Drill music
Drill music, also known as drill rap or simply drill, is a subgenre of hip-hop music with sonic origins in trap music and lyrical origins in gangsta rap. It began in Chicago, Illinois in the early 2010s. Drill lyricism is noted for its ominous, confrontational nature, often including references to gang rivalries and various incidents, sometimes murder, although the subgenre is thematically broader. Drill artists often address authentic, real-life conflicts, at times incorporating artistic expressions such as bravado, taunting, or mockery.
Early drill artists are typically noted for their associations with crime in Chicago, especially with the Black Disciples and Gangster Disciples. The genre garnered mainstream attention in 2012 following the success of pioneering Chicago rappers like Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Lil Reese, Fredo Santana, G Herbo, Lil Bibby, King Louie, FBG Duck, and producer Young Chop. Other rappers, such as Lil JoJo, S. Dot, Edai, L'A Capone, RondoNumbaNine, Lil Mister, SD and producers Smylez and Leek-E-Leek also contributed to the early drill scene. Additionally, DJs including DJ Kenn Aon and DJ Hustlenomics were conducive to the subgenre's early growth. Female rappers such as Sasha Go Hard, Katie Got Bandz, and the group Pretty N Pink developed the distinctive feminine style of drill music.
Drill music saw a resurgence in the mainstream during the late 2010s and early 2020s with artists such as King Von, Polo G, Calboy and a revamped Lil Durk. By the 2020s, drill's popularity spread globally, with the BBC in 2021 describing drill as "the sound of the global youth". The UK drill scene emerged in the mid-2010s, leading to the prominence of artists such as 67, Harlem Spartans, CGM, and Skengdo x AM. UK drill subsequently influenced regional scenes in Europe and America, including Brooklyn drill, which gained mainstream popularity in the early 2020s with artists like Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign. Drill scenes have been noted in such locales as Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, Ghana, Uganda, Denmark and France.
The subgenre's controversial nature has stimulated discussion. Public debate about the implications drill rap has raged, while some authorities, elected officials, and commentators in the UK and America castigate the genre and its artists, claiming that drill rap catalyzes real world violence. On the other hand, it has been counterargued that drill illuminates harsh societal realities, resonating closely with the disenfranchised youth audience, and that artists are within their right to self-expression. Attempts at curtailing the subgenre, including deleting posted music videos, blockading performances, and legalizing song lyrics as criminal evidence, have been put in practice in the UK and America, generating further controversy.
Characteristics
Lyrics
Drill lyrics tend to be adversarial, aggressive, sometimes with a "combative energy". The Guardians Lucy Stehlik said, "Nihilistic drill reflects real life where its squeaky-clean hip-hop counterparts have failed." Drill lyrics strongly contrast with the subject matter of earlier Chicago rappers and contemporary mainstream hip hop which at the time of drill's emergence tended to glorify and celebrate a rise to wealth.Drill lyrics typically reflect crime on the streets, and tend to be gritty, violent, realistic, and nihilistic. The Philadelphia Inquirer describes drill lyrics as "celebrating violence" and that the songs "often explicitly describe shootings, mock victims, and taunt enemies". According to DJ Drewski of Hot 97, "That's what started the whole New York drill|New York drill was if I beef with you, or if I got a problem with you, I'm gonna say it on this record". In drill lyrics, the term "opp" or "opps" is frequently used to refer to enemy gang members and rivals. Drill rappers use a grim, deadpan delivery, often filtered through Auto-Tune, influenced by the "stoned, aimless warbling of Soulja Boy and Lil Wayne before him." Atlanta-based rappers Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame were important influences on the early drill rappers.
Production
The BBC states that "Whereas trap, the Atlanta-born rap style that dominated hip-hop for most of the 2000s, is often rhythmically rigid – with a snare falling on the third beat of each bar – drill moves to skippy, syncopated hi-hat patterns echoing the rapid fire of a machine gun".The Guardian called drill production style the "sonic cousin to skittish footwork, southern-fried hip-hop and the 808 trigger-finger of trap." Young Chop is frequently identified by critics as the genre's most characteristic producer. The sound of trap producer Lex Luger's music is a major influence on drill, and Young Chop identified Shawty Redd, Drumma Boy, and Zaytoven as important precursors to drill. Chicago drill is traditionally characterized by synth brass and bell melodic elements, use of the crash cymbal, and busy snare drum patterns.
UK drill production, which is commonly utilized in Brooklyn drill, is characterized by a faster BPM, 808s "slides," and more syncopated drum rhythms—including the use of a sped-up tresillo rhythm in the hi hat patterns.
Artistry
Drillers tend to be young; many prominent musicians in the scene started getting attention while still in their teens. One of the genre's most prominent musicians, Chief Keef, was 16 when he signed a multi-million dollar record contract with Interscope, and in an extreme example, Lil Wayne co-signed the 13-year-old driller Lil Mouse. Critics have noted drill rappers' lack of concern with metaphor or wordplay. Chief Keef said that his simplistic flow is a conscious stylistic choice: Whet Moser of Chicago Magazine wrote that Keef's songs are "lyrically, rhythmically, and emotionally diminished, which is why they sound so airless and claustrophobic... It's not even fatalistic, because that would imply a self-consciousness, a moral consideration, that isn't there in the lyrics. It just is, over and over again." A profile on the scene in The New York Times examined the genre's aggression:History
Early drill
David Drake of Complex said drill is not defined by any particular production style, but "is about the entirety of the culture: the lingo, the dances, the mentality, and the music, much of which originated in 'Dro City', a gang-defined territory of city blocks in the Woodlawn neighborhood."In street slang, "drill" means to fight or retaliate, and "can be used for anything from females getting dolled up to all out war in the streets." Dro City rapper Pac Man, considered the stylistic originator and forefather of the subgenre, is credited as the first to apply the term to the local hip hop music. Pac Man's 2010 track, "It's a Drill," is the first instance of the term being connected to the genre.
Regarding drill rappers' use of early social media, musician Naledge stated that Drill rappers "understood virality in a way that I believe goes unremarked in terms of their genius and their ability to use social media to garner large audiences".
Rapper Drake described the drill scene as a major vehicle of the early 2010s rise of Chicago hip hop, and described the scene as a grassroots movement that had incubated in a closed, interlocking system: on the streets and through social media in a network of clubs and parties and amongst high schools. Drill developed on the South Side of Chicago, in the midst of escalating violence and a homicide crisis. Mark Guarino wrote for Salon that the music grew during "a shift from historic feuding between monolithic crime organizations controlling thousands of members each to intrapersonal squabbling and retaliatory conflicts among smaller hybrid groups whose control extends just a few blocks... The toughened reality of living in these neighborhoods is what shaped Drill music." In the drill scene, rap conflict and gang conflict overlap, and many of the young rappers come from backgrounds with experience of violence. The Independents Sam Gould wrote that Chief Keef "represents both a scary strain of current hip hop culture and a seriously alienated group within American society."
YouTube was a platform for many drill rappers to release their music videos on, and ultimately significantly contributed to the genre's popularity. Chief Keef is considered the primary progenitor and popularizer of drill music, responsible for bringing it to the mainstream. In 2011 and 2012, he recorded multiple singles, including "Love Sosa", "I Dont Like" and "Bang", which became viral hits, and was subsequently offered a deal from Interscope Records. Around the same time, King Louie, another drill rapper, was given a record deal from Epic Records.
By late 2012, rappers from other scenes and hip hop stars like Kanye West, Drake and Rick Ross were collaborating with drill musicians. Kanye West remixed "I Don't Like" for the 2012 GOOD Music compilation Cruel Summer as "Don't Like", with features from West, Chief Keef, Pusha T, Big Sean and Jadakiss. West cited drill as an influence on his 2013 album Yeezus, and Chief Keef and King Louie had vocals featured on the album.
New Jersey DJ Akademiks's commentary YouTube channel 'War in Chiraq' played a significant role in presenting the early Chicago drill scene to a wider audience. It had a quarter million subscribers and 94 million views in its first two years. Akademiks is quoted saying "I’ve done a lot to create narratives and help rappers themselves."
Videographer A Zae Production was of the leading videographers on the early drill scene. Videographer ZackTV also played a significant role in the exposure of Chicago's early drill scene to a wider audience. The YouTube interviews he conducted includes coverage such as Chief Keef's first on-camera interview, along with interviews with artists such as L'A Capone and RondoNumbaNine. ZackTV's work also sparked a media niche of intimate on-scene video journalism of the Chicago gangland culture behind the drill music, which had not been done before at the time. ZackTV was considered a mentor by other gangland reporters in that niche around the country.
Drill's subject matter strongly contrasts with that of earlier Chicago rappers such as Kid Sister, Lupe Fiasco, Psalm One, Rhymefest, and The Cool Kids.
Older Chicago rappers have been mixed in their reaction to drill's popularity and violence. In a radio interview, rapper Lupe Fiasco said "Chief Keef scares me. Not him specifically, but just the culture that he represents... The murder rate in Chicago is skyrocketing, and you see who's doing it and perpetrating it—they all look like Chief Keef." After Chief Keef threatened Fiasco on Twitter, Fiasco said he was considering quitting the music scene. Rhymefest tweeted that drill is "the theme music to murder."
Chief Keef's debut album, "Finally Rich", released on Interscope Records in late 2012, was subsequently described as a "classic" album in the genre. Despite the warm critique, "Finally Rich" sold an underwhelming 50,000 units in the first week, which resulted in record labels subsequently overreacting, deeming it a "fad".