UK drill is a type of music that comes from the South London area of Brixton and began in 2012. It sounds different from Chicago drill music but shares some similar styles. UK drill combines elements of road rap, a type of gangsta rap that was popular in the UK before drill music existed. The lyrics in UK drill often describe difficult and harsh experiences from the lives of the artists. Because of the direct and sometimes violent language used, some people have discussed whether this music might be connected to an increase in knife crimes in London. Many UK drill artists are part of gangs or come from areas with high levels of poverty. Artists like 150, 67, Harlem Spartans, 1011, and 410 are considered important in creating and developing UK drill.
Characteristics
UK drill developed a different way of making music compared to the most common Chicago beat styles, even though it started from Chicago drill styles first created by DJ L, a Chicago producer who worked with rapper G Herbo in the early days of the Chicago scene. The genre also took ideas from older British music styles like grime and UK garage. In an interview with Complex, Jammer said, "without grime…there would be no UK drill." Drill producer Mazza noted that both drill and grime share a similar rough and energetic feel, even though they are different genres. Drill producer Carns Hill, along with other rappers, suggested that UK drill might need a "new name" to show it is different from the original Chicago drill sound. UK drill music is usually faster than Chicago drill. The beats in UK drill are structured with a contrast to the typical trap or Chicago drill beat, using a steady rhythm pattern of three, three, and two beats. The snare drum hits on the fourth beat instead of the third every two bars. The music often includes sliding bass sounds, strong kicks, and dark melodies. AXL Beats explained that the use of 808 drum machines and fast snares in UK drill comes from grime music. Both genres usually have a tempo of about 138–151 beats per minute. The use of British slang, complex rhyming patterns, and themes about social issues help make UK drill different from Chicago and Brooklyn drill, which often have a more aggressive and fast-paced style. As mentioned in the book What Do You Call It? From Grassroots to the Golden Era of UK Rap (2024), UK drill also created its own unique visual style, influenced by the economic conditions of the time. Brixton-based rapper Skengdo explained: "The Chicago group wore expensive clothes like True Religion jeans and Timberlands, and they had a confident look. But when we were 15–16 years old in poorer areas, not everyone could afford expensive brands. So we wore Nike tracksuits and Tech hoodies in our videos."
Sometimes, parts of UK drill lyrics are cut or muted to avoid being used as evidence in legal cases. For example, the word "shh" is used in songs to replace names, weapons, or criminal actions.
History
The group 150, now known as GBG, from the Angell Town Estate in Brixton, is often credited with starting UK drill music. Members Stickz, M Dargg, and Grizzy (stylized as GR1ZZY) were important figures in developing the early style of the genre. Another group, 67, is often recognized for changing the sound of UK drill music away from its Chicago influences and creating a more British style. Producers Carns Hill and QUIETPVCK are widely considered key creators of the genre. Carns Hill made instrumentals for many of 67's early songs, while QUIETPVCK worked closely with members of 150 and 410 during their early years. Their work offered new and creative alternatives to the Chicago drill sound.
An article from VICE divided the history of UK drill into three phases. The first phase, from 2014 to 2018, helped make drill music its own British style. This phase reached its peak in 2016 with the release of "Let's Lurk" by 67, featuring Giggs. Because the genre was not censored, it was not widely accepted by the mainstream music industry. This led to music videos becoming an important way for the genre to spread. The uncensored nature of UK drill also caused Form 696 to be used to cancel shows by drill artists. In early 2017, the Harlem Spartans released a song called "Kennington Where It Started," which fans believe helped UK drill move from an underground genre to a mainstream one.
In 2018, members of 1011, now known as CGM, including Digga D, were given a court order that banned them from making music without police permission. They were also not allowed to mention death or injury, including the death of Abdullahi Tarabi, and had to inform the police before releasing any songs or performing. Kevin Southworth, a Detective Chief Superintendent, said this was one of the first times such an order was made. The order was criticized by Index on Censorship.
In 2019, Skengdo & AM, members of the drill group 410, received a 9-month suspended sentence, which would not be served for 2 years, for breaking a gang injunction. According to The Guardian, the injunction, which lasted until January 2021, prevented Skengdo & AM and two other members of 410 from entering the SE11 postcode. It also banned them from performing songs with lyrics about rival crews, their rappers, or any references to other groups. The sentence led to a letter signed by 65 people, addressed to the Metropolitan Police, asking them to stop issuing gang injunctions and to protect musicians' rights to free speech and creative expression.
In March 2025, Eddy Frankel, writing in The Guardian, reviewed an art installation called "Anti-Blackness Is Bad, Even the Parts That We Like" by RIP Germain. He stated that the UK drill scene was no longer active, as many artists were in prison. The installation showed 42 rappers who were in prison at the time.
Influence
In 2017, UK drill music gained attention outside of Britain when comedian Michael Dapaah released the song "Man's Not Hot" under the name "Big Shaq" or "Roadman Shaq." The song used a beat created by UK drill producers GottiOnEm and Mazza. This beat was first used by drill group 86 in their song "Lurk" and later by group 67 in "Let's Lurk," which featured artist Giggs.
In August 2018, Unknown T's song "Homerton B" reached the Official Singles Chart, becoming the first UK drill single to do so. It entered the chart at number 83 on August 28, 2018, and later peaked at number 48 in September 2018.
UK drill group 67 had two entries on the official charts. However, these entries were on the albums chart, not the singles chart. Their mixtape "Let's Lurk" reached number 66 on the Official Albums Chart, and their mixtape "The Glorious Twelfth" reached number 71. Although Section Boyz's mixtape "Don't Panic" was primarily a trap-based album, it included some drill elements and reached number 37 on the UK Albums Chart in 2015, later peaking at number 36.
In 2018, Canadian musician Drake performed a "Behind Barz" freestyle for Link Up TV, rapping over a UK drill beat. Drake also credited UK drill artist Loski as an influence for his 2018 album "Scorpion." In 2019, Drake released the song "War," which used UK drill's production style and was produced by British producer AXL Beats. Drake's rapping style in these songs was similar to that of UK drill artists.
In 2020, DigDat released the mixtape "Ei8ht Mile," which had the largest opening week for a UK drill album at the time, reaching number 12. That same year, Skengdo & AM released "EU Drillas," a collaborative project featuring drill artists from across Europe. Headie One also released "Only You Freestyle" with Drake, which peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart. Later in 2020, Headie One released the album "Edna," which debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the first UK drill album to do so.
In 2021, Digga D's mixtape "Made in the Pyrex" reached number 3 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the highest-charting UK drill mixtape at the time. That same year, Tion Wayne and Russ Millions released the song "Body," which became the first UK drill song to reach number 1 on the UK Singles Chart.
Although UK drill music began in London, it is not limited to that city. Artists from other parts of the UK, such as SmuggzyAce and S.White of Birmingham's group 23 Drillas and SV of Nottingham, have also become prominent in the scene.
UK drill has influenced music outside the UK. Artists in countries like Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Ghana, and France have created drill music inspired by UK drill, using similar styles, slang, and instrumentals produced by British artists. In Australia, OneFour is an example; in Ireland, Offica and A92; and in the Netherlands, 73 De Pijp. Spanish artists like 970Block and Skinny Flex have also been influenced by UK drill.
Brooklyn drill music became popular in the late 2010s. Artists such as Pop Smoke, Sheff G, and 22Gz have worked with UK drill producers like AXL Beats, Yoz Beats, Ghosty, and 808Melo. The song "Welcome to the Party" by Pop Smoke, produced by 808Melo, received widespread attention. Pop Smoke also released a mixtape entirely produced by 808Melo and Trap House Mob, a group of UK-based producers.
Alongside grime, UK drill has contributed to the spread of Multicultural London English (MLE) to other countries, including Finland and Australia.
Culture
UK drill groups often have conflicts with each other, sometimes leading to violence. These groups frequently release songs that criticize one another. The names of these groups sometimes show the area, or postcode, where they are based. Examples of known rivalries include 67 versus GBG/150, Harlem Spartans versus 410, Zone 2 versus Moscow17, and CGM / 1011 versus 12World.
In a study by Jonathan Ilan from the University of London, published in The British Journal of Criminology, the visual style of UK drill videos was described. These videos often show groups of young men standing near council houses and wearing street clothing. They use hand gestures to express ideas, such as honoring friends who have died or been imprisoned. Because of police actions related to UK drill, artists began wearing masks to hide their identities. Over time, these masks became a form of self-expression. A 2021 book about music genres noted that performers often avoid using personal names, instead blending into their group to appear as part of a larger collective.
Controversy
The violent lyrics in a music genre have been mentioned by police, lawmakers, reporters, and others with influence as a possible reason for an increase in knife crimes in London. In one case, a 17-year-old rapper named M-Trap, who wrote songs about knife attacks, was part of a group that stabbed a 15-year-old boy to death. M-Trap received a life sentence for the crime. A judge named Anthony Leonard QC said, "You claimed the lyrics were just for show, but I do not believe that. I think you were waiting for the right moment to commit an attack."
Some people defend the genre. A 2019 study in The Sociological Review said that the music "naturally reflects, but does not cause violent crime" and that artists in the genre have become "both suspects and victims of racial injustice by the government in a time when society claims to have moved past racial issues." Another study in The British Journal of Criminology stated:
An article by Ciaran Thapar said that, instead of solving the causes of youth violence, "those in power are content to target the music that rises, like steam from a pressure cooker, out of these conditions."
In May 2018, YouTube reported that it had removed more than half of the "violent" music videos identified by senior police officers as problematic. This action was part of Operation Domain, started in September 2015 to remove gang-related videos from YouTube. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said some videos contributed to a rise in murders and violent crime in London, especially drill music. YouTube said over 30 videos were removed. This action caused anger in the community, with many drill artists criticizing the Metropolitan Police. It also led to a temporary decrease in the production of drill music.
In 2018, FACT magazine wrote about UK drill producers M1OnTheBeat and MKThePlug.
In late 2018, a drill artist named Drillminister from South London created a song called "Political Drillin," which was shown on Channel 4 News and included comments from Members of Parliament, highlighting their own use of violent language.
In 2021, a report by Policy Exchange said that 37% of homicide cases in 2018 were connected to drill music. This report was criticized by a letter signed by 49 criminologists, who said the report was factually wrong.
In 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would update guidelines on using drill lyrics in criminal trials. This decision came after concerns from groups, including academics and organizations like JUSTICE.
A group called Art Not Evidence formed to oppose the use of rap music in UK courts. The group includes lawyers, journalists, artists, academics, youth workers, music industry professionals, and human rights campaigners. They believe that art, especially rap music, should be protected as a basic right of free expression and should not be used to unfairly accuse people of crimes.
A Black man from Manchester named Ade Adedeji was wrongly imprisoned for three years after false evidence showed he was in a drill music video. This evidence was used to claim he was part of a gang. He was released in January 2025 after new proof showed he was not in the video. Adedeji believes his conviction was related to his race. Keir Monteith KC, a lawyer and founder of Art Not Evidence, questioned the strength of the evidence against Adedeji, saying, "Things like where [Ade] lives, his interest in music, and who he spends time with—does that prove he is in a gang?"