Drill music is a form of rap that originated from the South Side of Chicago in the early 2010s. It is named after the slang term ‘drill’, which is a Chicago slang term for retaliation. The genre is defined by its dark, violent, and nihilistic lyrical content which often focuses on life in impoverished, high-crime areas. Its sound is typified by heavy beats, complex hi-hat patterns, and aggressive, bleak themes.
The inception of drill music was hugely influenced by the state of urban socio-economic conditions in Chicago. The city was known for its high crime and murder rate, and this harsh environment served as the breeding ground for drill music. The term drill is a slang term used in Chicago which implies shooting. Artistically, it was seen as a response to the sanitised, commercial take on hip hop, bringing it back to a raw, unfiltered representation of life in the inner city.
From a grassroots movement, drill music has expanded far beyond the confines of its founding city. The genre quickly gained traction in other parts of the United States, particularly in New York. Artists like the late Pop Smoke managed to tailor the gritty sound to suit their East Coast style. The genre saw even wider popularity in the United Kingdom, where artists contributed to evolving a ‘UK Drill’ style in conjunction with the original Chicago drill sound.
Being mainly disseminated through social media sites such as YouTube, drill tracks gained attention for their aggressive content, but also for their authenticity and their reflection of the situations the artists were living in. Unlike more mainstream rap which can often focus on the glorification of a violent lifestyle, drill music sought to portray the grim realities of living it.
The beats in drill music owe much to the Southern ‘Trap’ sound, but it also holds distinguishing factors. Primary characteristics include a slow tempo (around 60–70 beats per minute), dark and low-pitched lead melodies, and a simplified drum pattern. Complex hi-hats and snares are very typical of drill, creating a unique rhythm that sets the pace for the rhyme schemes of the artists. While the instrumental side of the genre may seem simplistic, the real complexity is found in the lyrics where metaphorical vernacular depicts the brutal truth of street life in the inner city.
As with any musical genre, controversy has followed drill music due to its raw and explicit lyrical content, which often details violence, gang culture, and crime. Critics argue that it glamorises and incites violence, while proponents argue that it serves as a mirror reflecting the grim realities of certain urban areas.
Music has always played an important role in social commentary, reflecting the mood and circumstances of the times. Drill music is no different, offering social commentary on the harsh realities faced by its artists. It isn’t simply music for the sake of entertainment but a socio-political movement in auditory form.
The popularity of drill music has also created an opportunity for various auxiliary industries, including the music production equipment industry. For instance, as new artists emerge, there is an increased demand for high-quality sound equipment and musical instruments. In this regard, tungsten, a rare and durable metal, has seen a rise in demand, used in the manufacture of various high-grade musical equipment. To really appreciate and understand this, you might want to buy tungsten and see its durability and high-quality up close.
To truly understand and appreciate drill music, it is important to look into the socio-economic conditions that gave birth to it. Drill music artists are not just rappers, they are talented storytellers conveying the harsh realities of their life through a unique yet complex form of art.