It's impossible to avoid drill if you listen to urban music today. For this style has influenced the whole of culture, even outside rap, to sweep through music like a veritable tsunami. This musical genre, which has gone back and forth between the USA and England, has also swept up everything in France, including clothing styles. And here at PXP, several of our collections are inspired by the drill universe.
From the streets of Chicago to the top of the world charts
The term "drill" has become ubiquitous in the music world in recent years. It has even given birth to a sub-genre, jersey drill, which is even punchier and more aggressive, but retains the same influences, particularly in its lyrics. But few people know where this musical phenomenon comes from and what it represents on a cultural level. Drill was born in Chicago, one of the cities with the highest number of violent deaths in the USA. More specifically, it originated on the south side of Chicago, where rappers have become world-famous, controlled by warring gangs and violent gangs who share the territory. Drill initially embodied a very nihilistic movement: basically, the positive messages of self-emancipation and awareness of the problems of the neighborhoods, carried by the big-brother rappers, had failed. There are no more solutions to improve people's lives, so the only way out is the street, traffic and violence. The first rapper to explode on the international scene was Chief Keef, and he frightened his colleagues in his early days, not only because of his addictions but also because of his criminal record.
In terms of musical influences, we're initially quite close to trap, but with even more irregular rhythms. In fact, many rappers from Atlanta, the cradle of trap, have influenced Chicago artists, even going so far as to collaborate with them. But the dark atmosphere of the Chicago rap scene meant that the phenomenon didn't explode worldwide right away. It first had to be picked up by English rappers, particularly those from London. These are tough neighborhoods, quite similar to the violent reality of Chicago rappers, which is why this music struck a chord with the English. They quickly made a number of metamorphoses: while the lyrics remained fairly identical, with the omnipresence of violence, they gradually moved on to lighter themes (like the incredible parody hit "Man's Not Hot"). With musical touches from the Caribbean, mainly via the Anglo-American diaspora. It was at this point that the man who would make Drill number 1 came into play: Pop Smoke. A very young artist from New York, a fan of rap, but above all of UK drill. He got in touch with 808Melo, one of England's leading drill beatmakers, and together they made history.
With "Meet The Woo", released in 2019, Pop Smoke is going to put some New York-style bling back into the mix, in homage to the Bad Boys Records era, and he's going to go from illustrious unknown to best rapper of the moment in the space of 3 months. Driven by the success of his hit "Dior", the rap world went drill in one fell swoop. Even if, in France, there were obviously a few precursors, like Freeze Corleone and Ashe 22, quickly followed by Gazo, Ziak, 1Plike140 and a few others. And while quite a few rappers still retain this hyper dark and violent side in their lyrics, others have also released tracks where the mood is very joyful, very festive, adding African sounds for example. Tiakola, for example, or Chily, have given new colors to a style that was originally so dark. Today, drill music is omnipresent, with many faces and moods, but it has also had a huge impact on clothing. Thanks to our English neighbors, drill is also a whole lot of clothing.
Drill, the ultimate winter style
It's probably not lost on you, if you're a regular consumer of drill videos, that rappers and extras often have a particular style of attire: thick down jackets, masks, balaclavas, gloves, hoods, technical clothing, the winter mood is in the spotlight in this music. This is certainly due to the fact that, in London or Chicago, the climate is rarely very friendly. We're more into a cold/humid/foggy creepy vibe. So, to adapt as well as possible, we wear warm clothes. And just as well, it's cold at the moment, and Project X Paris has a whole range of winter outfits inspired by the drill universe. There's even a tribute capsule, called "Drill & Drip", offering a wide range of down jackets We offer a wide range of styles, from long, multi-pocket parka jackets to quilted vests, combining elegance with comfort and warmth. Perfect for the season!
As mentioned above, drill has had a major influence on the resurgence of "Techwear" (notably the explosion of the North Face and Canada Goose brands). At PXP, we've got just what you need for a truly "tech" outfit: sleeveless vests or quilted jackets with a fairly sober design, but also windbreakers and multi-pocket cargo pants. Pieces that are also very popular with Drilleurs, and well-suited to winter. Finally, there's the inevitable quilted jogging bottoms, with a "yoke" design that goes perfectly with the pull-on sweatshirt with quilting, or the jacket with quilted yoke. Everything you need to face up to the hostility of the cold, with a beautiful overall effect. Of course, we couldn't talk about the drill universe without mentioning the Capsule Bandana. An iconic piece in drill, which is a very "gangsta" style of rap that reuses many of the codes of American gangs, in particular the bandana.
It's a style found in Ziak, who wears a bandana as a mask in many of his videos, to hide his identity and arouse the curiosity of listeners. And Chief Keef, the founding father of this musical movement. At Project X Paris, we offer a variety of pieces featuring bandana motifs, such as a black men's hoodie or quilted overshirts. But also other more summery pieces, which you can find on our site, in the "Capsules" tab, then " Bandana ". Last but not least, as drill is street music par excellence, we couldn't forget to mention the Graffiti capsule. A collection in which the garments are covered with graffiti motifs, in homage to this street art, and which we had tested by 1Plike140, one of France's strongest drillers. The result is flawless: whether worn on their own in summer, or under a sweatshirt or down jacket in winter, graffiti t-shirts add the touch of color and whimsy needed to stand out from all those dark black sweatshirts. All you have to do is make your choice!