Working title
Is the violent, materialistic and sexist content in Chief
Keef's music taking negative representations in the hip hop genre to new
extremes and what impact does this have on audiences?
Angle:
How does this negative violent representation of Chief Keef effect the audience?
Hypothesis:
In Chief Keef's violent music videos, he influences young boys to be doing the same and become violent.
Chief Keef represents himself and his friends in a very violent and aggressive manner. He reinforces the typical stereotypes of young black men. He presents in himself as being a gang member and as being part of a loyal crew named '600'. In his videos as well as other guys from the grew, they mention the loyalty in their gang and how they'd do anything for each other. The non-verbal structure in his video also reinforces the stereotypes. He styles his hair in a manner where most of his face is hidden. His hairstyle is a very popular hairstyle that young black men tend to use. He also dresses in a way that intimidates people, he has trousers down low as well as wearing very dark colours that could connote the danger that surrounds him. Also, he always seem to be doing hand gestures that 'thugs' do to show where they are from. He shows the fact that he is rich by wearing good and expensive brands. He always seems to be showing alcohol in his videos as well as 'weed.' This could connote that he isn't very fearful about getting caught. This also reinforces the stereotypes of gangsters drinking and smoking a lot. The gang signs that he seems to repetitively do shows respect and loyalty between him and his other gang members.
The music that he makes is mainly aimed to the age range of 18-26. The users gratification are an audience that are seeking for entertainment and escapism. This is mainly because his videos are entertaining. Audience would be seeking escapism as the world of Chief Keef is almost unreal, not something that everyone witnesses. Also, the drinks and the repetitive use of drugs makes his music more suited to people above the age of 18.
Migrain
Cheif Keef is represented as a typical thug boy within his music as well as videos and everything. He puts an image that shows that he has had a rough hard childhood in Chicago. He refers to being from 'O-Block' and to be part of the crew known as 600 (six double o) He puts this image of himself that makes himself look like a dominant teenage representation of someone of that area as in his videos there are many references to violences and crimes.
On instagram he outs pictures throwing gang sign, sagging pants, bikes, cars, drugs and etc.. All these iconographic materials emphasise on what kind of life he leads and what he associates himself with. He shows that he isn't playing or pretending.
To society, he shows a very negative attitude. Chief Keef represents himself as someone who should be feared of.He puts on a 'hood' image that would cause people who don't see what he is coming from to fear him and be scared of him.
The major convection within this music there are many themes that are popular between rappers. The conventions portrayed are typical conventions that are expected from rappers.The use of drugs, weapons, sex, women, alcohol and materialistic belongings emphasise on his nature and what type of life he leads.
His main genre is Hip hop as well as rap hence the reasons to why he associates such images in his music. The portrayal of a rapper associated to him would be rapperrs such as 50 cent,
Shep
Social:
The latest improvements made in the digital world are very helpful to upcoming rappers such as chief keef. This enables them to alert the audience about what kind of music he will be releasing, pictures that are associated to him, his instigram posts, tweets related to his music and information. People might get influenced by his lyrics and actions and representations in his music.
Historical
Chief Keef posted several YouTube videos while he was under house arrest for a weapon charger. He received a lot of attention which increased during the short time between the releases of several mixtapes for example ‘Bang’ and ‘I Don’t Like’, which became a local hit in Chicago getting the attention of Kanye West. A remix was soon then released featuring rappers such as Pusha T, Jadakiss and Big Sean.
Chief Keef was wanted by a number of labels asking him to sign onto their record including CTE World (Young Jeezy) however he signed up with Interscope Records as they allowed him to have his own label called Glory Boyz which is now the CEO of, the deal was worth six million dollars.
Chief Keef released his studio album Finally Rich on December 18th 2012 featuring 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, French Montana and Lil Reese.
In 2013 he released Hate Being Sober featuring 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa, on November 16th 2012 Chief Keef was a no-show for their music video shoot in Las Vegas.
On may 21st 2013, Katy Perry tweeted he dislike for this song and Chief Keef replied in threats and insults to the singer, grabbing a lot of attention from both fan bases.
Complex named the song number 20 of the 50 best songs of 2012, Rapper Drake praised the song via Twitter saying he played it 130 times in 3 days and Chief Keef announced the single would be on Grand Theft Auto V.
On May 8th 2013, Gucci Mane announced that Chief Keef would be the newest member of 1017 Brick Squad Records. On 18th August 2013, the rappers 18th birthday, he released his mixtape Bang Part 2.
Chief Keef has a number of incidents:
January 27th 2011
Chief Keef was arrested on charges of heroine manufacture and distribution, he served time on house arrest.
December 2011
He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on a police officer and unlawful use of a weapon along with misdemeanour charge for resisting arrest. He was held in the cook county juvenile detention centre until he was sentenced to home confinement.
September 5th 2012
Investigation for a possible connection in the shooting of Lil JoJo as Chief Keef twitted a mocking comment on twitter which he argued was a result of a hacker. The mother of Lil JoJo was convinced Chief Keef has someone hired to kill her son.
January 16th 2013
Taken into custody after a juvenile court judge decided a video of him firing a semiautomatic rifle at a New York gun range was a violation of probation. On March 14, 2013, Keef was released from a juvenile detention centre after serving the 60 days for violating his probation.
Keef was sued by Washington, D.C.based, Promotion Company Team Major for $75,000 for a missed show as he was supposed to perform at the O2 Arena in London on December 29, 2012 but never showed.
Political
VEVO and MTV have censored most of Chief Keefs videos as there is too much use of guns on camera. There are also many references to racism. The wording used in his lyrics is also censored as it causes moral panic. In the song Dont like there are many gaps as most of his lyrics have been censored.
Economical
Chief Keef puts him and his associates in his videos who are usually topless and bopping and dancing to his music. They, as well as Chief Keef are drinking, smoking and throwing gang signs. His as well as his crew members videos have been harshly criticized for lacking in creativity.
.Issues and Debates
The kind of genre that Chief Keef goes for is usually dangerous aswell as intimidating. When he raps in his song Dont like he refers to getting his gun out on officers. In his videos he glorifies the use of money, clothes, cars while drinking and smoking as he is dancing to his music. He He has people who are in the video with him who show loyalty to him and who are down to 'ride or die' with him. The way he represents himself is the same way that his friends presents themselves as well. Perkins claim that there are truth of elements behind every stereotypes although it is hard to recognise what truth is behind his stereotypes.
Regulation and censorship
Censorship has stopped him from using fire in his music videos and having racist gestures in his music. MTV and VEVO have edited his music video to a different extent as the use of guns, drugs, violence, weapons and racism was too much. The words such as 'shit' , 'nigga', 'bitch' were removed from most of videos.
Media Technology and revolotuion
Technology has allowed rappers to be showing the releases through instagram, youtube, twitter, facebook and social interactions like these. Most of his videos are advertised in through social media.
Media effects
The copycat theory mention that the younger generation would idolise these bad thugs and try to live the same lifestyle as them. People would be influenced by his lyrics and try to lead a life like Cheif Keef: his use of drugs, the way he treats women and how he is willing to be killing people who oppose him.
Theories.
Gender and ethnicity
In this genre, besides Nicki Minaj there are not many female rappers. Males are more suited to rapping as this genre mainly includes the mistreatment of women, emphasising on dominance and dancing with females who are usually half naked. Socially constructing the idea that women are belonging and just seen as sex toys.
Audience theories
The users and gratification includes an audience that seeks entertainment and escapism. This is because they are able to escape and feel some sort of amusement as they feel entertainment. Many people want to be rich and famous, have expensive cars and belongings. The psycho graphics include aspires and mainstream people who follow the popular trend.