GloRilla is Elle’s digital cover star, credits Chief Keef as early rap inspiration

When it comes to GloRilla’s musical inspiration, the rising rap superstar credits the sounds and artistry of Chicago rapper Chief Keef.

In a digital cover story for Elle Magazine, GloRilla opened up about listening to the drill-trap music growing up and the influence it — and Chief Keef — had on her career. 

“When I used to do bada** s***, I used to listen to Chief Keef while I was doing it,” she said. “He used to motivate me to do bad s***. But the s*** I used to be doing, he was rapping about, so I’m like, ‘Damn. I relate to everything he’s saying.'”

She added, “I just liked his energy. He was just so young and turnt and he didn’t give a f***. Nobody else sounded like him.”

The 23-year-old breakout star said she first started listening to Chief Keef after moving from her “strict” Christian mother’s home to the more laid-back parenting of her father. Gospel songs were traded for hip-hop tracks, and by the age of 15, she was listening to rap heavily. 

It took her a minute to find her voice, which at first was a high-pitched “girly” tone. But after embracing her “naturally deeper” sound, the rap star’s career took off. 

Her 2022 hit single “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” put her on the map due to its carefree lyrics and matching music video.

With the song and visual, and every hit thereafter, GloRilla has lived by the same message: “Be independent. Have fun. Live your life.”