew, who are known to have gang affiliations.

Coleman was gunned down in a drive-by shooting Tuesday night in the South Side's Englewood neighborhood. In the hours following Coleman's death, Chief Keef sent out a tweet that read: "Its Sad Cuz Dat N**** Jojo Wanted To Be Jus Like Us #LMAO." (The Internet acronym "LMAO" stands for "Laughing My Ass Off.") After tying together Coleman's death, the public rivalry between the rappers and Keef's tweet, police are currently investigating the possibility that this was a gang-related crime and whether or not Cozart had any involvement.

Chief Keef's manager, Rovan Manuel has since told the Sun-Times that he didn't think the rapper meant "anything personally" with his tactless tweet.

Amidst a summer that's seen homicide numbers in Chicago raging out of control, this news comes as an especially pertinent blow to the local music community. Chief Keef has been championed by many Chicago media outlets, essentially making him the face of the younger end of our hip hop scene. Despite the fact that he's already inked a deal with Interscope Records (albeit while on house arrest for allegedly pointing a gun at a Chicago police officer) and Kanye West has given one of his tracks a remix treatment, it's a questionable move for Chicago. This kid -- who was on house arrest at age 16, has known gang affiliations, openly raps about his use of drugs, and is now being looked into for his connections to a murder of a fellow rapper -- is who we're backing? This is who aspiring young rappers are supposed to look up to and Chicago residents are supposed to be proud of?

Whether or not the police investigation turns up anything is, frankly, irrelevant. If there's anything we're learning in the modern era, it's that 140 characters can convey a whole lot. The fact that anyone is laughing their a** off about the slaying of an 18-year-old is a shame. What many music fans and, sometimes, even critics fail to recognize is the fact that Chief Keef is a fluke in some sense. It brings me back to the days when Kanye West was encouraging his listeners to drop out of college and steal clothes from the GAP. If you spend your high school days involved in crime, trash talking your fellow scene mates and maintaining a rapping career there's plenty of possible outcomes for your future and signing a major record deal is one of the least likely. The fact that many hopeful Chicago rappers and musicians look to Keef's behavior and see a successful young man, in the words of Keef himself: That's that s*** I don't like.