Drill Rap - innocent or guilty?

Soldato
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So along with all the crime and other nastiness that's been on the rise in London over the last couple of years, a large chunk of which is related to gang culture and turf wars, has risen a new(ish) genre of 'music' called Drill Rap.

From what I can tell, essentially it's music written mostly by gangs which is used primarily to intimidate and threaten. The word "drill" or "drilling" is a Chicago term for shooting and Chicago was where the genre originally was born, prior to it's export to London.

In the last year or so there's been a huge rise in the amount of extremely violent and threatening drill rap being produced, mostly propagated via the usual channels, [youtube, instagram, facebook, etc]

The authorities have now taken notice and are making attempts to censor and regulate it, in some cases imposing court orders preventing "artists" from producing it, pushing it further underground. Attempts by media companies such Youtube crack down on it, resulting in artists simply uploading it to the well known online porn sites instead.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...d-from-making-music-due-to-threat-of-violence

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-44982560

Examples of Drill Rap;



The question is this;

Should we be trying to stop it? Watching it makes me feel very uncomfortable - yet I'm a huge fan of violence, I watched all the violent movies, play all the violent video games, I also used to listen to very violent music - including more recently old gunfighter ballads, by people like Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins (most of whom sing about casually shooting people in the head all day long) I also used to be a big fan of Cypress Hill - who use very naughty words all of the time, but were never banned by anybody.

Interestingly, as far as I can tell - the UK is the first country which has made efforts to actively ban and control the production of such 'music'. As someone who is firmly opposed to government intervention and authority in general - that does bother me, because I don't like the precedence and obvious slippery slopes which are created, regarding freedom of speech and freedom of expression - even if the speech or expression might be offensive or unsavoury.

However, on the flip side - we have a real problem with gang violence, where these people are producing music that fits into and attempts to glorify gang culture and violence, there is a portion of me which thinks this is very bad - maybe banning and controlling it will help, not because I'm a fan of government legislation, but because these gangs are clearly using it to provoke and intimidate. However I'm not totally convinced that bans or controls are the answer.

Naturally, in the golden age of government incompetence and stupidity that we're living in, there doesn't appear to be any other ideas on the table, and I don't expect any to appear.

Should the government attempt to ban or control it? or should it be allowed unrestricted?
 
Last edited:
Soldato
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Yeah I know lol, the tracks themselves seem to be almost procedurally generated with the exact same beat and bass rhythms, randomly arranged
was actually going to post that too. they all sounded the same just the mumbled words were different....I think....apart from traps....and the n word, they use those both.....a lot.

I've listened to my fair share of 'gangsta rap' and I guess this is what they are maybe trying to emulate but this stuff just sounds repetitive and boring. I imagine those who are buying it will tire of it eventually and move on to something else, unless of course the government does continue trying to ban it and thus make it appear more 'edgy'
 
Soldato
OP
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I've listened to my fair share of 'gangsta rap' and I guess this is what they are maybe trying to emulate but this stuff just sounds repetitive and boring. I imagine those who are buying it will tire of it eventually and move on to something else, unless of course the government does continue trying to ban it and thus make it appear more 'edgy'

This is the thing that I find interesting, the government has gotten triggered over Drill Rap and started raging trying to ban it, however - it's only when the media started reporting on government intervention and bans that I even hear of Drill Rap, before then I hadn't even heard of it (and this is from someone who spends half his like in Hackney)

It's almost as though the act of becoming upset by something, makes it worse because everyone reports it - which propagates it.
 
Caporegime
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its not actually.also this is drill not rap. as for bad we are the hottest thing right now around the world.

a lot depends on what you listening to. as for banning drill. its too late now. this threads a bit late many videos have been removed already . people just reupload the videos or react to them. one big drill artist died today.
 
Soldato
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I doubt they'll have much chance suppressing it, itll just give the whole thing more legitimacy amongst its followers.

They cant really justify it based on lyrics that incite violence, because theres a LOT of music out there that has violent lyrics which has a long precedent of being acceptable.
 
Caporegime
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Wales
Youtube crack down on it, result in artists simply upload it to the well known online porn sites instead.

Well I hope this is cracked down on.

Imagine going for a little bit of alone time and having to wade through pubescent teenagers shouty angst.
 
Soldato
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Not here
All I see is a bunch of angry ethnic boys from London council estates making noise.....Whats the interest?!?!? What are they rapping about, not enough DIY shops?
 
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