In light of Hot 97 disc jockey, DJ Drewski’s recent announcement of not playing any more diss/gang music, Fivio Foreign has provided his take on the drill music scene. With the threat of drill music being removed from New York radio, Fivio Foreign met with Bronx Borough President, Vanessa L. Gibson and Pop Smoke’s mom yesterday. Fivio defended drill music stating:
“This the drill community and (I know like) (I know like), the police and everybody, they be looking at us like n****s is starting trouble. N****s ain’t really starting trouble, they just tryna feed their kids. They tryna take away the drill music off the radio. They tryna stop it from being on the radio.”
“It’s not the music that’s killing people, it’s the music that helping n****s from the hood, get out the hood. So, we need that (ya feel me)! So, you take that from us, n****s gonna be in the hood going crazy on each other.”
Fivio’s stance is not surprising being that drill music was his means of getting out the hood and accelerating to fame. A feature on Drake’s album track, “Demons” solidified his spot in the game and the “Big Drip” rapper has not looked back.
What is Drill Music?
If you are not familiar with drill music, here is your brief history lesson. Drill music is a subgenre of rap music originating in the Southside of Chicago — in the early 2010s. The music is heavily influenced by gang associations, therefore resulting in expressive, criminal-laden rap lyrics.
Chief Keef’s hit single, “I Don’t Like” propelled drill music from the underground scene to the mainstream.
Since then, drill music has spread to other cities and countries, all adopting their own adaptation of the sound. Areas such as the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia and more relevant to us, Brooklyn, New York. The Brooklyn drill scene has propelled artists such as Fivio Foreign, Lil Tjay and the late, Pop Smoke.
What’s the Issue with Drill?
Since drill music’s inception to the mainstream, it has been linked to an increase in crimes specifically, violent crimes. Completely ignoring the local politics, policing and lack of resources within a community — drill music has been a consistent scapegoat.
Lyrics depicting smoking dead opps, murder scenes and the promotion/ridicule of gang ties, one could understand why drill is quick to blame. A blame so heavily that the entire genre of rap and its’ lyrics are being put on trial.
In 2012, a Louisiana judge allowed select lyrics of then, rapper, Lil Boosie to be used against him pending first degree murder and the death penalty. Since then, state courts allowing rap lyrics as admissible evidence has only increased at a rapid pace. Luckily for the rap industry, music superstars such as Jay-Z and Meek Mill have supported a proposed New York state bill that will prevent lyrics being utilized as evidence for alleged crimes.
Yesterday’s Problem was “Gangster Rap”, Today’s Problem is “Drill Music.”
Unfortunately, this is nothing new to the rap genre. In the early 90’s late politician, Cynthia Delores Tucker campaigned against “gangster rap”, specifically targeting Death Row Records.
Whether it’s rap, gangster rap, trap music, drill music or whatever the name may be — the rap genre will always be threatened by those that do not like who is involved and/or the music. There will always be those who have an agenda.
DJ Drewski
What do you think of DJ Drewski’s decision not to play any diss/gang songs? Do you think he made the right decision, or this is an overreaction?
Below you will find a clip of Fivio Foreign’s interview with TMZ:
