Ask a teenager to raid their Spotify playlist, and chances are you’ll come across a bunch of UK Hip Hop. More specifically, UK Drill. A style of rap music that’s managed to accrue mass popularity in what feels like a matter of minutes.
Cue the sliding 808… wau-wau-wum
For most listeners, Drill first became ‘a thing’ back in 2018, when Tion Wayne and Russ Millions dropped their iconic collab: ‘Keisha and Becky’, along with a full-fat remix featuring Aitch. Since which, the Drill sound has managed to worm its way out of the underground to command a mainstream audience. So much so that it’s even spent time at number one! A mighty feat, especially for a genre that started out as a few handmade videos in the backend of YouTube.
Factor in Drill’s influence on the overall sound of Hip Hop and how it’s somehow managed to bring outrageous dance moves back into fashion, and the irony only increases. To the point that you seriously have to wonder – Is UK Drill really Hip Hop 2.0? Or a trend that’s destined to die a death as fast as it has come up?
Read on to find out…
What is Drill? We asked a rapper…
Trying to define Drill? Good luck.
See, in comparison to other genres of music, Drill is actually quite hard to put your finger on. So hard in fact, that it’s more of a debate than anything.
For some, Drill music is simply a fresh vibe or a more modern take on UK Hip Hop. Whereas others (typically the conservative types in parliament and the mainstream media) believe it to be a way of glorifying crime, with many politicians calling for it to be banned.
But that hasn’t stopped rappers (or producers) from jumping on the Drill sound. If anything, you could say it’s encouraged it. To get a better idea of why, we spoke to UK rapper and lyricist, XtG…
“Ask me and I think we’re all too quick to dub a track as Drill.
“Calling something Drill is very much like calling something right or wrong – it either is, or it isn’t. When in actual fact, Drill influences a lot of modern music to a certain degree. Anyone who’s spent time with a Hip Hop prod over the past couple of years will understand that. It’s like with me.
“While I would say Drill influences my sound (ngl I do have a slight fetish for 808s), I wouldn’t go as far as to brand myself as a ‘Drill rapper’. My delivery is more relaxed, lyrically I touch on different subjects and I myself don’t exactly conform to the ‘Drill’ stereotype. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see that.
“And that’s exactly why I’d refrain from using the term to describe my sound. For me, being broader and saying UK Hip Hop is more accurate.”
How to spot a genuine Drill track (a spotters’ guide)
Spotting Drill music today is more tricky than it first appears.
Back when the genre first came about, you could spot a Drill track relatively easily. The 808 slides in the first couple of bars were usually enough of a giveaway. However, with Drill being more in the spotlight, conventional Hip Hop (and other genres like RnB) have began to take influence. All of which has began to blur the lines.
Saying that though, spotting a Drill track is still possible. You just need to do a bit more detective work before you reach your conclusion. Speaking of which, here’s 3 telltale signs that you’re listening to a Drill track…
1. BPM – One of the easiest ways to spot Drill is to investigate a song’s Beats Per Minute. A metric that helps measure the pace of a track. Pace is one of the main conventions of Drill music (both UK and US); your average Driller spits at around 140 BPM. To put that into perspective, conventional Hip Hop sits at roundabout 80-90. Drill isn’t slow.
Although Drill is some of the fastest rap around, don’t make the mistake of confusing it with Grime. While as Jammer quite rightfully states: “without grime…there would be no UK Drill”, the two are very different.
2. Lyrics and flow – Other telltale signs of Drill can often be found the lyrics. Conventionally, Drill music pins focus on gang violence and crime, more so than conventional Hip Hop. Team that with a hard hitting flow, and you’ve got a recipe for a seriously impactful song. With Drill, the words at the end of each bar are often heavily stressed, making a Driller’s delivery more like a chant than anything.
3. Sounds and vibe – To match up to the lyrics and flow, the whole vibe of Drill tends to be eerie and dark. Let’s just say that if Drill music was a movie genre, it’d undoubtably be horror. Perhaps why a lot of Drill rappers wear masks?? A mood that’s mainly created by the choice of instruments, which aside from the classic piano-style Drill beat, tend to be synths, organs and even bells. Hardly what you’d call bouncy, but certainly very theatrical!
Why is UK Drill so goddarn popular??
Reality check: UK Drill isn’t just popular ‘because’ – there’s method behind the madness. So much so that the more you analyse this wacky breed of rap, the more all the hype begins to make sense. Heck, you could even go as far as to say the ‘Drill formula’ is pretty much made with the masses in mind. Why exactly?
Here’s 5 solid reasons…
It’s a throwback to old skool Hip Hip – As much as modern day rap attempts to sell you the dream of shiny things and luscious women (i.e. the lavish life), your average Drill tune doesn’t. In reality, most Drill videos tend to be pretty simplistic and consist of nothing more than a few roadmen and a mic stand. A simple concept, yet one that firmly hammers home how Drill tunes descend from the streets; it’s music that’s raw, gritty and in many ways doubles as a protest. Much like Hip Hop in the 70s, Drill is out to make a statement.
Flexibility and variance – With the evolution of the Drill sound, it’s become clear just how flexible those sliding 808s really are. So much so that UK producers have been able to muscle the Drill sound into countless other genres and styles of music. All of which has led to creation of new ‘Drillish’ vibes that each pack their own distinct flavour. A few to keep an eye on being: Melodic Drill, Jazz Drill and Guitar Drill. You’ll even find some producers flipping samples of old skool tunes, to create a retro-mod Drill type remix. How rad is that?!
The power of minimalism – Ever heard the saying that less is more? Well, UK Drill is living proof. Take a peek that the production process and you’ll see that the majority of instrumentals don’t actually consist of that many layers; Drill beats are more about timing and impact, opposed to 10,000 track stems. Something that not only makes them a breeze to mix, but also the perfect backdrop for any lyrical rapper wanting to lay down some heat.
Its pierced the American bubble – With Hip Hop starting out life in NYC, it’s taken us Brits a while to find out feet. But it’s safe to say that with Drill, we’ve done exactly that. So much so in fact, that a good portion of critics would actually back UK Drill over its older American brother. Crazy to think when you consider that Drill itself originated in the US; shout out to Chief Keef. And if that’s not enough, the success of UK Drill has also given birth to a European variant! Ever wondered what Spanish, French or Italian Drill would sound like? Here’s your answer.
The rise of the Bedroom Prod – Believe it or not, but producing Drill beats is big business. Aside from the high demand from artists worldwide, the whole ‘Bedroom Producer’ business model is also rather profitable; startup costs for a prod aren’t exactly huge. Most can get away with a basic midi keyboard, a laptop and access to a DAW. Plus, with the majority of beats being sold online, overheads are also very slim.
The future of UK Drill – Will it die out?
Afraid not – UK Drill is here to stay.
Why do we say that? Because Drill is not only one of the most controversial sounds to come out of Hip Hop, but it’s also one of the most flexible. Something that makes it incredibly well suited for the wider media, be that television or film. Don’t forget: UK Hip Hop has already brought us the Netflix smash hit, Top Boy.
What’s more, all this influence and popularity practically makes Drill a goldmine in regards to advertising and fashion. Why do you think Mr Tion Wayne is the new face of JD sports? It’s no coincidence. UK Drill is the sound that’s brought Hip Hop back to the streets.
It’s raw, goes against the crowd and can be repurposed for pretty much any occasion. That’s what makes it a commercial dream and why for the meantime at least, it’s going nowhere.
You heard it here first folks – UK Drill is here to stay.
Author Bio: Alex Harrison is a PR & Media agent, who specialises in getting Hip Hop artists and their producers heard.