Cozart attended Dulles Elementary School and later Banner High School on Chicago's South Side, which is where he got his career start. In December 2011, he was arrested on a weapons charge (aggravated unlawful use of a weapon) and put under house arrest at his grandmother's home. While under house arrest, Cozart posted several videos to his YouTube account. The attention he received grew in the short time between the release of several mixtapes and several music videos, including "Bang," "3Hunna," and "I Don't Like." After two locally successful mixtapes, "I Don't Like" became a local hit in Chicago. It also caught fellow Chicago rapper Kanye West's attention, and West organized a remix of the song along with rappers Pusha T, Jadakiss, and Big Sean. On July 7, 2012, it was announced that Chief Keef would be performing at the 2012 Lollapalooza music festival.
In the following years, Keef has served up a continuous stream of releases, such as Back From the Dead 2 (2014), Bang 3 (2015), and Thot Breaker (2017). Critics have cited Chief Keef as a major influence on contemporary hip hop through his impact on artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Tupac and various collaborations.
Kobe
Chief Keef Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think that I'm Kobe, swish
I think that I'm Kobe, swish
Ay, ay, ay
I been ballin' so damn hard I swear I think that I'm Kobe
Young bull of this rap shit but I think that I'm Kobe
I swear I'm dunkin' on these hoes, on these niggas I'm free throwin'
Watch me hit the strip club make it rain like I'm Kobe
Industry full of lames, I play the game like I'm Kobe
And since I think I'm Kobe my bitch don't like to know me
This is for them niggas that be thinking they Kobe
I said "baby, I got the racks" she like "you need to show me"
She gon' wanna blow me 'cause I ball like I'm Kobe
On my right wrist Versace on my left wrist a Rollie
I hold my Rollie up and now them bad bitches on me
I pull them hundreds out my right pocket, fifties out my left
I'm ballin' like I'm Kobe I got plug with the ref
Watch me shoot this three, infirmary step
I got twenty seven more and them be courtesy shells
Since I signed with Jimmy Iovine, I swear I think that I'm Kobe
You boys won't be like me and I think that you owe me
Since I signed with Jimmy Iovine, I swear I think that I'm Kobe
You boys won't be like me and I think that you owe me
I been ballin' so damn hard I swear I think that I'm Kobe
Young bull of this rap shit but I think that I'm Kobe
I swear I'm dunkin' on these hoes, on these niggas I'm free throwin'
These boys they don't like me 'cause I think that I'm Kobe
Watch me hit the strip club make it rain like I'm Kobe
Industry full of lames, I play the game like I'm Kobe
And since I think I'm Kobe my bitch don't like to know me
This is for them niggas that be thinking they Kobe
Man I smoke so much dope I swear I think that I'm Smokey
Tadoe off that molly and me I love smokin'
Hundred thousand in one pocket I get paid like I'm Kobe
When these fuck boys play games man I just play like I'm Kobe
My lil' bitch just asked why I be stuntin' so hard
'Cause them guns shoot one two one two ain't no stompin' the yard
I want top in the car, she said "boy, you goin' too far"
I said" I'm Kobe bitch, don't act like you never done this before"
I been ballin' so damn hard I got them ugly faces
I'm sold Nowitzki, bitch, I'm Kobe I got plug with the yay
I been ballin so damn hard I got them ugly faces
I'm sold Nowitzki, bitch, I'm Kobe I got plug with the yay
I been ballin' so damn hard I swear I think that I'm Kobe
Young bull of this rap shit but I think that I'm Kobe
I swear I'm dunkin' on these hoes, on these niggas I'm free throwin'
These boys they don't like me 'cause I think that I'm Kobe
Watch me hit the strip club make it rain like I'm Kobe
Industry full of lames, I play the game like I'm Kobe
And since I think I'm Kobe my bitch don't like to know me
This is for them niggas that be thinking they Kobe, swish
In the song "Kobe," Chief Keef compares himself to the late, great basketball player Kobe Bryant as a metaphor for his own success in the rap game. He boasts about his baller lifestyle, rapping about making it rain in the strip club and holding his Rolex high to attract women. He also boasts about being compared to Kobe, as he is dominating in the music industry just like Kobe dominated on the court. The chorus of the song, "I been ballin', so damn hard I swear I think that I'm Kobe," implies that Chief Keef is so successful, he feels like he's invincible like Kobe was on the court.
Chief Keef also references having a lot of money and a lot of power, as he compares himself to Kobe's success and fame. He describes himself as the "young bull" in the rap game, similarly to how Kobe was a young player in the NBA. He mentions the influence he has over others in the game, saying "You boys won't be like me and I think that you owe me." The lyrics suggest that Chief Keef is at the top of his game and feels like he is untouchable, just like Kobe was unstoppable on the basketball court.
Overall, the lyrics to "Kobe" are a celebration of success, power, and influence that Chief Keef feels he has attained in his rap career. The song is a testament to the confidence and ambition that are required to make it to the top in the competitive world of rap music.
Line by Line Meaning
I been ballin' so damn hard I swear I think that I'm Kobe
I have been playing extremely well in my career and I feel like I am the best, just like Kobe Bryant was
Young bull of this rap shit but I think that I'm Kobe
I am a young and talented rapper who is just starting out, but I have the same confidence and drive as Kobe Bryant did
I swear I'm dunkin' on these hoes, on these niggas I'm free throwin'
I am effortlessly dominating my competition, just as Kobe Bryant would often do on the basketball court
These boys they don't like me 'cause I think that I'm Kobe
Some people are envious of my talent and confidence, just as some people were envious of Kobe Bryant's success
Watch me hit the strip club make it rain like I'm Kobe
I am extremely wealthy and enjoy spending my money in extravagant ways, just like Kobe Bryant was known to do
Industry full of lames, I play the game like I'm Kobe
I believe that most of my competition in the rap industry is subpar and I am playing at a higher level, just like Kobe Bryant played at a higher level than most of his peers
And since I think I'm Kobe my bitch don't like to know me
Because I have a lot of confidence and success, some people, including my girlfriend, find me arrogant and unapproachable
This is for them niggas that be thinking they Kobe
This song is a message to all the other rappers who believe they are the best in the game, just like Kobe Bryant was often seen as the best player in the NBA
Lyrics Β© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Cozart, Tyree Lamar Pittman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@freddjan6627
Whoβs here after the Kobe Bryant news LONG LIVE KING KOBE!
@kokekane4042
Me
@tyronecrawford2157
Play this all day LA!
@MiguelMendoza-jg2iu
All day long for a real one man we ballong like kobe tonight!!!!!
@micahshaw5157
You know it π―
@kaybee3982
From Chitown to LA! Long Lives Mamba! #24
@Cratossama
At least keef gave him his flowers while he was still here respect
@Cratossama
@SteadyChasin MoneyBags where's gucci's dedicated song
@youngfuturesupreme3901
literally everyone gave kobe his flowers lol he one of the few people that did get their flowers before passing
@Cratossama
@@youngfuturesupreme3901 No 1 cares bout everyone i care about keef because it's his video