In the modern wrestling federation that is hip-hop/rap
culture, he may not be the most prolific or impactful artist when pinned against his
contemporaries, but for those who have paid attention to his career, Keith
Cozart, better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is just as captivating. His
career has been filled with ups and downs, like many of the rap greats looking
to forge their names in history. The history he shares with the Alamo City is
no different. Several scheduled and then cancelled concert appearances dating
as far back to when he was still riding the wave of his then smash hits
"Love Sosa" and "I don't like" left him in the dog house
with fans.
However, October 7 at the Aztec Theatre was different.
Coming off two street-acclaimed back to back releases in "Bang 3” and
"Bang 3 pt. 2", and a high profile feature on Travis Scott's
"Rodeo" album, San Antonio finally got a proper introduction to Chief
Keef and the Chicago Drill scene.
Chief Keef performing at The Aztec Theatre on October 7, 2015
True to Chief Keef
fashion, he kept the rambunctious crowd waiting for over 3 hours! When the
lights dimmed and The Glo Gang took the stage to get the crowd hyped, it was
clear the audience was there to receive Sosa warmly. Launching in to a string
of deeper mixtape and album cuts, the mere presence of Sosa pumped energy into
the waning crowd. Unfortunately by the time "Love Sosa," [which was
still early in his set] came on, the lack of energy from Keef and his Glo Gang
cohorts gave the impression Sosa was just going through the motions, collecting
a check.
Despite this, there
were a few highlights sprinkled throughout the performance. A moment was set
aside to pay tribute and respect to Glo Gang member, Capo, who was shot and killed
in broad daylight in Chicago earlier this year. The crowd whipped in to a
frenzy when "Bang" blared through the speakers, but they weren’t sold
yet. The moment the crowd was collectively waiting for was "Faneto,"
one of the street bangers of this year – But even that wasn't enough to win the
crowd over entirely.
Lazy renditions of "Wit It" and "Yes"
aside, it was undeniable, the crowd was there for Keef. Fans stayed all the way
to the end while he sped through cuts to close out his set with, "I don't
like." It’s not far-fetched to assume the tour is a quick cash grab. Chief
Keef has spent the last year battling a string of arrests, the death of a
friend and a litany of other problems. Watching him call on his DJ [multiple
times] to play song he "actually knows the words to," reinforced the
idea he was performing out of mere obligation.
At the end of the day, Chief Keef was just another rap
performance to check off my list, as I'm sure, San Antonio, was just another
date on his Camp Glo Tour.
Written by EstEban DE La Cruz
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