THE UPRISING OF DRILL MUSIC

It was on March 19, 2020 that Raphael da Cruz used the term "musical virality" during the Grünt confinement #4. Almost 1 year later, is the propagation of this virus coming to an end? 
A year ago, drill was like grime or afro-trap, a sub-genre among others of the rap music scene, a musical movement still in full bloom, still undergoing changes in its essence and scope.

How is it that in the space of a year, this musical movement has captured our screens to the point where everyone has a word to say and a song to release even though it is a genre that took a small decade to form, would it have reached its peak with Pop Smoke?
 Is the drill just a fashion effect where everyone tries to apply the codes, or is it a movement that is constantly evolving where everyone can add a touch of innovation to make the movement grow? 

To answer this question, let's look at the roots of the drill, how it was born. Then we will understand its localized propagation in the English-speaking country through precise characteristics: the universe is built, the codes are established. Finally, these elements will allow us to understand its propagation on a worldwide scale, including its democratization and the expansion of its codes 

Let's look at the emergence of this musical genre at its roots to go back and understand its derivatives. 

It will be a question of understanding this genre within an organic whole, rap. It feeds and takes shape on the trap which will be then mixed with a tempo with Caribbean resonances. It is the first root that detaches itself from the main trunk but it still needs to feed before being exposed to the light of the general public. 

While the trap has the age of a crib student, it undergoes in the 2010s and will still undergo changes to get to what it is today. The masters of the consecration of a movement is the East Coast, Chicago and Brooklyn for the drill and Atlanta for the trap, but they intertwine because both touch the different variations of these movements before "the strains" separate. 

For this separation to take place, we were blessed with Chief Keef's work in Chicago with his label Glo gang, including the track "i dont like", proceeds from several drill-like videos on his personal YouTube channel. It was then relayed by media channels on YouTube and became an instant hit. 

It is on August 5, 2012, 1 month after Chief Keef's banger that we observe the case 0 teaches us Raphael Da Cruz in his column, with DJ L exploring an offbeat tempo on a prod by Lil Herb and Lil Bibby in Chicago. 
Two years later comes our second blessing: Bobby Shmurda. So in 2014, the two genres of trap and drill are distinct even though they are still undergoing internal evolution. The modulation of the genre is due to two elements mainly. The first lies in the uniqueness that each artist grants to the genre through the authenticity they offer, as this is the primary intention of the movement. The second element is perhaps the most important, the beatmakers, who have allowed the demarcation of the prods and their instant identification. This identity is allowed by pioneers like DJ L seen above or Young Chop. Who better than a producer to explain us the difference between a trap and a drill instrument (big s/o a lutchi)
Trap : snare has all the time 808 classic patterns 
Drill : snare / hi-hat on the first beat, then jerky rhythmic.
Thanks Flem for the work and s/o Lutchi and his video drill
It is at the end of this identity, that like all the other news coming from the United States will be exported in sample in France. It is Kaaris who offers in 2014 "se-vrak" on an instrumental with a shifted rhythm, in the image of the artists of Chicago.  


            How does drill still marginal in America, where any genre takes off, manage to export itself even as it is still growing?
Drill's identity is being formed with its recognizable codes through the offbeat tempo instituted by beatmakers. Which elements can still be modified if the identity is built? 
But this export is not insignificant if we consider a little-known actor of the export of musical genres, the channels that relay content to a larger audience and thus increase visibility; this was the case for the propulsion of Chief Keef with the World Star Hip hop platform still active today. But the French will not be the first to be massively exposed to the movement it will be England, before being extended to the rest of Europe. The British media that allowed this European export are, to name a few, Mixtape Madness, Pressplay media, or GRM Daily

            These channels are not to be taken lightly as to the propulsion they offer to this particular field, while collaborating with prestigious artists like Axl to the prod on "Big Flick" above. Even today many reaction channels have made a real business out of this curious crowd of new sixteen's and the opinions they generate.

When we promote an artist, we put forward his trademark, which includes the whole artistic performance, from the rapper's flow, to the enthusiasm that the production generates, to the visual effect, however minimalist it may be, produced by the video. To formalize this identity, like any other genre, it often requires an open-minded beatmaker who understands the artistic horizons offered by rap because of the multitude of influences that are transcribed in the sounds. 

The drill is above all a movement that starts from the artistic authenticity, from this first intention comes the lookbook, on one side "the American flow": chains, tank top, "the Tingz". On the other side, "the road men uk" associated rightly with the hood and the North Face. This fashion logically follows from the UK drill/grime where 1: in addition to being cold it rains ergo down jacket, and 2: the clips the remarks made in songs are evidence in court, (sprinkled with their English, Scottish, or Irish accent) considered as evidence in court so the mask is an imperative. Hence the presence of this kind of footnotes: 

"DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in these videos are for Entertainment & Educational purposes only, and do not represent the views of any artist(s) or Pressplay Media"
PressPlay Media

It is a tool that is slowly arriving in France as we saw on the clip of Ashe 22 and Hornet la Frappe recently as for the objects used. In France even if Ashe speaks about, and shows his opinel machete, and nothing that he makes sound his bracelet, his choice to mask himself is less related to justice and more with his will to protect his private life in view of the success and the recognition that he undergoes, as he says it in his interview Booska P (which, in itself, testifies of his current success) Although in France being masked has often been a feature of the genre, it didn't happen with the drill. It is a way to exploit and increase authenticity while protecting oneself. 

SL a drill pioneer uk releases Gentleman at 15, on the notorious Mixtape Madness channel, still active today. This sweetness will be taken up in 2020 on Tik Tok during the wave of the challenge parodying this movement and its environment, among other trends related to this universe. Despite these measures taken to counter the justice, many clips and English drill freestyles have been and continue to be removed from YouTube by the platform, which wants to avoid a form of incitement to violence, PornHub volunteers to publish the videos removed by YouTube.


The second element that has participated in the propulsion of the genre on the world stage is the exposure to a wider audience, which at first glance would not be tempted by this genre. This is primarily through Big Shak's parody of "Let's lurk" by the band 67 released on February 22, 2016.



Big Shak poses on the instrumental in an ironic way by taking on the established codes. When you parody, you take the broad strokes, it means there's enough diverse and varied material to pull out the broad strokes. This is the sacredness of virality. But it will take another two or three years to witness the recovery and reworking of the genre.

Then the propulsion is made in the cinema with Top boy, particularly the second season directed by Drake. It is the export of this universe on the big screen. The first season didn't explode but the followers of the movement recognized the codes that were established before their eyes and extended it to the world of drillers, clarifying the functioning and the optics of these rappers beatmakers and directors. The transposition of this universe is an important passage on the way to the constitution of a genre, because thanks to the vision of the directors, the scriptwriters and the material, it is transcribed as a taking seriously of the general public and the recognition by all of this genre, of these codes and of the milieu that depict and denounce. 

Let us not forget that everything is played in the art and the manner and a false step in this stage can be worth a wrong image of what represents the universe of this movement, what is in question is the authenticity of each actor of the medium, not only with regard to the subject of the artist but also to their state of mind and those who surround it. 

Drill is above all a family story, it is not a closed world, but it is a question of sincere association between producers and different rappers. 
To illustrate the merging of universes we think of the featuring 669 in 2018 which is a big step for the underground scene with an association of the two most avant-garde groups. This will naturally lead to an unprecedented productivity for the French "pre-drill" scene.
Lyonzon X 667 Sept. 20, 2018

            To close the 4 years that allowed the establishment of the identity through different attempts and branches explored in particular by beatmakers but also by rappers, I think particularly of Ashe's no Melody which served as a springboard to the drill. I invite you to listen, for the culture, the mixtape of Flem and Ocho "I lost all my projects 2014-2017" which gathers the different musical tracks explored on this period before becoming the skeleton of the drill today by their selective and meticulous accompaniment of an elite of rappers.  
For this movement to reach the stage of a musical genre, and the democratization that follows, it insinuates derivatives and branches that draw on the codes, adding the uniqueness of the artist. The problem is when an artist not directly related to the drill, as would be 1pliké or Gazo who became known for their work, starts to copy the codes without the authenticity following. 

The magic happens when the codes are copied with a personal touch that produces one of two effects: either it contributes to the evolution of the drill, or it leads to the creation of a branch that starts from the primary codes of the drill. Like what the artist Dave is doing, wanting to break away from the image of the uk grime/drill scene to explore other musical tracks on melodic backgrounds like faster BPMs. We can also think of Richi's drill sound where Youri's verse in ft stands out from the rest (whether the approach is opportunistic or not). It doesn't just deal with the themes associated with trafficking and violence but fits perfectly into the theme for the time of a verse remaining authentic to itself.

Then we have the example of Dinos who does not ask the question knowing very well that an artistic performance lies in authenticity. The drill is only a reminder of this otherwise imperative. He explores the grime jovially during the challenge 1 sound in 1 hour with Kezah. Then creates "the sad drill" he tells us in the OPUS interview, considering the drill as the "Zumba of the Kaïras".
"I don't need your opinion to know if I can do  drill.
Dinos, Booska Stamina,

Finally El Don Dada, unspeakable so much his clear vision thanks to his binoculars proposes a spectrum of quali of Lowfi drill, on "trapchat" and "Philly flingo", but also of bangers which transpire an innovative ease: the concu does not work any more, he shoots the legs.

In a second case we have the same prod but different intentions, which gives shape to the whole and shows that the drill is not only the jerky snare: SL with FWA Boss and 2 years before Prec with Passant.
 
But the ones who took to the codes best and most authentically early on were the CZ8 collective. In late 2019 they launched a bastos, masked to distinguish this experience from their respective personal careers. This vector of the drill in France shows a sincere desire not to let big commercial names portray what will be the drill in France: as a trend wave. Once again it is the art and the way that allows this family business to nobly erect this genre and at the same time participate in repainting rap under a new light.


To depict the subject as it should be, we can not miss the weight that played the initiatives of beatmakers to project the movement to the current scene. 
In England we can not pass by Axl beats, in view of the real robbery that it has operated on the English-speaking scene, without ever being redundant. This is all the more impressive given his presence in the scene since the mid-2010s with a range of different artists to America. Always producing more qualitative content and constantly renewing itself. He is more than a pioneer of the movement. 

To illustrate the importance of beatmakers, let's take the example of Ashe 22 who is today an emblematic figure of the import of the drill in France. But in 2018 he was just starting his career alongside Lyonzon, his remarkable rise is due to his precious entourage because the most pointed on what is done.

On the French side we have Flem and the favorite instrument of KGB and its drill prods is the theremin. It is for me their trademark that brings darkness by accompanying the 808, snare and hi hat without overshadowing them.  

We have tha trickaz who, I feel, is the official mixer of the French drill, it is perhaps thanks to him that we manage to establish an identity of our country, with an incomparable sound quality (he is behind "inceste" of Gazo and the master of "scellé", "hors ligne", s/o le Flem and La Violence de la F, and more recently "tchinn x2"). So if it sounds so good in your headphones and that it titillates your soul it is thanks to them.

Then, Amine Farsi who is the latest addition to the KGB family with more and more collaboration notably on LMF, s/o Flem, and soon on the Ashe Tape 3 scheduled for 2020. Still alongside Flem, they form a powerful tandem. Amine having produced for Lasco, Da uzi and others, his take on the drill could be the touch of novelty needed to popularize without commercializing.

In addition, the walls between the fields are coming down as each actor in the field touches everything and expands his field of action. For example, the main actor of Top Boy is an accomplished driller. Or Freeze Corleone who will be found on the making of the prod of "folded glass" of Despo Rutti's project announced for 2020 next to Flem as well as on the prod of "NY à fond" on the robbery that was the Don Dada Mixtape in the blink of an eye.
It is a real monopoly that they have undertaken not to silence other beatmakers but because every artist in the business would like to work with them; testifying to their talent that comes from many years of work and perfecting the different influences they received to be and do what they do today. 

When it comes to influences and transcriptions, emo drill cannot be missed. It is a movement that tries to mix different artists of the trap scene marginalized by their precursor sounds. The project gathers 22 artists on a 24 tracks, and aims to put forward a new branch of this movement. It feeds on the initial codes and mixes them with more rock or RnB instrus, and draws from references that precede the trap like OutKast. 


The last element that is allowed by the magnitude of the movement while allowing its exponential growth, is the realization and the Artistic Direction that surrounds the projects. The works are often from the independent scene, because as we said the drill is a family history. 


Let's take some recent clips for example. The first one of La F simple but powerful, in the air of time. With a quality director Arthur LVZ who has been working for a long time with the 667 and more recently the Lyon scene, this family proximity allows an alchemy between the actors of a project. This accentuates the sincerity that overflows from the work by the beauty of the image in line with the artistic performance quali.


On the English side we notice an increase of the budget of realization at the big names of the scene as the clip " bad luck " of SL quoted several times above.


Finally the clip of Ziak " 123 Soleil ", with the prod Focus beatz, real more than clean of desert blue. While the visual is much more worked than usual, the artist still relies on a catchy but somewhat melancholic melody and makes it a systematic banger. The art of the image is once again an element that allows a better adequacy to the idea that the artist wants to share.

With Gazo the key element of the visuals he proposes, in addition to being worked, are the subtitles in English which testify of a will of export towards the English-speaking world. It is also worth noting that Project Blue Beam and The Phantom Menace of Freeze are available in English on Genius. We can also have fun watching the comments of some Colors who express their incomprehension of the words but amazement at the immaculate vibe. 

And if you're still not convinced of the international potential of the French drill scene, listen to what the engineer of the media that propels the driller in England: pressplay media, one of the great platforms of renowned drill exposure, about the passage of 1pliké. While La F has recently tweeted its appearance on the media in the near future and it is more than likely that the 691 will follow.

 "I don't know a word he said innit' but it sounded fckn cold" 
Smoke the Engeneer, at the end of 1pliké's Pressplay

            To conclude this transcript of the events and actors that I believe allowed the movement to form and reform. Starting from a first attempt of sound exploration, to a mixing between the personality of the rappers who have long worked to perfect their art and denounce their daily lives, without advocating violence, we must not forget it. It is above all the honesty of the artist and a solid entourage (as abra cadabra says on his project Product of my Environnent), which makes that the drill is not only a fashion effect but has a fruitful and creative future before it. Flem's theremin has not said its last word