Massively influential and American hero, Chief Keef brought his “A Lil Tour” to Minneapolis on Saturday at The Armory, supporting his latest album, Almighty So 2. The album reveals Keef’s continued evolution since his meteoric rise at 16. Over the years, his music and himself have changed in the public eye. Once known for being reserved, low-energy in interviews, and often late or absent from shows, Keef now performs with a new level of confidence and freedom at 29, showing the growth that comes with over a decade in the spotlight.

Remaining loyal to his Glo Gang roots, Keef brought his longtime crew, the Glo Boyz (Tadoe, Ballout, and Doowop), along with label signee Lil Gnar, as openers for the tour. The Glo Boyz, who have been with him since his early days, each performed brief sets well-received by hardcore fans familiar with their presence in Keef’s catalog. Lil Gnar, signed to Chief Keef’s 43B label, brought high energy to his set and kept the crowd engaged, especially compared to the more laid-back style of the Glo Boyz.

At 10 pm, the energy shifted as Chief Keef himself took the stage, opening with tracks from Almighty So and the prior album 4NEM. No longer the laid-back performer of his past, Keef was expressive and animated, engaging the crowd with a setlist that leaned on both introspective tracks and high-energy hits like “Runner.” The Glo Boyz and Lil Gnar performed the songs with him bar for bar, and it helped that they were featured on some of them Keef performed with a natural chemistry, and the group’s dynamic kept the energy high throughout the show.

The crowd was notably diverse, reflecting the different eras of Keef’s music and his lasting influence across generations. I found myself moshing with teenagers one moment and hanging with women in their 30s the next. Midway through the show, Keef dove into his older catalog, turning up the nostalgia with fan favorites and hits like “Faneto,” “War,” and “Save That Sh*t,” sparking mosh pits and adding to the electric atmosphere. It was only right the set concluded with “I Don’t Like” and “Love Sosa,” the two iconic tracks that launched him to global fame, leaving the crowd in a frenzy.

Despite its short 40-minute length, the performance happened at a breakneck speed.  It was an honor to watch him perform songs that shifted how I and many others view what Hip-Hop can be. Watching Chief Keef on stage, now with a more mature charisma, was incredible; he performed not as the rebellious 16-year-old who broke genre rules but as a 29-year-old who knows not only his place in history but in the present.

Show Review: Nabil Hussien