How Chief Keef Achieved a Net Worth of $2 Million

Keith Cozart (better known as Chief Keef) is one of the most popular rappers and record producers from the great state of Illinois. In fact, he’s credited with creating the Chiraq sound. He is nothing if not a proud Chicagoan. Unfortunately, you can love something that’s not good for you. Let’s take the area that Keef grew up in, for example. Keef‘s neighborhood was a haven for gangs and violent criminals. In fact, several of his family members met their end because of gun violence.

After these tragic events, Keef moved to Los Angeles, a major upgrade to his prior residence. But, what many don’t know is that the move was inevitable. Not only was he tired of the violence in his community, but they also evicted the rapper from his property in the Highland Park area of Chicago. His new house, nay mansion, is exquisite. It has, among many other impressive features, a hot tub and a swimming pool. Keef’s also known to drive very expensive cars. A few years ago, it‘s said his car collection was worth a whopping $500K. Considering all the facts in the case, how is that possible? How much is Chief Keef’s net worth?

The short answer to this question is a cool $2 million. But, have you ever considered how he made his millions? Wonder no more. Today we will break down the famous rapper’s journey to millionaire status.

In The Beginning

From the age of five, Chief Keef had musical ambitions. In fact, there are stories out there about the times he entertained loved ones with his mother‘s karaoke machine. Two years later, 2011 in fact, the young rapper tried his luck with a wider audience. He released his mixtapes, The Glory Road and Bang, independently and made money. These are the mixtapes that helped gain him fame in the Chicago South Side community. The same year, a judge sentenced the rapper to serve house arrest at his grandmother’s house for the unlawful possession of a firearm and the unlawful use of this weapon in public.

Instead of suppressing his creativity, the stress from his circumstance fueled him. It was during this time he posted numerous videos on YouTube. One of his songs, “I Don’t Like” achieved viral status. His hard work paid off, and he soon gained prominence in his community. Just 9 months after its debut, it’d garnered over 30 million views on the video website. This showcased his talent to a wider range of people and they too fell in love with his image and sound. It further intrigued them that he was on house arrest at his grandmother’s house.

This notoriety escalated rapidly. He soon caught the attention of popular artists Big Sean and Kanye West. Both rappers remixed Keef’s song and by the time they released him from house arrest, he was a superstar. He wasn’t even 17 yet. In 2012, the record companies couldn’t take it anymore. They had to sign this savvy independent artist. As a result, an intense bidding war began for Keef’s signature on the dotted line. Even Young Jeezy’s CTE World wanted his talent on the roster.

After deliberating, Keef signed with Interscope Records in an impressive $6 million deal for 3 albums. He would also receive an additional $440K to start his own independent label, GBE or Glory Boys Entertainment. From then on, some would say the sky was the limit for the rapper. He also made a ton of his money for his performances. At his peak, he was making a minimum of $40K a show. He made as much as $85K at some better paying gigs. Not bad for a kid barely out of high school.

Mixing it up with Mixtapes

On his 18th birthday, August 15, 2013, Keef celebrated by releasing the highly anticipated Bang Pt. 2. Almighty Sosa followed it a month later. Then, in 2015, he released Sorry 4 the Weight. After that, no one heard any new music from the artist. His fans grew frustrated with his lack of new material. But, when he appeared back on the scene, Keef announced that he was retiring from the rap game. It didn’t last long. In 2017, he released a 17 track mixtape called Two Zero One Seven.

Teamwork makes the Dream Work

Everyone in the industry knows that collaborations are a good way to make money. You’re guaranteed your money either way and you don’t have to work as hard as the titled artist on the track. If you are the titled artist, chances are your collaborations are with those with just as much fame (or more) than you. This is usually a recipe for success. With that being said, Keef has collaborated with the greatest in the game. Some of these fan favorites include Gucci Mane, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy.

The Bottom Line

There’s no denying that Chief Keef has had an interesting career, filled with many trials. But, with a net worth of $2 million, it’s safe to say his talent outshines his woes.