Drill music used to be a sound exclusive to Chicago. It contained elements of southern rap and trap music, but was unique in a way that could only be exclusive to the windy city. Acts like Chief Keef, Lil Durk, the late Fredo Santana, and various others paved drill as a way to escape the violence and gang life of the Chicago streets (the amount of people who have been shot in Chicago this year surpasses 1,400). The hard, 808-laced style of the music acted as sonic therapy, as it took young people stuck in tough situations, and allowed them to make a career for themselves outside of the street life.
When a new genre emerges, subcultures often follow in their footsteps. Over the last year or so, the world has become privy to the incredibly unique U.K. Drill; which in many ways feels like a darker offshoot of grime blending in with the Chi-town flavor. However, this is not merely a carbon copy of the sound we all know; this is a new generation of youth telling stories of violence and struggle. It’s an authentic take on the sound, and much like the Chi-town origins, finds people escaping their strife to fight gentrification and spread awareness via music.
Opposed to pinning them together in competition, we’ve come up with a list of 5 U.K. x Chicago drill collaborations we’d love to hear. Check it out below.
Youngs Teflon x G. Herbo
London rapper Youngs Teflon and drill veteran G. Herbo would make a perfect fit because of their gritty flows, but their cadences contrast enough to make this collaboration diverse in its lyrical slaughtering. G.Herbo is known for strategically rapping off beat (his latest album Swervo with Southside is a perfect example), while Youngs Teflon has made a name for himself with songs like “Fire Water”; of which he rides the beat almost meticulously. It would be diverse in delivery, but simultaneous in lyricism and aggression.
K Trap x Chief Keef
K Trap and Chief Keef are entirely different in accent; but similar in delivery. One of K Trap’s breakout songs “Wild Thoughts” holds a similar vibe to something Sosa would have done on Finally Rich; with its direct, simplistic flows and menacing undertones. It isn’t hard to imagine Keef and K Trap going back and forth, as they both know how to tell a story in the grittiest and most straightforward ways. Hearing these two on a Back From The Dead 2 style track would make the perfect anthem for Halloween this month.
67 x Lil Durk
67 is easily one of the more prolific UK drill groups out right now with songs such as “Today” and “Live Corn”, and the only thing that could make their formula even harder is a Lil Durk hook. 67 have got their vigorous style down to a science now, and it has come to a point where they’re ready for mainstream ascension. A melodic Lil Durk feature could shoot this unique style into the realms of pop, allowing them to dominate both the streets and the clubs.
Skengdo & AM x Lil Bibby
Skengdo & AM of the 410 crew; a collective that is considered pioneers in the UK Drill scene, would work cohesively on a song with Lil Bibby due to them sharing harsh, baritone vocal styles. The song would stand out as an anthem of gloom, with the deep, brooding delivery of each emcee not only making for a banger but striking fear in the listeners. It would be both unique, and a testament to the origins of drill music. Skengdo & AM have already collaborated with Chief Keef on a song called “Pitbulls”, which you can check out below.
Stickz x Montana of 300
Listening to Stickz‘ “150 Degrees”, you can’t help but imagine a Montana of 300 verse on it. The eerie pianos and the broad space that the beat creates is begging for Montana’s scattered triplet flows, and it foreshadows how well these rappers working together would go. Stickz‘ style of rapping hits like a shotgun, pumping kill shots into every bar. Meanwhile, Montana of 300 is more emblematic of a machine gun, going ballistic every chance he gets. What do you get if you combine the two? Fire.