The Drill Rap Era Is Dead: Meet Some Of The Lyricists Keeping Rap Alive In Worcester [Part 1]

 

In a city (since Joyner Lucas’ exposure into the international eye) that’s spent nearly a decade plagued with nothing but drill rap, Natalie Nunn vibes, & never ending autotune melodies galore as if it were 2016 and A-Boogie just dropped

It’s been difficult for the real bar spitters to stand out and shine, It’s hard to hand gold to an audience that demands coal, like cheap shock bars from drill rappers disrespecting the deceased & female MC’s recycling played out subject matter of sex & haters.

But as the times shift and lyricism is becoming “cool” again, we’re reminded just how large a gap there is between the contenders and the pretenders when we hear the artists pictured above to name a few:

Duug Gambino for starters, A younger rapper from Worcester (born in NC) that definitely displays a modern influence that sounds almost like if G Herbo were from the south and had NYC subject matter. A rasp-ish voice with a modern delivery and classic punches typically on a mix of boom bap sampled drill inspired beats that can reach and cater to any audience young or old.

Or the veteran spitter Casanova Dutch that’s been dropping punchlines & lyricism that reflect back

to the early 2000’s Lox, Dipset era when his group “The Movement” was a driving force in the city,

Dutch has not lost a step and has adapted well to the change in sound and music of the 2020’s while maintaining that street and witty flow that rap fans of the old and modern era all love.

With a clear influence from Fabolous, Jadakiss and some Styles P, Dutch has the sound to make you feel like you’re sitting on a stoop on a summer 2006 day but in modern time.

Now for Jafet (Jafet Muzic) whom is currently working on an album with one of the legendary Big Pun’s producers Domingo, Is a modern day boom bap fans dream. As if a Latino Prodigy of Mobb Deep mixed with Ghostface Killa and was from Worcester, you’d get Jafet.

Never a disappointing performance on any song, that all have high replay value for anyone that enjoys dissecting a verse for doubles or triple meanings that may have gone over their heads, Or you just enjoy a good flow on a heavy drum beat. His means of staying true to his craft without chasing clout through obnoxious social media marketing tactics like many artists today is admirable and he is definitely on the cusp of fame when he’s finally discovered on a larger scale.

Realize is another young rapper with the skill set and swagger of a 20 year veteran. With a Dave East delivery, hard hitting punches, and the swagger of Rico in Paid In Full, his music most certainly knocks and is a HUGE refresher in current times. 

He recently did a Hot97 freestyle and is working on collaborations with Worcester legend listed above Casanova Dutch

 

 

 Next is Elijah Divine, who recently dropped a video for his track “Shabba Shakur”. That sounds like a hardcore rapper from the 90s woke up from a coma and hit the studio his first day out of the hospital. Lyrical wordsmithing at its finest over a heavy hitting boom bap beat never sounded so beautiful. A nod to hip-hop and a reminder that classic hip-hop still lives.