Words by Madelyn Griffith
Some artists seem to have lost sight of their responsibility to respect their audiences’ time and honor advertised/intended schedules. Returning to the tour scene after a two-year hiatus, Chief Keef, accompanied by several friends and artists, took the stage in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 21st, 2026. While I am not intending to single out Sosa, his prolonged delay reflects a broader concern within the rap industry about artists arriving hours after their scheduled performance times. Overall, primarily affects fans who have paid their money and stood for hours to enjoy their favorite artist. Additionally, TikTok videos from previous tour stops suggested that the delays were not limited to New Orleans.
Traveling across the I-55 bridge to NOLA from my hometown, Jackson, MS, I started streaming the setlist, hyping myself up for the night. To be completely honest, I am not a huge fan of Chief Keef; he has never appeared in my Spotify Wrapped. However, for people who have followed his career and felt his influence, attending a live show is a must! Especially since there is no certainty when he might tour again. In my opinion, songs like “Faneto” and “Love Sosa” are arguably some of the most iconic songs from the 2010s that one has to experience live in their lifetime.
Arriving in NOLA around 5 p.m. on a warm, humid evening, I dropped my bags at my hotel, grabbed a quick bite, and napped before the doors opened at 7 p.m. I awoke around 7:45 p.m. and hurriedly threw on my all-black outfit and began speed walking to the venue, worried I would be far in the back for the listed 8 p.m. start of the show.
With years of concert experience, if a show is listed to start at 8 p.m., truthfully the main act will come on at 9 p.m., understandably allowing for more time for fans to arrive and other kinks to be worked out. Upon arriving at 8:15 p.m., it seemed like some people felt Chief Keef would not be coming out at 9 p.m., as the venue was barely packed. As the night progressed, the Fillmore, a circus-themed venue with a beautiful chandelier, began filling up with young fans. Some appeared as young as 15-18 years old, all sharing a passionate excitement to see tonight’s show. The DJ seemed to understand the crowd, playing familiar songs that immediately sparked reactions from the younger attendees. The DJ played hits like “Mo Bamba” and “Swag Surfin’”, watching small pockets of moshpits form. This would continue till about 9:25 p.m., when the audience began to cheer for Sosa and grow tired of listening to “Swag Surfin’” over and over again (it was played twice). Noticing audience disapproval, the MC’s began telling us that Sosa was on the way and would arrive in 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes would pass, and the MC would return to the mic announcing Sosa would arrive in 10 minutes. Another fifteen minutes later, the MC announced Sosa was pulling up to the venue. As the announcements continued without a performance in sight, the crowd grew clearly impatient.
It was not until 10:08 p.m. that the surprise unannounced opening act, Lil Gnar, took the stage. The performance seemed rushed, failing to engage the crowd. After a lackluster performance, Chief Keef finally took the stage at 10:21 p.m., opening with “Bitch Where.” His arrival briefly broke the spell of frustration the crowd was previously under. Fans pulled out their phones while simultaneously screaming with excitement. However, this vibrant energy would not consistently last. The songs seemed to fly one after another with little room for the crowd to settle into each performance or for artist engagement. At times during the performance, Sosa’s friends would perform the songs for him, rapping on the mic as he aimlessly walked about the stage.When Sosa did take the microphone, the backing track often carried much of the performance, as he rapped only the choruses or the most popular verses. The delivery of most of these raps lacked intensity and passion.
While I was not expecting a big-budget production performance, I did wish there was more intention to make the concert feel memorable. The background visual was the same static promotional picture throughout the entire night. Chief Keef Sosa holds such an iconic, influential place in American rap and pop culture, with his impact extending well beyond his catalog. I attended expecting a memorable performance, yet left disappointed, relying on my own recordings to recall a night that offered too few lasting moments. Of course, moments like “Save Me,” “Faneto,” and “I Don’t Like” were unforgettable and made the crowd go crazy, but other songs failed to leave an impact.
Additionally, the energy within the venue solely relied on that of the crowd. Chief Keef and his entourage rarely offered enthusiastic encouragement. They merely walked around the stage talking to each other and drinking. Unfortunately, it somewhat felt like the crew did not care to be on stage that night. For much of the night, the crowd seemed to showcase more energy than the performance itself.
After a two-hour wait, three hours for fans who showed up promptly, the 45-minute concert ended with Sosa finally speaking and saying “I love Y’all. Bye” and walking off stage. Ultimately, the night fell short of the expectations I had surrounding an artist of Sosa’s influence. I am sad to say I left feeling that the anticipation had outweighed the performance. Still, I am happy to say I have seen Chief Keef live, even if the experience fell short of my expectations.
