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Short Series UK Drill Part 3 -UK Drillers of the 2020s-

2022年4月28日 20:17

Continuing from last time, here is an introduction to UK Drillers you should know. This time, we are looking at UK Drillers of the 2020s. Please note that while most of the Drillers introduced here have been active since the 2010s, their breakthrough or peak activity occurred in the 2020s.

Central Cee

From West London. He started his career around 2015. In his early days, he had a different style over trap beats, but he shifted to the Drill sound following advice from his manager, Ybeez.

In 2020, his first single after shifting to the Drill style, "Day in the Life," became a huge hit. He instantly joined the ranks of top stars.

Day In The Life / Central Cee

As you can tell from Cench's signature songs like "Loading" and "Obsessed With You," his music is catchy and groovy, clearly setting it apart from the Drill sound we have known until now.

Loading / Central Cee

Obsessed With You / Central Cee

Cench's unique philosophy of not wanting to be confined to the existing framework of Drill is strongly reflected in his music.

In 2021, he won Male Artist of The Year at the GRM Daily Rated Awards. Furthermore, his first mixtape "Wild West" reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, showing Cench's momentum. This February, he released his long-awaited latest work, "23".

This work, which turned out to be as varied as his previous one, debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It is a personal favorite of mine, especially the banging "Eurovision" featuring Italian Driller Rondodasosa and others, and the jazzy "Retail Therapy" which samples Hank Crawford, both of which are excellent.

Eurovision / Central Cee ft. Rondodasosa, Baby Gang, A2Anti, Morad, Beny Jr, Ashe 22, Freeze Corleone

Retail Therapy / Central Cee

Digga D

Affiliated with 1011. He started his music career in earnest around 2017. In 2019, his first mixtape "Double Tap Diaries," which included the smash hit "No Diet," reached number 11 on the UK charts, marking his breakthrough.

No Diet / Digga D

Digga D, who grew up listening to dancehall and reggae, has established an original style that incorporates ragga flows. Also, his ad-lib "Woi," which is heard throughout his tracks, is distinctive and catches the ear. Ethan Herlock of The Face magazine describes Digga D as "a standout MC in the UK Drill scene, showing a unique flow and chest-swelling energy."

In 2020, he released "Made In The Pyrex," which includes signature songs like "Woi" and "Bringing It Back."

Woi / Digga D

Bringing It Back feat. AJ Tracey

Regarding Made In The Pyrex, Digga D said, "This project means a lot to me. I was able to release everything that had been building up inside me since my last work through this album." It ranked 3rd on the UK Albums Chart and was a huge commercial success.

Then, the other day, he released his third mixtape in a year, "Noughty By Nature," which finally reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.

Unlike his previous work, which had a unified feel, this is an ambitious project where he challenged himself with various sounds. It is a masterpiece full of highlights, such as "Wasted," which switches to double speed halfway through, "Hold It Down," a modern remake of 50 Cent's 21 Questions, and "2k17," which features explosive ragga flows.

Wasted / Digga D ft ArrDee

Hold It Down / Digga D

2k17 / Digga D

Russ Millions

His career started around 2018. Russ had uploaded several songs to YouTube, including the Splash series, but he stepped away from music after being shocked by the death of his beloved sister. However, with encouragement from those around him, he made a comeback to the scene. After energetic activities, he released the single "Gun Lean," which became an instant hit.

Gun Lean / Russ Millions

The move Russ shows in the music video, where he shakes his shoulders from side to side, started to go viral online. When soccer player Jesse Lingard performed this dance after scoring a goal, its popularity ignited, and many challenge videos were uploaded as the "Gun Lean Dance."

The style seen in artists like Russ and Digga D, which combines Drill and Bashment (a reggae term meaning to party hard), came to be called "Crashment," and it laid the foundation for the pop-oriented and danceable UK Drill of today.

In 2019, he teamed up with Tion Wayne to release "Keisha & Becky." It ranked 19th on the singles chart, and Russ's popularity and momentum continued to accelerate.

Keisha & Becky (Remix) / Russ Millions x Tion Wayne ft. Aitch, JAY1, Sav'O & Swarmz

Furthermore, in 2021, he finally reached number 1 on the singles chart with "Body," also a collaboration with Tion Wayne. A large number of remixes were uploaded, creating a major movement.

Body / Russ Millions x Tion Wayne

Pa Salieu

Pa Salieu, who has parents born in the African nation of The Gambia, was born in Slough before moving to The Gambia. He later returned to the UK and spent his time in Coventry, but he has stated that his childhood experiences in The Gambia had a significant influence on his music career.

Pa, who fell into depression after the deaths of his grandmother and best friend, reportedly tried to escape his sense of loss by writing lyrics. This could be called the start of his career.

He debuted in 2017 under the name Tribal1. At the time, he was releasing tracks over Drill and Trap sounds.

Tribal Lean / Tribal1

Around 2019, he changed his name to Pa Salieu. Influenced by Vybez Kartel and 2Pac, who were on an iPod he stole from his cousin as a child, he moved away from the Drill sound after adopting the name Pa Salieu and began experimenting with a fusion of African music and Drill. Then, in 2020, he released "Frontline" through the popular YouTube channel "Mixtape Madness," which supports the UK rap scene, and it became a huge hit.

Frontline / Pa Salieu

Like Pa Salieu, the unique UK style of Afrobeats that fuses Afrobeats with Drill or Reggae is called "Afroswing" or "Afrobashment."

After his breakthrough, Pa Salieu went on to collaborate with famous Drillers one after another on "Hit The Block" and "Year of The Real." He also received support not only from his peers but also from many celebrities, and was introduced in the Evening Standard as a "rapper to watch in 2021."

Hit The Block / SL x Pa Salieu

Year of the Real / Meekz x M1llionz x Teeway x Pa Salieu

However, even as his connections with Drillers expanded, Pa Salieu himself continued to push his Afroswing style to the forefront. This inclination is clearly evident in "My Family" and "Bad."

My Family / Pa Salieu ft BackRoad Gee

Bad / Pa Salieu

Pa's original musical style was recognized around the world, and in 2021 he appeared on the popular American television program "The Tonight Show." Furthermore, he was selected for GQ magazine's "11 new musicians who'll make 2021 better." He continues to attract attention as one of the Drillers from whom the most is expected in the future.

Tion Wayne

Born in North London. He started his career in 2010, but his breakthrough came in 2019. T-Wayne participated in "Options" by the group NSG, and with this song, he reached number 7 on the singles chart.

Options / NSG ft. Tion Wayne

After that, he teamed up with Russ Millions, and the two songs "Keisha & Becky" and "Body" became massive hits. Furthermore, "I Dunno," which featured Dutchavelli and Stormzy, also entered the Top 10 on the singles chart, making his name known in the UK Drill scene over the past few years.

I Dunno / Tion Wayne x Dutchavelli x Stormzy

Also, as his parents are from Ghana, he incorporates elements of Afroswing, as seen in Options, into his own music alongside Drill.

Houdini / KSI ft. Swarmz & Tion Wayne

4AM / Manny Norté, 6LACK, Rema, Tion Wayne ft. Love Renaissance

Etcetera…

From here on, I will omit the introductions and present the Driller's name, essential songs, and my personal favorite songs for each.

Poundz

Essential songs

Opp Thot

SKENGBOP

Favorite Songs

Fake Love

Get Rich N Get Paid

Aitch

Essential songs
Rain

Taste (Make It Shake)

Ei8ht Mile

Favorite Songs
Baby

ArrDee

Essential songs
Oliver Twist

Flowers (Say My Name)

Favorite Songs
War

AJ Tracey

Essential songs
Butterflies (ft. Not3s)

Thiago Silva ×Dave

Favorite Songs
Summertime Shootout ft. T-Pain

This is the final installment of the UK Drill feature. We traced the roots of Drill from Chicago to the UK (partly as a personal record), but how was it? While Trap still dominates in the US, Drill has completely become the mainstream in the UK. With the rise of NY Drill, it will be interesting to see how Drill continues to penetrate the US HIP HOP scene.

On a personal note, I had to take a long break from DJing due to the pandemic, but now that the quasi-emergency measures have been lifted, I can finally resume my DJ activities. I've been increasing my update frequency on note for the past 2-3 months, but from here on, I'd like to return to my own pace. Instead, I intend to play Drill at live venues. Finally, I'll post my GW schedule. See you at the venue next time.

4/30 @ Nakano N's