“I went to the basketball court maybe two weeks ago, there kids jumping around to drill music and they knew it word by word little kids … we’re going to make music that’s going to help them and steer them in the right direction.”īeyond performances, some Philadelphia artists, knowing they can draw attention, partner with community organizations to amplify resources. I’m going to change the narrative and not talk about guns and violence and stuff like that, but more about prosperity making it to the top without having to be a product of my environment.”ĪKG agrees, adding that parents are responsible for what their children listen to. “Nowadays, I’m trying to change the narrative on drill music … I’m putting the knowledge into it. Paper$, who successfully made it through the judging process, says he still uses drill as a genre of music, but is making it his own. After hearing a chorus of “nos,” Purple asks, “Did he talk about shooting grandpa?” When enough “nos” have been accrued for every aspect of a given song, the contestant is officially in the running for a cut of $500. “Did he talk about shooting up the block?” asks Purple. After each performance, the audience participates to see if there was a violation. The rules, according to emcee Saj “Purple” Blackwell, are simple, and there are church ladies in the audience to make sure they’re followed. The catch? The music, poetry, spoken word, or a combination thereof, cannot contain swear words or references to violence, drugs, or sex.Īrtists like Darice Gardner, who uses the stage name Paper$, and Alonzo Good, who uses the stage name AKG, sign in to perform and give their music to the DJ. Blackwell Community Alliance hosts a monthly competition called “ How Dope Are You?” where performers vie for cash. In the time since Thomas’ trial, Philadelphia artists and community advocates have been vocal about making an impact on the music scene without violence. “Half a brick missing, and it’s one of my Ĭan’t point fingers because I don’t know who did itīut soon as I find out, I swear that finished” Reimagining drill music Five months after Ashmore’s killing, Thomas’s mixtape “Ear Bleed” was released. Both Thomas and Ashmore were members of Team A, drug dealers and rappers operating in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia. On April 22, 2010, Thomas murdered 23-year-old Anwar Ashmore after the theft of a brick of cocaine. Thomas had successfully appealed a murder charge in 2010, arguing that jurors in the original case made a biased decision based on his song lyrics. In Philadelphia, drill music has taken center stage in criminal trials, with a prominent case resulting in the 2018 resentencing of Ronald “Hollow Man” Thomas. Strongly influenced by trap music from Atlanta, Georgia, drill uses lyrics that focus heavily on money, drug use, violence, and sex.Īs drill music began to spread in popularity, so did the scrutiny: Drill was suddenly being used as evidence in court cases, rappers like the late Pop Smoke began putting disclaimers on music videos that the guns shown were props, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams decried the amount of drill music on the internet. This past summer, as part of the gun violence prevention beat, WHYY covered the genre, exploring its origins in hip hop, the national and international criticism, and how some Philadelphia rappers are trying to change the music’s messaging to improve the city.ĭrill music, a subgenre of hip hop from Chicago’s South Side, emerged in the early 2010s. WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsor
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