Deep sea oil rig BOW BOW CLICK NOW FOR A GREAT TIME (Suffering Builds Character...But It Can't Feed Your Family)

        

    Yesterday, we lost a beloved up and coming Chicago drill rapper, King Von, in a fatal shooting. Sadly, he’s not the only one fallen to petty crime. Nine months back, we lost Pop Smoke, a breakout Brooklyn drill star. Though drill has been gradually gaining traction in the mainstream through the unfortunate passings of these young stars, it’s always been a predominant part of the hip hop scene, splitting into regional subgenres such as Chicago drill, Brooklyn drill, and even UK drill.

Three slices of Drill pie (Chief Keef and Lil Durk, Headie One and SL, Pop Smoke and Fivio Foreign)

Drill is a subgenre of trap revolving predominantly around dark gritty beats and violent and nihilistic lyrics. It first grew popularity around the 2010s, when the most popular artists out of Chicago were poetic and reflective stars like Common, Lupe Fiasco, and Kanye West (AT THE TIME!). They didn’t reflect the city’s violent reality, full of criminal and gang activity. But drill did, and the rough vocals and violent reputations of drill artists helped boost its popularity. In fact, Kanye West even remixed “I Don’t Like” by Chief Keef with other big names like Pusha T, Big Sean, and Jadakiss. Chief Keef was even featured on Kanye’s album Yeezus, providing a chorus on “Hold My Liquor” with Bon Iver.  Most people have heard a drill song in their life. The song “Mans Not Hot” by Big Shaq was a parody on UK drill, and almost everyone’s heard that song before. But though many know of drill from the light-hearted “Mans Not Hot,” the most famous drill songs are songs like “Love Sosa” and “I Don’t Like” by Chief Keef, “Welcome To the Party” and “Dior” by Pop Smoke, and “Big Drip” by Fivio Foreign.

Mans Not Hot by Big Shaq

Drill artists have had their fair share of controversies. Drill rappers are often involved in shootings, gang activity, and petty Internet beefs, and drill itself is often cited as a romanticized presentation of violence that encourages criminal activity. But though this is a logical conclusion to come to, drill is actually an expression of the struggle in the streets. Beneath all of the braggadocious lines about women and drugs, the taunting gun ad-libs in the back, and the disdain for human life, drill exudes a deep pain for those in the city. Authorities who demand for drill to be banned don’t understand why drill is being performed in the first place. The pain and frustration for the deaths of close friends, the anger of being trapped and rage at a world that consistently puts black people last. Though I’ve never experienced all of these frustrations first hand, I’ve listened to enough drill to feel and empathize with their struggles. Drill is a form of expression, to let others know of the injustice and pain felt inside the inner city. 

Drill has evolved to gradually become more mainstream, moving away from nihilistic and angry lyrics and striving more towards empowerment and equality, as ridiculous as that sounds. Though initially bursting onto the scene with violent and dark imagery of the gang and street life, drill has transformed into an outlet for the suffering felt by millions across the globe, from USA to the UK. And this representation of this suffering is gradually finding its foothold in the mainstream. Travis Scott released “GATTI”, a song featuring the late Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke. Drake released “Only You Freestyle”, a song fearing UK drill rapper Headie One and recently collabed with Chicago drill rapper Lil Durk on “Laugh Now Cry Later.” 

Pop Smoke and Travis Scott

Drill isn’t going anywhere; the numbers are only rising and it’s begun to gain acceptance in the mainstream. A theme that was brought up in the Harkness Circle was how suffering leads to success, but those suffering from unfunded schooling and violence in the streets in cities aren’t finding success. They just endlessly suffer with no end in sight. And that’s why drill is such an important genre for people to hear because it highlights the suffering felt by those who don’t have the options to drag themselves out of the violent city life. Suffering does build character, but what’s the use of this character if you can’t feed your family or pay your rent? Drill is a plea for help, a plea that needs to be heard by those who are fortunate enough to grow up in safe neighborhoods with food every night. Will we listen to their words?