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Chief Keef’s ‘Go to Jail’ Isn’t About His Regular Visits to the Slammer

Chief Keef Go to Jail

With last year’s Finally Rich and his scattered output in 2013 — including tracks like “Macaroni Time” and “Round Da Rosey” — Chicago rapper Chief Keef has, with varying levels of success, nudged outwards the borders of what can logically be called “rap music.” He continues discovering new ways to not really rap on two new tracks, “Go to Jail” and “I Ain’t Done Turnin’ Up.” The first  — which you can stream above — isn’t exactly a self-aware lament about his ongoing legal issues (“Don’t touch my pistol / Cuz I don’t wanna have to blow / Cuz I don’t wanna have to go to jail”) as much as it’s a dabble in classic gangster fabulism: “The block hot / The cops hot / Finna go to New Orleans to the Mardi Gras.” Sonically, Keef elongates words to their absolute logical conclusion, turning melisma into Autotune gargles so lengthy that it’s amazing you never hear him gasp. “I Ain’t Done Turnin’ Up” is a bit more normalized in comparison, but is likewise a heavy-lidded mumble that swirls with paranoia and ego.    

Keef has been divisive from the jump, and by burrowing deep into his own cerebellum he has only strengthened those opposite poles. He’s racking up tens of millions of YouTube views off tracks with zero promotion, but seems even further away from releasing a proper album. These tracks are reportedly from his upcoming Almighty So mixtape, which is currently in the works along with the previously announced Bang Pt. 2.