Pitchfork writer Alphonse Pierre’s rap column covers songs, mixtapes, albums, Instagram freestyles, memes, weird tweets, fashion trends—and anything else that catches his attention.
Meet five women breathing new life into New York drill
In the early days of Chicago drill, women like Katie Got Bandz, Sasha Go Hard, and Shady were integral to the scene’s rampant growth and a big reason why it felt so alive from the jump. Until recently, though, New York’s iteration of the style has mostly shut women out, instead relying on a handful of the same gruff-voiced dudes. Especially after the death of Pop Smoke, the scene’s irreplaceable creative engine, in 2020, New York drill became too monotonous, even for a longtime fan like me.
But as the scene has expanded beyond Brooklyn and become less centered around a couple of gatekeeping YouTube channels, it’s opened up considerably. This year, a wave of women have injected life into a regional subgenre that was running low on new ideas. Here are a few to know.
Kenzo B is a high school senior who grew up freestyling with her brothers—one of whom is the Bronx rapper Bando, known for the Gotye-sampling local hit “Talk Facts.” But even if you didn’t know that backstory, a quick listen to her rapidfire flow makes it clear that she knows her way around an off-the-dome verse. Her breakout single “Bump It” has the freewheeling feel of a lunch period battle, with plenty of punchlines that threaten to beat up the girls talking shit in her comments. If there’s anything off about “Bump It” it’s the mix—her vocals are somewhat buried under the wonky, surf rock-sampling beat. For a cleaner listen check her out-of-body experience on “The Realest” or a recent two-hander with Brooklyn’s Young Devyn.
New York drill rappers have been plagued by a dubious taste in beats, but that’s not a problem with Jenn Carter. The Brooklyn up-and-comer has an ear for kinetic instrumentals, which serve as perfect backdrops for her fiery attitude and vocal outbursts. “Treeshy” is her most interesting song yet, as she gets flirty atop a jumpy club beat. The Jersey and Philly-rooted trend has yet to really be mastered by anyone from New York, though Jenn has come the closest so far. Her best single to date is “Misconceptions/Juliet” with Kyle Richh—over the course of four minutes and two different beats, the duo spit out more fast balls than a MLB closer.
At this point I’m usually out on drill songs that employ obvious samples, but I have a soft spot for the beat on WinterDaBrat’s “Hottest Youngin.” It reworks Tanto Metro and Devonte’s immortal 1997 dancehall single “Everyone Falls In Love,” which immediately makes me feel like I’m in the midst of a lazy New York summer afternoon. Of course, WinterDaBrat’s take is a lot less sweet. Above the sample, skittering hi-hats, and pulsing 808s, she sounds like a supervillain in Gotham City: Ready to throw hands with your mom and sister when she’s not trying to rumble with a girl who’s pushing her baby’s carriage. Yeah, it’s slightly overboard, but I would be hesitant to say that to her face.
If Shani Boni were born in another era, she would have probably been the breakout star of a DJ Kay Slay tape. Her verses are sharp, jerky, and dead-focused on finding new ways to say the same things. She’s the type of rapper who I imagine would fit nicely on posse cuts, just clocking in for a 45-second heat check. She may not be super lyrical, but she rarely has dud bars. I’m not sure she has a great song yet—“Talk Facts” comes close—but I find myself captivated anyway. She’s already burning up the freestyle circuit.
What makes drill such a dominant subgenre is its sonic malleability. One offshoot style that has become increasingly popular is soul drill. These tracks are usually defined by a glum vocal sample a la JAY-Z’s “Song Cry” alongside lyrics that weave together tough talk and painful memories (see: Kay Flock’s “Being Honest” and Set Da Trend’s “Get Home”). The Bronx’s Ice Spice has made her way into this territory with a pretty great freestyle for On the Radar. Her patient flow and somber voice bring to mind introspective tracks by Brooklyn drill standouts Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow. While she’s still a bit raw as a rapper, Ice Spice knows how to create a mood.
Glorilla’s early summer anthem contender
The tables have turned. All the dudes who brag about their trifling ways get their just due with Memphis rapper Glorilla’s inevitable summertime anthem “FNF (Let’s Go).” The message is: I’m done with your cheating ass and I’m going to go party with my friends instead. “I’m F-R-E-E, fuck nigga free,” goes the hook, so catchy that even the guys who have been dropped will sing along. In the video, Glorilla and her girls whip donuts in the parking lot, shake some ass, and jump around like their lotto numbers just hit—and there’s not a man in sight.
Sideshow: “Henrik Clarke Kent”
Listening to Sideshow rap feels like flipping through a dusty photo album as he gives you a vivid anecdote to go with every picture. The Ethiopia-born rapper, who relocated to D.C. when he was 8, makes extremely personal music; I feel like I know him a little bit better with every verse.
Last year, his breakout moment came when he went toe-to-toe with Boldy James on the Alchemist’s warm and fuzzy-sounding EP cut “TV Dinners.” He carries that momentum into his latest project Wegahta Tapes Vol. 1. The one I’ve replayed the most is “Henrik Clarke Kent,” where, over a familiar yet soothing Evidence beat, Sideshow mixes clear-eyed reflections with words of advice from his close circle: “My brother from the land where they talkin’ in all clicks/Told me, ‘Life hard don’t trip over small shit/And pick your words wise, don’t speak all that nonsense.’” His lowkey delivery contributes to the intimate feel. It’s a comforting slice-of-life portrait.
Mixtape of the week: Shaudy Kash and Topside’s On the Yeah Side
Shaudy Kash might be the smoothest rapper in Detroit. That says a lot. On the Yeah Side is a peek at his day-to-day, full of blowing dope, hanging out in the city, making money every now and then, and womanizing. He lives like Eddie Murphy in Boomerang, picking up women, building a connection, then telling them to hit the road when they catch feelings: “Lil bitch I ain’t yo’ man, don’t be out here postin’ me,” he raps on “Topside Freestyle.” It’s player rap, emphasized by a selection of Topside beats on the chiller side, less New Orleans funk and more Wiz and Curren$y-style breeziness.
EBK Young Joc: “TikTok”
Stockton, California’s rap scene is scorching, and a major reason for that is the EBK crew. EBK Young Joc, the collective’s 23-year-old storyteller, has been laying down hard-boiled block tales for a minute. What makes his music interesting is the tonal dissonance, especially on a standout track like “TikTok.” His gloomy raps centered on local disarray are fundamentally at odds with the track’s upbeat production. Over pummeling drums and hypnotizing vocal samples, he illustrates his mother’s worry over his safety: “My mama told me, ‘Baby watch how you do what you doin’.” She knows what he gets into, but she can’t stop him. It’s unsettling that lyrics this ominous are set to such a buoyant backdrop.
Chicken P: “All Dawgs Go To Heaven”
There’s an argument to be made that the artist of this current wave of Milwaukee street rap is Chicken P. Back when he was going by Lil Chicken, his Auto-Tune-soaked singles like 2016’s “Goin’ Crazy Wit Them Racks” and 2019’s Jigg-assisted “Fast Cash Babies” introduced outsiders, like me, to the entire scene. Years later, he’s still a worthy entry point, constantly popping up on singles from lesser known rappers in the area and growing an expansive mixtape catalog.
Lately though, I’ve preferred the songs where he gives the Auto-Tune a rest and just slides over funk-infused Midwest grooves. “All Dawgs Go to Heaven” is a standout from his new tape BussaBrick Vol.1: Deep in the Pot (yeah, it’s a mouthful). Over computer-generated chimes, bells, and a thick bassline, he smoothly rattles off tales of trust issues and the minute details of getting fast money. Usually his songs are rougher and a bit more manic, so this new one is a fresh twist. It’s these slight stylistic shifts that make Chicken P a Milwaukee rap stalwart.
