Criminalised For Making Music Drill artists have been banned from performing, shunned by venues and demonised in the press, but silencing young musicians will not stop gang violence. Report by Ben Jones
In January this year, for the first time in British legal history, two musicians were arrested and sentenced for performing their own song. Drill rappers Skengdo x AM both received nine-month suspended sentences for playing their track, Attempted 1.0, at a concert in London last December. The Metropolitan Police claimed that the 20 performance was in breach of a preexisting injunction and that it “incited and encouraged violence against rival gang members”. Drill is a form of rap music that originated in Chicago at the start of the decade. Characterised by stark beats, foreboding music and dark, nihilistic lyrics, it has grown in popularity in the UK – particularly in London – in recent years. Its rise has been tarnished by accusations that drill’s lyrics and videos glamourise or incite violence; but can a genre be criminal by its nature?
majority of drill provides an insight into the needs of young people and does not incite incidents of violence.” Moving the motion, delegate Linton Stephens said: “Music and artistic self-expression are a reflection, and not a cause, of the individual socioeconomic experience. The government’s diversion tactic to continually blame music of black origin as a contribution to the cause of the rise in outcrops of violent or antisocial behaviour demonises the young black community and suppresses their voice.” Clearly, rises in gang membership and knife crime cannot be blamed solely on what music the proponents may listen to or create. As MU Official John Shortell noted: “Youth violence
Drill rappers Skengdo x AM (Terrell Doyley and Joshua Malinga). Drill music has been blamed for a rise in violence on the capital’s streets (below).
Drill Music & Knife Crime, the MU The
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© Victoria Jones / PA Archive / PA Images
“Music has often been the focus of moral panic to distract from deeper issues in society.”
© Joanna Dudderidge
Moral panic The MU submitted a motion entitled ‘Drill Music & Knife Crime’ to the 2019 TUC Black Workers’ Conference. It stated: “Music has often been the focus of moral panic to distract from deeper issues in society. Youth violence has long been an issue before drill music. The
