It first emerged in Chicago. It was the late 2000s and the striking lyrics painted a picture of life on the streets. It was nihilistic, gritty and often featured lyrics describing violence, which contrasted with the tales of wealth advanced in other facets of the rap genre.
It next appeared in the UK, particularly in the district of Brixton in south London, with similar themes reapplied to the local experience. By the time it reached Australia, the subgenre was already synonymous with violent so-called "postcode wars" between gangs in neighbouring areas in the UK.
In the US, drill rap was pioneered by artists such as Chief Keef, in the UK it was the group 150 and, in Australia it was ONEFOUR, who formed in 2014. On Spotify, the group from Mount Druitt in Western Sydney has 863,478 monthly listeners.
Other musicians drawing an audience and making drill music include Melbourne’s HP Boyz from Hampton Park, Hooligan Hefs who hails from Western Sydney’s Doonside, and Jaecy, who grew up in Western Sydney’s Bankstown.
But authorities here have suggested drill music can incite violence.
NSW Police told Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph last Monday it will be contacting streaming platforms asking them to remove music they believe incites violence or criminal activity.
Why are the police listening in on drill rap in Australia?
NSW Police's move to report and potentially restrict the streaming of drill music is the latest local example of authorities keeping a close eye on, and even intervening with the genre.
ONEFOUR in the music video for 'In The Beginning', which has been streamed more than 20 million times.
“Drill music and songs (in some cases) are being weaponised to basically inflame a conflict with another side. We are still seeing that trend where drill rapping is being used to talk about crimes being committed for purposes of antagonising an opposition,’’ Mr Weinstein told The Daily Telegraph.
“[Streaming and social media platforms] have certain expectations and their own policies around showing violence," he added.
In response to questions on how authorities might determine which artists and songs to flag with streaming services, NSW Police told The Feed: “We rely on the moderators of social media platforms to uphold their own policies around violent content; however, NSW Police will take action in relation to content that contains material inciting violence or criminal activity.”
It's understood NSW Police will directly communicate their requests to platforms.
In a statement to The Feed, YouTube said: "At YouTube we are deeply committed to helping music of all genres grow and thrive. While YouTube is a platform for free and creative expression, we prohibit videos, including music videos, that incite violence."
YouTube's policy prohibits content "inciting others to commit violent acts against individuals or a defined group of people." Content violating the policy will be removed, it states, though no further information is given on how this is assessed. Spotify states that it may remove songs promoting violence and inciting hatred.
The Feed has contacted Spotify and Apple Music, who lead the music streaming market in Australia, for comment.
No drill rap artists in Australia have been charged over their music and there is no suggestion they are involved in any criminal activity.
‘Hysteria from media and police’
It's not the first time NSW Police have focused on the sprawling drill scene in Sydney's west. ONEFOUR had concerts cancelled by venues in 2019 after the police raised fears of violence at their gigs.
Two members of the group were jailed for causing reckless grievous bodily harm after a violent clash in 2019. During the sentencing, the judge said "racial comments, perhaps extending to slurs" were directed toward members at the time.
Mark Ferry is the CEO of Ted Noffs Foundation, which runs programs to support youth with drug, crime and mental health issues. Its most successful service, The Street University, provides studios and programs for young people to make music of their own, including drill rap.
The service has campuses in the Western Sydney suburbs of Penrith, Mount Druitt and Liverpool. Years ago, the Mount Druitt studios were used by ONEFOUR.
Mr Ferry told The Feed it's unfair to taint the perception of the genre, and by consequence emerging artists in Western Sydney.
"Linking all of them to 'gang culture' criminalises the vast majority of young people (making drill music)."
ONEFOUR's manager Ricky Simandjuntak told The Feed such an outlook fails to facilitate constructive conversations around the number of issues young people in Western Sydney might be facing.
Artist manager Ricky Simandjuntak says the discussion around the impacts of drill rap hasn't recognised the positive impact it has had, and could further have on the community. Credit: Supplied
"Western Sydney has also been a place where some people think is just a bunch of people filled with no talent.
"But what Western Sydney has been showing recently, is that we have global talent, we just never had the infrastructure."
For some, just a trendy 'aesthetic'
In ONEFOUR's song 'Spot the Difference,' one of their most well-known tracks with almost 17 million streams on YouTube alone, the group raps about having posers within the genre.
"My district has too much drillers. Like who wants it? Like who wants war with Sydney's realest?
"...They act like they in trenches but them boys ain't got no diggers. Like spot the difference."
In a music video filled with flares, balaclavas and young men walking next to police cars, a disclaimer states the video "is made for entertainment purposes only. The lyrics and characters are fictional and should not be taken literal (sic)."
OneFour in the 'Spot The Difference' music video. Credit: OneFour YouTube
Mr Ferry said a clampdown on the music could actually result in the opposite of what the police are hoping to achieve.
"It can make it more desirable, shall I say," he said. "It doesn't mean that they won't listen to it, they'll just find other ways of listening to it."
He told The Feed the drill rap scene is following a similar course to the 'eshays' or 'lads' culture in Sydney, and is now a trend other young teenagers are mimicking.
ONEFOUR members who once attended The Street University are now local heroes for current attendees, Mr Ferry said.
"People put their postcodes on the chalkboards as soon as they're old enough, it’s just mimicking.
"It's that sort of style of thing that the kids pick up on what they think is cool and they run with it. They're not necessarily all wanting to join crime gangs."
Winnie Dunn, a writer of Tongan descent from Mount Druitt and the author of 'Another Australia, an anthology which centres on the Pasifika community, agrees.
Winnie Dunn says the genre is a way for Pacific Islanders to reclaim the narrative around their identity. Credit: Supplied
"We see it all the time in other forms of music, hip hop, rock, even indie music, everybody has a persona. That's kind of what propelled the music forward."
'Reclaiming the narrative'
ONEFOUR, whose members are of Pasifika descent, also put on a "hard" persona to reclaim their identity, Ms Dunn said.
"The only representation of Pacific Islanders in Australia was [comedian] Chris Lilley, who we all know as the white guy with brown face paint."
Ms Dunn said despite two members of ONEFOUR being convicted of reckless grievous bodily harm, musicians should still be allowed to voice their lived experienced.
The only representation of Pacific Islanders in Australia was [comedian] Chris Lilley, who we all know as the white guy with brown face paint.Winnie Dunn
"That persona also retaliates against a lot of the demonisation of Pacific Australia by media and the trials that we face."
Alex Hatziminas, known professionally as Hooligan Hefs, is an Australian hip-hop, EDM and drill artist from Doonside in Western Sydney. Credit: HooliganHefs/Instagram
"ONEFOUR have gone through some horrendous things in the past that they're not entirely proud of. But they've had an opportunity now to look at their talent and build an independent business, not backed by a major label, to achieve major numbers," Mr Simandjuntak said.
"They've employed friends of theirs, created opportunities for other people from their area, let alone, inspired, a generation of kids who may have never like thought music, or videography or graphic design, or a creative career was possible.
"My question is, how many other kids who were as talented as them slipped through the cracks because people weren't willing to recognise their talent?"
