Courtesy of Hot New Hip Hop.

It‰’s pretty much impossible to separate Chicago from drill music. Drill is Chicago and Chicago is drill, at least when talking about the Southside neighborhoods of Chicago nicknamed Chiraq. It was in these gang ridden parts of the city that drill music was created and on those streets that drill‰’s most notable artists were raised and inspired.

Many people have criticized Drill‰’s style and subject matter which is characterized by violent, grim lyrics rhymed over simplistic trap-style beats. They say it perpetuates a bad image of Chicago and is lyrically unskilled, however it’s no wonder how this style came to be, even to the loudest critics.

Most of drill‰’s biggest players grew up in an area plagued by violence and the drug trade; just this September alone 34 people were shot and killed in Chicago and most of drill‰’s biggest artists are coming right off those same streets, many are gang affiliated. Violence is what these young men and women know so that is what they rap about.

As for the critique that drill lyrics are too overtly violent, lacking the metaphors and nuances of some rap styles, drill figurehead Chief Keef addressed this issue in an interview saying “I don’t really like metaphors or punchlines like that‰Û_I’d rather just say what’s going on right now. Real talk.‰”

So perhaps this simplicity of lyrics is an artistic choice meant to come across blunt because it is necessary to be blunt about such a bad situation. And Chief Keef, having achieved mainstream success in the past two years with singles like “I Don‰’t Like,‰” proves that there is something to be said for such a technique; it allows mainstream America a glimpse at the realities of life in this region.

Love it or hate it drill music has given the youth of south Chicago a voice. Even if you cringe at the constant cursing or frequent references to drivebys you must respect drill‰’s authenticity and acknowledge its artistry. It‰’s about time someone shines a light on Chicago.