History and character
Origins
New York drill developed in Brooklyn (Canarsie, Flatbush) around 2019, when rappers such as Pop Smoke, Sheff G, Sleepy Hallow, Fivio Foreign and 22Gz adopted the beats of London producers (808Melo, AXL Beats, Yamaica Productions) and made them heavier and more theatrical. Pop Smoke's "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior" (2019) are its manifestos; the rapper's death in February 2020 and the posthumous success of "Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon" brought the sound to a wide audience.
The Bronx and sample drill
From 2021 the Bronx branch (Kay Flock, B-Lovee, Dougie B, Sha EK, producers like Cash Cobain and Elias Beats) introduced sample drill: recognizable samples of 1990s–2000s R&B and pop, pitched and chopped in a dark key, sometimes with near-complete quotations of the original chorus. Next came "Jersey drill" (a fusion with Jersey club) and mainstream collaborations (Fivio Foreign, Kanye West and Alicia Keys, "City of Gods", 2022).
Differences from UK drill
Bigger, more distorted 808s, more aggressive counter-snares, huskier and more shouted vocals, higher "street" energy; the tempo and structure are the same.
Scales and keys
Natural minor (Aeolian)
- Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (2-1-2-2-1-2-2).
- Example in F: F G Ab Bb C Db Eb.
- Chords: Fm – Gdim – Ab – Bbm – Cm – Db – Eb (i ii° III iv v VI VII).
- Use: the most used key for sample drill: major R&B samples are often "shifted" to the relative minor or reharmonized with an 808 that plays the minor tonic.
Harmonic minor
- Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 (2-1-2-2-1-3-1).
- Example in D: D E F G A Bb C#.
- Characteristic notes: C# (leading tone) and Bb–C# (augmented second).
- Chords: Dm – Edim – F+ – Gm – A – Bb – C#dim.
- Use: Pop Smoke/808Melo-style piano and string melodies, "epic" choirs.
Phrygian
- Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. In A: A Bb C D E F G.
- Use: menacing pedals and intros; 808 sliding A–Bb.
Major (in samples)
Many sample drill samples are in a major key (2000s R&B). The producer can: leave the sample in major and have the 808 play the tonic of the relative minor (e.g. sample in Eb, 808 on C); or pitch/reharmonize. Common mistake: 808 on the major tonic, which makes the beat sound "happy."
How to choose
- Pop Smoke style: harmonic minor with choirs.
- Sample drill: Aeolian (the relative minor of the sample).
- Intros and bridges: Phrygian.
Harmony
Loops and samples
Loops of 2–4 minor chords with no cadences, or a repeated vocal sample that defines the harmony. The major V (harmonic minor) and the VI are the key degrees.
Recontextualization
In sample drill, the phrase of an R&B chorus (2–4 bars) is pitched (often −1/−3 semitones), filtered and placed over a minor 808: the familiar melody becomes dark thanks to the new bass. It is a practical example of reharmonization from the bass.
Density
One chord every 1–2 bars; in the verses often only the sample and the 808.
Voicing
Choirs and samples in the mid-high range (C4–C6), piano in octaves, wide pads.
Typical progressions
| Name | Key | Chords | Degrees | How to use it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmonic loop | D minor (harmonic) | Dm Bb Gm A | i VI iv V | The classic drill loop: the A major chord always pushes back toward Dm. |
| Aeolian sample drill | F minor | Fm Db Ab Eb | i VI III VII | A typical R&B sample recontextualized in minor; no dominant, melancholic sound. |
| Phrygian pedal | A minor (Phrygian) | Am Bb Am Gm | i bII i vii | Semitone movement above the tonic; ideal for dark choirs and intros. |
| Pop Smoke choral | C minor (harmonic) | Cm Fm G Cm | i iv V i | Synthetic choirs and strings over a complete minor cadence: the one case where drill 'closes' the loop, emphatically. |
| Major sample over minor 808 | Eb major / C minor | Ab Bb Cm Cm | IV V vi vi | The R&B sample is in Eb (IV–V), the 808 stays on C: the result sounds minor and dramatic. |
| Tense descent | G minor | Gm F Eb D | i VII VI V | Andalusian with a major V: constant tension under shouted rap. |
Rhythm and groove
Grid
140–146 BPM, half-time, no swing; hi-hats in triplets and 3-3-2 groups as in UK drill.
Counter-snares
More frequent and pronounced than in London: besides beat 3, hits on steps 12, 15, 16 (or snare triplets) with raised pitch. The groove is more "jerky."
Flow
Husky rap, with short, shouted phrases that ride the 808 hits; ad-libs at every pause.
Drums
Kick
Minimal, often just the 1; the 808 does the rest.
Snare / clap
- On beat 3 (step 9) plus more syncopated counter-snares (steps 12, 15, 16, 32), often at a higher pitch (+2/+5 semitones) or with a second sample.
- Snare triplets before the hook.
Hi-hat
Triplets and skippy groups with rests and rolls; more aggressive and louder than in UK drill.
Percussion and FX
Metallic percussion, "gun cocks," sirens, stylized gunshots, vocal tags ("Grrah"). Reversed crashes before the hook.
Interaction
The 808 plays triplet rhythmic patterns between the snares; the shouted vocal fits into the pauses.
Sections
Intro with sample and tag; hook with everything; verse with fewer counter-snares; sudden one-bar stops with only the vocal.
Typical mistakes
Counter-snares placed randomly with no logic (they must respond to the vocal and the 808); 808 and snare overlapping on the same step.
Bass
Huge 808
Heavily distorted, with long glides (80–200 ms) and extreme octave jumps; often plays triplet rhythmic patterns. Long tail that fills the pauses.
Timbre
Mono sub + distorted layer (aggressive saturation, sometimes bitcrusher) that makes the 808 almost a lead.
Notes
Tonic, octave, b3, 5, b6; chromatic slides toward the leading tone in harmonic minor. In sample drill the 808 defines the mode (minor) under a major sample.
With the kick
Short kick on 1, 808 with its own transient; sidechain 2–4 dB.
Harmonic instruments
- Pitched choirs and R&B vocal samples (the signature of sample drill).
- Dark piano, strings and synth pads in the mid-high register.
- Synthetic flutes and winds (Pop Smoke).
- In sample drill the vocal sample is the harmonic instrument: filtered (HP 200 Hz), pitched, sometimes reversed.
Melody and vocals
- Rap: husky and aggressive (Pop Smoke with a low, gravelly voice), short repeated phrases, shouted ad-libs.
- Hooks: shouted rather than sung; in sample drill the hook is often the sample itself with the rapper's voice on top.
- Backing vocals: non-traditional, vocal samples used as a choir.
- Effects: compressed vocals, little reverb; light distortion; delay on the last words.
Instruments
Distorted 808, snares, hi-hats, metallic percussion, R&B vocal samples, choirs, piano, strings, flutes, synth pads, FX (sirens, gun cocks), rap vocal.
Drum patterns
Synths and sounds
- Augmented Voices — Dark choirs and vocal pads: They replace vocal samples when you can't use them: pitched choral pads in minor, with long reverb.
- Augmented Strings — Tense strings: Pizzicato ostinatos and dissonant legatos for the 'menacing' atmosphere of New York drill.
- Piano V — Melodic piano: Harmonic minor melodies in the C4–C6 zone, heavily reverberated.
- Matrix-12 V — Dark, moving pads: Pads with a slowly modulated filter (LFO 0.1–0.3 Hz): they fill the space above the 808 with movement.
- Mellotron V — Vintage flutes and choirs: Mellotron flutes and choirs for Pop Smoke-style melodies; HP at 250 Hz and long reverb.
Song structure
| Section | Bars | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Intro | 4–8 | sample and tag, often only choirs |
| Hook | 8 | everything: 808, counter-snares, choirs |
| Verse 1 | 16 | 808 and drums, filtered sample |
| Hook | 8 | |
| Verse 2 | 16 (or 8) | |
| Hook | 8 | |
| Outro | 4 | sample alone |
Length 2:00–3:00, sometimes with a single verse. Many tracks have the hook only at the beginning and the end.
Mixing and mastering
Sonic goal
Dominant, saturated 808, counter-snares with presence at 2–4 kHz, gravelly vocal up front, samples behind. Louder and more aggressive than UK drill. References: Pop Smoke "Meet the Woo 2" (2020), Kay Flock "The D.O.A. Tape" (2021). Balance: vocal 0, 808 −1/−3, snares −4, sample −8/−10.
Kick
HP 30 Hz, punch 70 Hz, click 4 kHz; transient shaper; mono.
Snare / counter-snares
EQ: HP 150 Hz, body 250 Hz, presence 2–4 kHz (+3 dB); compression 4:1 3–5 dB; clipper. Counter-snares slightly different (brighter EQ or pitch) to tell them apart.
Hi-hats and perc
HP 500 Hz, pan ±10–30, cut 6–8 kHz; FX with HP 300 Hz and automation.
808
- EQ: HP 25 Hz; fundamental 40–55 Hz; harmonics 100–250 Hz (heavy saturation).
- Saturation: aggressive in parallel (Trash 2, Decapitator "P", Saturn 2 "Heavy"); clipper 3–5 dB.
- Slow compression to level the slides; mono below 120 Hz.
Samples and choirs
- EQ: HP 200–300 Hz; LP 8–10 kHz; dynamic EQ at 2–4 kHz from the vocal (−3/−4 dB).
- Space: hall 2–3 s; wide stereo.
- Lo-fi saturation to unify samples from different sources.
Vocal
- EQ: HP 80–90 Hz (low voices like Pop Smoke: be careful not to remove the body at 120–180 Hz); presence 2–4 kHz; cut 400 Hz if "boxy."
- Compression: FET 8–10 dB GR (the shouted vocal has a lot of dynamics) + opto 3 dB.
- Saturation: moderate (mix 20–30%).
- Space: 1/8 delay on the tails, short plate at −22 dB.
Ad-libs
Very present (−6/−8 dB), wide pans, distortion or pitch.
Buses and groups
Drum bus with clipper 2–3 dB; 808 bus with limiter; music bus with light sidechain from the 808.
Sidechain
Kick → 808; vocal → samples (dynamic EQ); 808 → music bus 1–2 dB.
Master
Clipper + limiter. Target −7/−5 LUFS integrated, true peak −1 dBTP (often commercially at −0.3). PLR 5–7 dB.
Common mistakes
Untamed shouted vocal (peaks that jump out); 808 saturated in the sub as well (mud); sample too loud, competing with the vocal; master clipper pushed too hard, causing distortion on the choirs.
Reference tracks for the mix
- Pop Smoke — Dior (2019)
- Pop Smoke — Welcome to the Party (2019)
- Fivio Foreign — Big Drip (2019)
- Kay Flock — Being Honest (2021)
Reference listening
- Pop Smoke — Welcome to the Party (2019)
- Pop Smoke — Dior (2019)
- Sheff G — No Suburban (2019)
- Fivio Foreign — Big Drip (2019)
- Sleepy Hallow — 2055 (2021)
- Kay Flock — Shake It (con Cardi B, Dougie B e Bory300) (2022)
- Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys — City of Gods (2022)