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10 Things You Should Know About Chief Keef - Few recent rappers have gone from 0 to 60 faster than Chief Keef. In a matter of months, the Chicago teenager shifted his gears from just another YouTube rapper to one of hip hop's most buzzed about up and comers, with heavyweights like Kanye and Birdman knocking down his door. And despite his image being mired in controversy, the young rapper has managed to land a major label deal, release his debut album and make some major indie label moves. In celebration of his 18th birthday, click on to see 10 things you should know about Chief Keef.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

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1. He's the Voice of Chicago's Most At-Risk Youth - Buzzing up through high school word of mouth and homemade YouTube videos, Keef took the Windy City by storm, voicing the dreams and destruction of the youth of a city that is currently under a violent siege.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

Photo By Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment

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2. He's Just Now Turning 18 Years Old - Keef is still a teenager but he's gained a cultish following for his audacious rhymes. He started recording when he was just 11 or 12 with grimy references to violence, sex and the Chi-Town streets that wasn't the bubble-gum rap produced by most rappers his age.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

Photo By Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment

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3. He Has a Rap Sheet that Rivals His Rap Sheet - It was during a house arrest bid that Keef channeled his energy into a rap career with his homemade YouTube vids. He hasn't been able to stay completely on focus, however. His criminal rap sheet continued to stay as storied as his artistic rap sheet with probation violations, disorderly conduct and even an investigation into a death he mocked on Twitter.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

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4. "Bang" Took Over YouTube - But not to dwell on his legal troubles (which also includes lawsuits and child support claims), let's revisit that artistic rap sheet. After word of Keef's run-in with Chicago's Finest spread through the city's high schools, his grimy video for "Bang" also went viral in a major way.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

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5. "I Don't Like" Got Even Bigger Than "Bang" - Then Keef's hypnotically threatening "I Don't Like" dwarfed its predecessor's buzz — to the tune of over 20 million views on YouTube — and getting a remix from none other than Chicago's Kanye West alongside Jadakiss and 'Ye's G.O.O.D. Music artists Pusha T and Big Sean. (Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment

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6. He's Drawn Comparisons to Waka Flocka Flame - With his agressive, straightforward lyrics, amped-up delivery and swinging dreadlocks, Keef was being likened to the "Hard in da Paint" star. Waka had this bit of advice for him: "You ain't gotta hold no gun in no interview. It's bigger than that, you're already there. Get your people out." (Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

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7. His Co-Signs Are Crazy - Just months after that fame-making house arrest, Keef was sought out by hip hop's upper crust. In addition to Kanye West, the Chi-town upstart recorded with hitmakers like Lex Luger and was being courted by Young Jeezy and Birdman. He even landed a coveted spot on Kanye's Yeezus album.(Photos: Splash News; Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment; Porton/PictureGroup)

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8. He's Gone From Mixtapes to a Studio Release - But before he was on Ye's Yeezus, he released his own studio album. His debut, Finally Rich, came via Interscope Records with features from Young Jeezy, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa and Rick Ross.(Photo: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment)

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9. He's Signed With Brick Squad 1017 - By the beginning of 2013, Gucci Mane announced that Chief Keef is an official member of the Brick Squad, which recently secured a distribution deal with Atlantic Records. Gooch's first project is reportedly a compilation of Brick Squaders. Meanwhile, he and Keef teamed up for "Darker," a video release from Trap House III, Gucci's eighth studio album.(Photos: Courtesy Glory Boy Entertainment; Moses Robinson/Getty Images)

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10. Multi-Million Dollar Label Deals - One of the most significant developments in the young Chicagoan's career, however, is that despite all the controversy, he not only signed an individual deal with Interscope, but also got a deal for his Glory Boyz Entertainment. The indie label now has major backing for such artists as Chi-Town's Lil Reese, Fredo Santana and producer Young Chop.(Photo: 247PapsTV/Splash News)

Photo By 247PapsTV / Splash News