Sosa picks the songs he loves the most. Turns out most of them are by Chief Keef.
This feature is a part of Complex's "Finally Rich" Week.
When we do these Complex digital covers, we usually ask artists about their favorite albums. Sometimes the responses speak volumes about their inspriation and evolution as a musician and a person. At 17 years of age, Chief Keef is not really part of the album generation. Having built his buzz through YouTube, he's more focused on individual tracks. So we decided to ask him about his favorite songs instead. And the answers definitely revealed volumes, but maybe not how you expected. Keef is like that sometimes. Unpredictable.
When asked to choose his 25 favorite songs, Sosa went heavy on one artist in particular—himself That's right, Keef primarily listens to his own music these days, although one of his core inspirations does manage to claim a spot at the bottom of the list.
Speaking to us over the phone just before a live show, Keef was pressed for time and not particularly interested in discussing the reasons for his picks or analyzing his songs. As he points out, they're all straightforward to the point where the meaning is communicated in each song title. We think that's a fair point. So without further ado, here are Chief Keef's 25 favorite songs, or his essential tracks—whichever you prefer.
Listen to Complex's Chief Keef's Favorite Songs playlists here: YouTube/Spotify/Rdio
Sosa picks the songs he loves the most. Turns out most of them are by Chief Keef.
This feature is a part of Complex's "Finally Rich" Week.
When we do these Complex digital covers, we usually ask artists about their favorite albums. Sometimes the responses speak volumes about their inspriation and evolution as a musician and a person. At 17 years of age, Chief Keef is not really part of the album generation. Having built his buzz through YouTube, he's more focused on individual tracks. So we decided to ask him about his favorite songs instead. And the answers definitely revealed volumes, but maybe not how you expected. Keef is like that sometimes. Unpredictable.
When asked to choose his 25 favorite songs, Sosa went heavy on one artist in particular—himself That's right, Keef primarily listens to his own music these days, although one of his core inspirations does manage to claim a spot at the bottom of the list.
Speaking to us over the phone just before a live show, Keef was pressed for time and not particularly interested in discussing the reasons for his picks or analyzing his songs. As he points out, they're all straightforward to the point where the meaning is communicated in each song title. We think that's a fair point. So without further ado, here are Chief Keef's 25 favorite songs, or his essential tracks—whichever you prefer.
Listen to Complex's Chief Keef's Favorite Songs playlists here: YouTube/Spotify/Rdio
25. Gucci Mane's Entire Catalog
Keef: "There's a lot of stuff I like by Gucci. Everything Gucci, everything. 'My Kitchen.' My favorite Gucci Mane song is 'Spanish Plug.' Favorite tape, uhhh...Gucci Sosa."
24. Chief Keef "Kush With Them Beans" (2012)
Producer: Soulja Boy
Album: N/A
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "Big knots in my pocket, I don’t carry no wallet"
Fact: This song is a remake of Soulja Boy and Kwony Cash's "Zan With That Lean."
23. Chief Keef "Save That Shit" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "Good loud pack smell like cat piss / Hangin' out the roof young and reckless"
22. Chief Keef "Everyday" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "I'm a Leo but my fuckin' birthday every day / Hope I be at the awards fuckin' Mary Kate"
21. Chief Keef f/ Johnny Maycash "Trust None" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "I don't trust myself, so what the fuck?"
Fact: Johnny Maycash is Young Chop's actual blood brother.
20. Chief Keef "Designer" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "My money don't fold up, I keep it long ways"
Fact: Keef likes his girls, his weed, his water, and his shootings designer—not just his wardrobe.
19. Chief Keef "I Don't Know Dem" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "Tec chop like lawn mowers, Feds listening, shit, short convo"
18. Chief Keef f/ Yale Lucciani "True Religioin Fein" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "Bitch I shop in France, money make her dance, then she fuck my mans"
Fact: This was, at one point, Tyler, The Creator's favorite Keef song.
17. Chief Keef f/ King Louie "Winnin'" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: King Louie wins this one for "bitches pop pills like ibuprofen."
Fact: Recorded in January 2012.
16. Chief Keef f/ SD "My Niggas" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "We on top but ain't no ho in us"
15. Chief Keef "Sosa" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best Lyric: "I'm smokin trees, and I'm busy lumberjackin'"
Fact: Keef's alter-ego was inspired by the Gucci Mane mixtape Gucci Sosa.
14. Chief Keef "Monster" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Back from the Dead
Label: GBE
Best lyric: "We just do our thing and the Feds watchin'"
Fact: Keef's manager Dro appears in the video.
13. Chief Keef "Finally Rich" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "So I could take care of my momma, take care of my daughter, and take care of my brothers (I'm finally rich)"
Fact: The song samples the famous "lil boy" from WorldStarHipHop who broke Keef to the wider world.
12. Chief Keef f/ Rich Ross "3Hunna" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "She said, 'Sosa, I'm a big fan / Bitch, I'm leanin' like a kickstand"
Keef: "Actually, I didn't do shit with Ross."
11. Chief Keef f/ Young Jeezy "Understand Me" (2012)
Producer: Casa Di
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best lyric: "Rob him for his stacks, if he's the Son of Sam / Who gives a fuck? We don't care 'bout nothin' fam"
Keef: "Did you understand me or you didn't?"
10. Chief Keef "Ballin'" (2012)
Producer: Leek-E-Leek
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "i gets me a big check, everything designer but it's mismatched"
Keef: "Ballin'. Shit. See, I told you."
9. Chief Keef f/ French Montana "Diamonds" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "That boy jewelry lookin' bleary like, who sold him that shit?"
Keef: "I don't like that shit, man."
Complex: "Why's that?"
Keef: "Cause I don't like it."
8. Chief Keef "Laughin' to the Bank" (2012)
Producer: YG
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "My bitches bi, bi, bi / I hit then bye, bye, bye"
Interscope: "Keef told me 'Laughin to the Bank' was his favorite song on the album."
7. Chief Keef "Kay Kay" (2012)
Producer: K.E. On the Track
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "Pullin' up in our foreigns / full of ignore-ance"
Fact: Named for his daughter.
Fact 2: Produced by K.E. on the Track, best known for 2009 crossover hit "Swag Surfin."
Keef: "The day I put it up [on YouTube] was when I recorded it, too. Same day or the day after."
6. Chief Keef f/ 50 Cent & Wiz Khalifa "Hate Bein' Sober" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "All these bitches off the shits walk around like some zombies"
GBE Members' preferred substances:
Keef: Smoking
Fredo: Drinking
Tadoe: Molly
Reese: Rolling, so presumably Molly as well
5. Chief Keef "No Tomorrow" (2012)
Producer: Mike WiLL Made It, A+
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "I ain't with the drama, I could fuck your mama"
Keef: "'No Tomorrow.' Everything you will know by the name."
4. Chief Keef f/ Lil Reese "I Don't Like" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "Fredo in the cut, that's a scary sight"
Keef: "No, [I'm not tired of this song]. I get tired of performing '3hunna' though."
Fact: Although it's been credited as having been shot in Keef's grandmother's, the video for this was actually shot in the Loft in the 100s neighborhood of the South Side of Chicago.
3. Chief Keef "Hallelujah" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "I love when me and Ben Franklin be spending some time."
Keef: "There wasn't really a story behind that. Just sayin' Hallelujah. That wasn't really nothing. That beat was decent, you feel me?"
2. Chief Keef "Kobe" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "Since I signed my Jimmy Iovine I swear I think that I'm Kobe"
1. Chief Keef "Love Sosa" (2012)
Producer: Young Chop
Album: Finally Rich
Label: Interscope, GBE
Best Lyric: "I get lots of commas / I can fuck your mama"
Keef: "They really love Sosa."