Drill
familyStarted 2010Peak 2018-2024Last big hit still active
Ominous, street-level rap built on sliding 808 basslines, sparse minor-key loops and sharp, syncopated drums. Hi-hats stutter in triplet rolls, snares crack on offbeats, and menacing piano, bell or string motifs hang over near-empty space. Vocals are blunt, deadpan and confrontational, prioritizing menace and regional dialect over melody, with strong place-specific identities.
History
Coined in early-2010s Chicago, where Pac Man's slang and Chief Keef and Young Chop's beats forged the template by 2012. It mutated abroad: London's 67 and Carns Hill built a 3+3+2 UK strain from 2012, which fed Brooklyn via 808Melo and AXL Beats around 2017-19. Pop Smoke and Central Cee then carried drill into global pop.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drill_music
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_drill
- https://www.complex.com/music/brooklyn-drill-the-new-sound-of-new-york/
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/drill-music-guide