Intro to Drill Music
Drill music is a gritty, aggressive subgenre of hip-hop that emerged in the early 2010s from Chicago’s South Side. The signature sound of drill is dark, menacing production and hard-hitting lyrical content.
Drill beats tend to have rumbling basslines, harsh snares and fast, rolling hi-hats that evoke the rat-tat-tat of gunfire. The minor key melodies create an ominous, foreboding mood. Drill rappers rap in a deadpan, unrestrained flow about street life and violence over these punishing beats.
Lyrics frequently reference guns, drugs and urban warfare between rival gangs and housing projects. Drill artists aim for a blunt, uncompromising realism in their storytelling. There’s little room for frivolity or playfulness.
The nihilistic drill sound was pioneered by Chicago rappers like Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Lil Reese and Fredo Santana. Their early tracks like Keef’s "I Don’t Like" and Durk’s "Dis Ain’t What U Want" laid the groundwork for the drill movement that would spread across the world.
Chicago Drill Scene
Drill music has its roots in the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. This area was plagued by high rates of crime, poverty and gang violence. Out of this harsh urban environment, a dark, gritty new rap sound emerged – drill music.
Several pioneering Chicago rappers and producers crafted the signature drill sound. Chief Keef is widely credited with pioneering the drill movement with his 2012 breakout hit "I Don’t Like." The track exemplified the drill template – ominous trap beats, aggressive flows and violent lyrics. Other influential rappers from those early days include Lil Durk, Lil Reese, Fredo Santana, G Herbo and King Louie.
Songs like Chief Keef’s "Love Sosa" and Lil Durk’s "L’s Anthem" helped establish drill as Chicago’s quintessential street rap sound. The early Chicago drill classics were built on menacing trap beats with deep 808s, frantic hi-hats and eerie melodies. The lyrics focused heavily on gang life, violence, drug dealing and life in Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods.
As the 2010s went on, Chicago drill evolved from those raw, lo-fi street anthems into a more melodic, Auto-Tuned sound. Artists like Lil Durk and Chief Keef began experimenting with catchier hooks and more polished production. Nonetheless, Chicago drill has kept its uncompromising lyrical content and regional authenticity as it continues to thrive today.
UK Drill Scene
UK drill emerged in London in the mid-2010s, building on the foundation of Chicago drill but adding its own distinctive flavor. The raw, gritty energy of Chicago drill resonated with London youth dealing with poverty, crime and violence in inner city neighborhoods.
UK drill was heavily influenced by London’s road rap and grime scenes that had been bubbling since the early 2000s. Road rap’s gritty lyrics about street life and grime’s aggressive flows and electronic production provided the backbone for UK drill.
Some key pioneers of the early UK drill scene include 67, Section Boyz, 150 and Harlem Spartans. These crews and collectives helped develop the signature UK drill sound. Artists like LD, Dimzy, Liquez, Blanco and MizOrMac were instrumental in crafting UK drill’s style.
Songs like "Live Corn", "Call Me a Spartan" and "Kennington Where It Started" exemplified the early UK drill sound. The tracks featured the dark, minimal beats, aggressive flows and violent lyricism that came to define UK drill.
As the 2010s went on, UK drill continued to evolve and gain popularity. Artists like Headie One, Unknown T, Digga D, Loski, Central Cee and Russ pushed the genre into the mainstream with their unique talents and infectious tracks. Drill crews like Harlem Spartans, Zone 2, 12World and 410 cultivated loyal local followings.
By the mid-late 2010s, UK drill had firmly established itself as a thriving scene and distinct evolution of the drill sound. The fusion of Chicago drill and London street music created a wholly original subgenre that reflected the lives and realities of inner city UK youth.
Brooklyn Drill Scene
Brooklyn drill emerged in the late 2010s as New York City’s gritty take on the Chicago sound. While Brooklyn rappers had been experimenting with drill beats for a few years, the scene exploded onto the national stage with the breakout success of Pop Smoke in 2019.
With his deep, gravelly voice and cold detachment, Pop Smoke became the face of Brooklyn drill with hits like "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior." Following his rise, fellow Brooklyn rappers like Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Fivio Foreign, and 22Gz started gaining more traction.
The production style of Brooklyn drill is distinct, adding its own flavor. While taking obvious cues from the rattling hi-hats and dark melodies of Chicago drill, Brooklyn drill beats move at a slower BPM and incorporate more West Coast bounce. Producers like AXL Beats, Working on Dying, and 808Melo popularized an atmospheric, hazy style for Brooklyn drill.
Lyrically, Brooklyn drill tends to be more about flexing and showing off, with expensive clothes and cars as constant subjects. But the violent realities of street life still creep in, with many Brooklyn drill rappers having done time or lost friends and family members to gang disputes.
Within just a few short years, Brooklyn cemented itself as a hotbed for putting a new spin on drill music. The sudden passing of Pop Smoke shook the scene, but Brooklyn drill continues to thrive and shape the sound of New York hip-hop.
Lyrics & Themes
Drill music is known for its gritty, violent lyrics that depict the harsh realities of life on the streets. Common themes in drill lyrics include gang life, gun violence, drug dealing, poverty, and the struggle for survival. Drill artists use storytelling and first-person narratives to portray their day-to-day environment in graphic detail.
The violent lyrics of drill music have sparked much controversy and debate. Critics argue drill music glorifies and even encourages real-life violence and crime. However, drill artists counter that they are simply documenting the world around them and not promoting violence. As Chicago drill pioneer Chief Keef stated, "I’m not influencing. I’m just telling what goes on in my neighborhood."
The "keeping it real" mentality is strong in drill music. Drill artists aim to accurately represent their lived experiences rather than censoring the ugly or shocking details. While some drill lyrics do glorify violence, many artists say they are portraying the harsh realities of growing up in marginalized, high-crime neighborhoods.
There are also arguments around race and policing of black music genres. Some view the moral panic around drill as racially motivated, and reflective of society’s discomfort with young black men expressing rage at systemic inequality. However, the rise in fatal stabbings associated with drill music rivalries has bolstered the claims that the genre is problematic.
The drill lyrics debate is complex, with reasonable arguments on both sides. While free speech should be protected, promoting harm against others is widely condemned. More nuanced solutions, like supporting positive drill music, may be needed to address the root causes fueling the controversial themes.
Production & Beats
Drill music is defined by its dark, minimalist production. The signature elements of a drill beat include:
- Punchy, booming 808 basslines that rattle speakers
- Fast-paced hi-hat patterns, usually in triplets or 16th notes
- Simple, repetitive melodic lines played on a synth, piano or strings
- Sparse arrangements focused on drums and bass
Many of the most popular drill producers utilize drum kits with hard-hitting 808s and crisp snares, such as the "Zay 808" kit. Sampling also plays a key role in drill production. Soul, jazz and video game samples are chopped, pitched down and looped into chilling melodies.
Regional drill scenes have cultivated their own signature production styles:
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Chicago: Emphasis on deep 808s, eerie piano melodies and rolling hi-hats. Pioneered by Young Chop, DJ L and 12hunna.
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UK: Faster tempos influenced by grime, with more complex percussion and synths. 808Melo, Carns Hill and MKThePlug set the tone.
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Brooklyn: Lo-fi sound, distorted 808s and heavy use of slide whistle/spinz instrument. Popularized by Pi’erre Bourne, AXL Beats and Great John.
By combining hard-hitting drums, tense melodies and regional influences, drill producers have crafted the perfect gritty, uncompromising soundscape for drill’s cold-hearted street lyricism.
Drill Subgenres
Drill music has evolved into distinct regional scenes that can be considered subgenres in their own right. Beyond geography, drill has branched out into subgenres defined by lyrical content, production style, and more.
Regional Drill Scenes
The major drill scenes in Chicago, the UK, and Brooklyn have developed their own unique sounds that set them apart from each other. While they all share the core drill sound, each region has infused the genre with local influences.
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Chicago Drill – The original drill sound, defined by violent lyrics and trap-influenced production. Pioneered by Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and G Herbo.
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UK Drill – Adds more melody and stronger Caribbean/grime influences. Pioneered by Headie One, Unknown T, Digga D.
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Brooklyn Drill – More lyrical and fast-paced, with NYC swagger. Led by Pop Smoke, Fivio Foreign, Sheff G.
Beyond these main scenes, drill has sprouted localized offshoots everywhere from Toronto to Australia to France, each with slight sonic differences.
Subgenres by Style
Drill has also branched out into defined subgenres based on factors besides region:
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Melodic drill – More melodic, emo-tinged drill pioneered by Ann Marie, Lil Tecca, and Lil Tjay.
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Latin drill – Spanish-language drill from artists like Myke Towers and El Alfa.
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Afro drill – Adds African influences to the drill sound.
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R&B drill – Slows down drill beats for mellow, romantic lyrics.
So drill encompasses a wide spectrum of styles under its gritty umbrella. Even within cities, artists have carved out distinct sub-niches within the broader drill movement.
Influence on Hip-Hop
Drill music had a massive influence on hip-hop, especially in the 2010s. When it first emerged out of Chicago, drill immediately made waves with its dark, uncompromising sound that was a departure from the pop-rap dominating the mainstream at the time.
Tracks like Chief Keef’s "I Don’t Like" and Lil Durk’s "Dis Ain’t What U Want" quickly found an audience hungry for something harder and more authentic. Drill’s popularity coincided with the rise of SoundCloud rap in the early 2010s – the raw, DIY, punk ethos of drill was a precursor to what artists like Lil Pump, XXXTentacion, and 6ix9ine would embrace later in the decade.
By the mid 2010s, drill had firmly established itself in the hip-hop landscape. Established rappers like Kanye West and Drake began collaborating with drill artists, bringing the Chicago sound into the pop realm. Kanye tapped Chief Keef, King L, and G Herbo for Yeezus. Drake hopped on remixes of tracks by G Herbo and Dave, helping drill go international.
Drill’s influence can also be heard in the music of Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky, and ScHoolboy Q – artists who blended drill’s aggression and street narratives into their own styles in the 2010s. Ultimately, drill’s impact reshaped the sound of hip-hop at large, ushering in a harder-edged wave of rap that was unafraid to depict grim realities. The drill movement left a legacy still felt today.
Drill Music Controversies
Drill music has faced its fair share of controversies and misconceptions over the years. One of the biggest controversies has centered around claims that drill music causes violence. These claims often take the form of a moral panic, with drill music being blamed for rising crime rates and gang activity, especially in cities like Chicago and London.
However, the evidence linking drill music directly to real-world violence is tenuous at best. While drill lyrics do contain violent content, there are many factors that contribute to crime rates in inner cities. Singling out drill music simplifies a complex social issue. Furthermore, drill artists argue they are just depicting the harsh realities of street life rather than promoting violence.
Nonetheless, these claims have led to calls for censorship of drill music. Police in cities like London have asked YouTube to take down drill videos they deem too violent. Some UK drill artists have even received Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) that legally prohibit them from making music with violent lyrics. Critics view these measures as heavy-handed and an attack on artistic expression.
There’s also a sense that drill music is misunderstood by mainstream society. Critics dismiss it as "nihilistic" without considering the larger context. Defenders argue drill provides an outlet and income source for disadvantaged youth. Some see a double standard, where violent content in video games or movies isn’t critiqued the same way.
Ultimately, the controversies around drill music reflect larger debates about art, censorship, and the policing of hip hop culture. The moral panic has echoes of past fears about gangsta rap and rock music. But drill continues to thrive globally despite the misconceptions.
The Future of Drill
Drill music has come a long way from its origins on the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. While the pioneers like Chief Keef, Lil Durk and Fredo Santana put Chicago drill on the map, the genre has since spread around the world and continues to evolve in exciting new directions.
The UK drill scene has emerged as a major force, with artists like Headie One, Central Cee and Digga D reaching new heights of popularity while adding their own flavor. Brooklyn drill exploded onto the scene in the late 2010s, led by the late, great Pop Smoke and his gritty, infectious sound. Drill scenes have sprouted up organically in cities as far flung as Toronto, Paris, Sydney and Amsterdam.
It’s incredible to witness how drill has spread globally while still retaining that raw, uncompromising energy. Producers around the world have mastered the art of drill beats, while rappers continue to find new flows and styles. Exciting new blends and fusions are happening, like the UK drill/Afrobeats crossover.
As drill continues to infiltrate mainstream hip-hop and pop music, its influence will only grow. We can expect to hear drill-inspired sounds, beats and flows for years to come. Its impact on modern rap music is undeniable already.
The future looks bright for drill’s longevity and evolution as a genre. While the controversies around drill’s lyrical content remain, the music itself is here to stay. If the past decade is any indicator, drill will continue to shake up the rap game and birth new stars. It’s still a relatively young genre, and many of its pioneers are just coming into their own.
There’s no telling exactly how drill will progress in the 2020s and beyond. But one thing is for certain – drill’s global reach is only expanding. The hunger for that raw, authentic energy is driving drill’s popularity. As long as talented artists keep pushing boundaries and bringing their unique stories to drill beats, the genre will continue to thrive. The future is drill, and it’s never sounded so good.