According to the Chicago Sun Times, Chicago rap artist Chief Keef was taken into custody for violating his probation. Chief Keef who's real name is Keith Cozart has been on probation for allegedly pointing a gun a Chicago law enforcement. Cozart, 17, was sentenced to 18 months of probation in January 2012 for the incident. Cozart was jailed for violating his probation, which prohibited him from having contact with firearms. Cozart was filmed shooting a rifle in a video promoting his album, "Finally Rich" at a gun range in New York in June 2012.
Cozart has been connected to the death of another Chicago native, Joseph "Lil JoJo" Coleman. Coleman was shot to death on the South Side of Chicago in the summer of 2012. It is known that Coleman and Cozart were from rival gangs in the area and engaged in terse words over the internet prior to the shooting. Cozart has not been officially tied to the murder.
Chicago has a had a string of violent murders involving young African Americans and is rooted in the very gang culture Cozart celebrates on "Finally Rich". Cozart's tie to this culture has inexplicably boosted his popularity among some Hip Hop fans. What does Cozart's arrest mean in the scope of how Hip Hop, specifically rap music is being received by the public?
There is currently a twitter campaign using #freesosa to show support for Cozart, but is this responsible? Cozart committed a crime and was sentenced for said crime. Cozart also has violated the terms of his sentencing but should we be celebrating his behavior? Several twitter users have taken this as an opportunity to poke fun at what should be a cause for concern.
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