The Hilt's "Drill Joint": A Perfect Example of How Drill Music Transcends Borders
Chicago Drill meets UK Drill meets Japanese Drill
The Hilt's latest single "Drill Joint" is a perfect example of how drill music transcends borders. Produced by Monsieur Jovoni, the song blends the busy energy of Chicago drill with the dark pianos and heavy 808s of UK drill. J the Protagonist attacks it ferociously. Not to mention Kraftykid, The Hilt's resident Brit. Additionally, the song adds a Japanese twist with Neku, The Hilt's only Japanese rapper, bringing the flavour of Japanese drill.
The hook of the song, delivered by Monsieur Jovoni, is reminiscent of Chief Keef's vibe on 'Faneto' or 'Don't Like,' with its heavy synths, while the verse element of the beat is reminiscent of Zone 2 or 98s. The energy of the song is palpable, and it's easy to get lost in the catchy bars and head-bobbing beats.
Neku's verse adds a unique twist to the song, with lyrics in Japanese that add to the international feel of the track. The verse is followed by J the Protagonist, whose lyrics are delivered with confidence and swagger. Kraftykid's verse follows suit, showcasing his ability to weave words and create vivid imagery.
Kraftykid then delivers the catchy refrain before spraying a breathless onslaught, giving the track that UK stamp of approval. The refrain, adding to the overall catchiness of the song, is a call to action, encouraging listeners to stay strong and not fold under pressure. Because The Hilt certainly won't be. En garde!
Artwork
The cover, depicting Tutenkhamun represents our identity as the original people and gods among men. It symbolizes our deep connection to our ancestry and heritage, and our unwavering pride in who we are.
Moral
Overall, "Drill Joint" is an international drill anthem that blends the best of Chicago, UK, and Japanese drill. It's a perfect example of how music can transcend borders and bring people from all over the world together. While the artwork is a powerful representation of the black experience and what it means to be black in today's world. It serves as a reminder of the challenges we face, the strength of our community, and the importance of staying rooted in our identity and culture.
See the amazing music video below directed by Emma Ingeborg Sundin.
Citypop. Trap. And They Say The Marriage Was Beautiful. Citytrap EP By Kraftykid And J.Rovia Out Now
Citypop. Trap. And they say the marriage was beautiful.
How the collab came about
Kraftykid and J.Rovia are to The Hilt what EarlWolf was to Odd Future, what Method Man & Redman was to Wu-Tang, what Headie One & RV was to OFB. A subset within a group, with their own sound.
The rapper-producer-songwriter Kraftykid produced and executive produced the EP to flex his metal fingers. J.Rovia assisted with introspective raps and melodies.
The two MCs happen to live together, so an EP was a no-brainer. Now you have a 3-pack! Early Christmas present, I guess.
Citytrap
As the title suggests, this song has elements of citypop as well as trap. The filters and percussion are citypop-esque, and the 808s speak for themselves. The melody in the beat is where the two genres meet in the middle. The lyrics talk about using the talents you were blessed with, and not letting them fade in place of a job you can’t stand. Get loose!
Croozin
No apostrophe for these daredevils! Reminiscent of a time when rappers used Z’s instead of S’s at the end of wordz.
“Keep the family close, lessons I had to learn from within”, J.Rovia raps as the homesickness kicks in. Absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say.
Kraftykid adds on, “I need plaques though. Make up for all the times I spat through these plaques though.” Yes, they’ve left home, so it better have been worth it! Let’s manifest a platinum plaque for each 10,000 hours logged!
Pip
Top Gun sample ftw!
Followed by J.Rovia with a message I can get behind, “Time wasted stick to the point and drive, better done than only said.” Don’t talk about it, be about it. Even if you’re scared, you have to chase your dreams or you’ll regret it later.
Kraftykid follows, “Even if I die I won’t even die. Left behind a legacy for each to try.” Sentiments echoed from one of his previous singles ‘i don’t even mind’ where he croons about his legacy being his music, not kids.
Artwork
I was inspired by Citypop artists like Hiroshi Nagai, and some 1984 album artwork like Magical and After 5 Clash! That blend of warm and cool colours makes me sleepy, in a good way. I wanted to make something similar, but challenge myself with 3D models. Challenge accepted.
Moral
“Now I want tunes I can show family”, Kraftykid raps. And true to word, the EP, clocking in at only 7 minutes has not a single swear word by either of the rappers. The interesting part is, this was all subconsciously done.
Check out the EP for yourself and let us know in the comments which track you were feeling the most.
Kraftykid & Vangs Music’s “i don’t even mind” is Great Gatsby vs The American Dream in A Nutshell
For the one you’d risk it all for.
Verse 1
First, let’s talk about how melodic the beat sounds. Props to Vangs Music. It just compelled Kraftykid to sing away whether he was hitting the note or not. “They’re like, K she was bad why’d you let her get away?” he raps. One might call it self-sabotage, but there are many types of people out there. Some prefer to be single, some can’t do without a partner, some are poly, and some are even asexual.
“Guilty.” — Varys, 129 AC
Verse 2
Kraftykid half-jokingly credits his luck with women to his barber. But wait. To a black man, a barber is so important that we stay with the same one our whole life if we can help it. So important that Big Tobz & Blittz had to make an anthem about it. So important that Krafty had to pay homage to that song. “Gotta thank my barber for the puss that I’ve been getting.” Then in the same breath he shamelessly talk about his mum’s life lessons. You know the one. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”, and I hear he’s quiet in person…
Artwork
Others perceive single people to be lonely, and some are, but Krafty claims to be happier alone. So for the artwork I wanted to capture that desolate feeling and I referenced the Blade Runner 2049 poster but added the man turning into sand.
I’m convinced Ryan Gosling can do no wrong. What’s his best movie?
Moral
Kraftykid self-reflects on his perception of happiness as the Great Gatsby type versus the American Dream type which has permeated cultures all across the world. You know, starting a family, getting a dog, picket fence, etc. The moral of the story is don’t yuck someone’s yum, especially if you don’t understand it. Give the song a listen below and tell me what you think.
Kraftykid & Vangs Music Say It’s A Virtue to Know “Your Place”
It’s a virtue to know oneself.
Verse 1
As usual, Kraftykid squeezes many concepts into one song. This can be a lot to take in, so multiple listens are usually recommended. However, in today’s microwave music era that’s a big ask. Verse 1 covers topics from incels and the Black Lives Matter movement, to the importance of conserving time and energy. “Can’t politic with a racist, that’d take too much time”, he raps. Vangs Music delivers on the dark beat with a melody fit for the grim reaper himself.
Verse 2
Verse 2 sees Krafty address the close call his friend had when meeting a stranger from Craigslist which turned out to be a honey trap. He’s lucky he only got robbed. He also discusses violent acts by boys not even old enough to vote. It seems like going to jail is a rollout for some rappers. Then some that go mainstream do it out of pressure online by people with no avatars, in my opinion. Others do things out of necessity. I wish more youth clubs were available. “Ain’t even lived life, he a lifer.”, Kraftykid raps.
Artwork
Finally, let’s talk about the artwork. That is a picture I took in 2015 in Higashi-Nakano with my Airbnb host, I believe. Back when Airbnb was still a thing in Japan. I recall this was round Christmas time. I wonder where the decorations are? Maybe I should’ve Photoshopped some in. I wanted to use a simple picture that looks busy to portray that sense of many people being the main characters of their own stories but an NPC in yours.
Moral
The core message of the song, as heard in the chorus, is to know yourself and draw a line in the sand somewhere. “The streets, huh? You know that’s not your place.” Take a listen for yourself below and see if you can catch all these references.