There are many different types of rap music. From hip-hop to R&B, trap to country, you’ve probably heard of Drill music too. Drill rap is a style that is dark, violent, and ominous. It talks about real-world hardships, such as gang violence or shootings. You’ve probably heard drill rap from Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and Famous Dex, but here are the Top 5 New York Drill Artists for 2022.
1. Fivio Foreign
31-year-old Maxie Lee Ryles III has been climbing the charts since his single “Big Drip” in 2019. He made Billboard’s Heatseeker chart in 2020 with a remix featuring Lil Baby and Quavo. His most recent singles are “Brag” with LAYA, and “City of Gods” with Kanye West and Alicia Keys. You can stream his music on Spotify and Apple Music.
2. Sheff G
23-year-old Michael Kyle Williams started his career in 2017 by responding to fellow rapper 22GZ. His single, “No Suburban” brought him fame beyond lyrics–he wrote it while still on probation for shooting in a shopping center. He started collaborating with artists such as Mozzy, Sleepy Hallow, Polo G, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie. Recently, Sheff G was arrested and sentenced to illegal weapons possession and won’t be released until the summer of 2023. While it means two years without music, it’s sure to spark many drill songs and a possible album following his release.
3. Rah Swish
Rah Swish, whose real name is Rahlique Devawn Wilks, started rapping at 19, “late in the game” for Brooklyn rappers. Alongside drill rappers like Pop Smoke, he released his first track “50 bars Pt. 2” in 2016. He blew up in 2019 with his project Look What They Started and the top song “Treeshin”. Following Pop Smoke’s unfortunate death, Rah Swish dedicated “Talk with the WOOs (intro)” to him, and with the song “Feel Like Pop”. While he doesn’t like to be compared to anyone, he’s honored to carry Pop Smoke’s legacy forward.
4. Curly Savv
Curly Savv, whose real name is David Simpson, has taken over charts as he enters the drill scene. His discography started five years ago in 2017 with artists like Rah Swish. As he dropped more projects and his first album in 2020, he caught the attention of rap legend 50 Cent among other notable names. He’s released three singles so far this year, alluding to another album to add to his name.
5. $hock Medusa
Starting as a DJ at just 14-years-old, $hock Medusa whose real name is Shakor Stancil, is more than just an artist–he’s an executive. TheRealShockTV became an entertainment service to work with celebrities and upcoming artists in the industry. It wasn’t until 2019 that he produced his first single “Conflict”. Its success got it featured on Buzz Music and sparked the creation of six more singles that year. In 2020 he released 20 singles back-to-back, gaining listeners worldwide.