Sosa on the Beach: Chief Keef Announces Miami Beach Show

Ten years ago, Chief Keef was the ultimate enfant terrible of rap, the iconic living symbol of Chiraq. The teenage drill rapper, government name Keith Cozart, made music inspired by his bleak life as a Chicago gangbanger that was so full of gritty, nihilistic drama it ultimately redefined the genre, and his rise coincided with an epochal wave of gun violence that made Chicago the murder capital of America, a dubious distinction that persists to this day.

Rumors swirled around a series of run-ins with the law that only increased the rapper's legend, including drug-dealing charges, gunfights with the Chicago police, and connections to the murder of fellow rapper Lil Jojo. His iconic video for "I Don't Like," the song that defined his career and launched him to stardom, was shot in his home because he was on house arrest. He even got banned from Instagram for posting a photo of himself getting top. He was the real deal — and he's lucky he survived it all. In 2014, he left Chicago for Los Angeles.

Eleven years later, much has changed for Sosa. In all that time away from his hometown, he's kept working, producing hits such as "Faneto," churning out mixtapes, and working with newer rappers. He's influenced countless members of the SoundCloud generation and also feuded with a couple (remember 6ix9ine?). XXXtentacion (RIP), Juice Wrld (RIP), Trippie Redd, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, and even pop acts like Doja Cat and Billie Eilish owe him a creative debt. His music made it across the pond and sparked the UK drill scene, which in turn influenced new-wave American drill artists such as the late Pop Smoke.

This year, the rapper is enjoying something of a renaissance, having recently worked with the likes of Lil Yachty and Sexxy Red. His new album, Almighty So 2, which is largely self-produced, features appearances from Quavo, G Herbo, Tierra Whack, and other hip-hop luminaries. He also dropped a collaborative mixtape with hitmaking producer Mike WiLL Made-It called Dirty Nachos, designed as a throwback to the early-2010s peak of trap music.

He's even returning home to the Chi after years of being effectively banished from the city, headlining the Summer Smash music festival alongside Playboi Carti and Travis Scott's Cactus Jack crew. Most of us probably can't fly up to Chicago, though, so he's following that up with a 17-date tour, and South Florida is on the schedule. He'll be at the Fillmore Miami Beach on Friday, August 2.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Miami and Keef don't always mesh. In 2017, the rapper was arrested and charged with DUI in Miami Beach after cops found him with a lean cup. He took a truly iconic mug shot and performed at that year's Rolling Loud. He returned to the festival last year.

Lil Gnar and the Glo Boyz, affiliates of Keef's label Glo Gang, will provide support. Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, May 15, at 10 a.m. On X, the Fillmore announced a Live Nation presale for Monday, May 13, at 10 a.m., accessible with the code SOUNDCHECK.

See all the tour dates below.

July 16 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
July 18 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
July 19 – Minneapolis, MN – Armory
July 22 – Detroit, MI – Fillmore Detroit
July 24 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
July 25 – Washington, DC – Echostage
July 26 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
July 27 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore Charlotte
July 29 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
July 31 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily's Place
August 2 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
August 5 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
August 6 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
August 9 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
August 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
August 11 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre August 13 | San Francisco, CA | The Midway

Chief Keef. With Lil Gnar and the Glo Boyz. 8 p.m. Friday, August 2, at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach; 305-673-7300; fillmoremb.com. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 15, at 10 a.m. via livenation.com.