S. Samuel
The "King of the South" T.I. recently gave his co-sign of buzzing teenage rap star Chief Keef and talked about what the newly signed Interscope Records artist brings to the table.
In Tip’s eyes, Keef is helping create a lane for young artists and representing his generation.
Backstage, Tip gave the youngster the ultimate co-sign. “Chief Keef, I feel like he represents a part of America,” T.I. told MTV News. “He represents a part of the youth in America that ain’t really got a voice right now. We looking at ’em, and we’re seeing the results of their actions, but we ain’t really listening to ’em, and I think you gotta have a representative of each generation in order to understand what they dealing with.” (MTV)
He also revealed putting out an offer to officially add Keef to his Grand Hustle family.
T.I. said there was an opportunity for Keef to join his Grand Hustle family, but he respects the young rapper’s decision. Tip is just happy that the go-getter was able to make a way for himself. “The opportunity existed, but I never put my own personal wishes before the best interest of the next person,” T.I. said. “I’m just happy that he’s able to do whatever’s best for him and his family and to move forward as a person and to progress in life. As long as he’s doing that, I’m happy.” (MTV)
Over the weekend, the Chicago rapper announced his new label situation.
Chief Keef already told you what he don’t like, but Interscope Records, that’s that sh– he do like. On Saturday (June 16) just hours before he took the stage at Birthday Bash with T.I. the Chicago upstart inked a deal with Jimmy Iovine‘s label and gave RapFix the exclusive. “I’ve been talkin’ to a lot of labels, but I just noticed that Interscope got people like 50, Eminem,” Keef told us after he got off stage performing his breakout track, “I Don’t Like.” The teenage spitter also revealed that he signed a publishing deal with Dr. Dre. Keef was recruited by a few labels including Cash Money and T.I.’s Grand Hustle. (RapFix)
Additional reports claimed that his deal includes movies and his own Beats headphones.
I spoke with the GBE crew and their management, Uncle Ro Mgmt, headed up by Dro, this morning to get some of the specifics of the deal. Although a dollar amount was not discussed, know that it was in the millions. Along with the solo deal, Keef was given his own label deal for his GBE imprint, which will be headed up by Keef, his manager Dro and his cousin Fredo Santana — likely making Chief Keef the youngest label owner in all of music. Keef also agreed to a multi-movie film deal through Interscope’s motion picture division, so look for Keef’s story to hit the silver screen in the future. The first movie is already in the works, and I should have some additional details on that soon. The icing on the cake, however, is Keef’s own line of Beats By Dre headphones, aptly titled “Beats By Keef.” The deal with Interscope has been in the works over the past few months, but Keef officially inked last night. With these three properties now belonging to Keef, it appears a new mogul has been born. Congrats to GBE. Keef and Dro on this monumental situation. (Fake Shore Drive)
