Interview: Meet Kenyan drill rap group, BURUKLYN BOYZ
Like much of art that radically pushes against norms of self-expression, drill, like its parent genre, hip-hop has always been intertwined with the struggle and strife of its creators. As a movement, drill took off in 2010, originating from Chicago, where rappers like Chief Keef rode bass-heavy hits like “Love Sosa” and “Don't Like” into mainstream rotation.
Keef came to global attention while he was still a teenager, not just for his music but a lifestyle the media directly linked with his backstory and violence-fuelled lyricism. The rapper grew up in Parkway Garden Homes, an impoverished and dangerous South-Side Chicago neighbourhood, infamously known as the 'O-Block’. The O-Block is a stronghold for Chicago's Black Disciples gang, which Keef still a member. In a 2012 interview, Chief Keef told Complex, "I write about what's going on right now, what we just did, what just happened, that's what I write about. I don't be trying so hard". Since his breakout, the narrative of Keef's trajectory has been defined by this authenticity, inadvertently fueling socio-economic art vs life debates, probing if violent music begets violent streets, or if it's the other way around. As drill music has spread to the UK and the rest of the world in the years since Chief Keef, its global emergence was has been trailed by similar allusions. In 2018, when the frequency of knife violence and stabbings grew in the UK, British media fingered drill music as an instigator of “a demonic mindset” in youths.
Against the odds of bad press, drill has forged on as a genre nonetheless. The African iteration of drill, however, hasn't received the same notoriety, which is almost odd, given many African nations are more sensitive to media messaging, than in the West. In West Africa, Ghana, drill is called asakaa and led by Kumasi-based acts like Yaw Tog, Reggie, O’Kenneth and City Boy. For this interview, we speak to BURUKLYN BOYZ, one of the rap groups leading the drill movement in Kenya. BURUKLYN BOYZ became an internet sensation last year off, "Nairobi", a tribute single to their home city, that went viral on YouTube with virtually no promotion. The group has been consolidating with more singles while beefing up production and songwriting. In this interview, BURUKLYN BOYZ talk to ARTISH about starting out, going viral and what new fans can expect down the road.
Hey guys, can you introduce the main squad to ARTISH?
Buruklyn Boyz is a rap group but we started as a rap duo, with our names: Mr. Right & Ajay
What kind of music did you guys grow up listening to?
Actually growing up we were listening to different genres from reggae to R&B and hip-hop.
What is the backstory behind how you guys got together?
We actually grew up together as childhood friends in the same hood called Buruburu in Nairobi city. We also did go to the same schools and had same taste in fashion and music.
Your music is so hard, can you talk about your creative process?
We actually rap what we live and see daily in what we do or goes around in the hood. As you know life ain't that easy in the hood. If any one of us gets an idea we jump on it and work it through and get it recorded by our friend and producer, Dencho.
Why did you choose 'drill' as your preferred genre of expression?
We found it easy to rap on drill beats. We also wanted to be the first guys to pioneer the drill scene here. We want to always drop by always bangers relatable to our peers and any Kenyan.
For fans who don't understand your native language, can you talk a bit about your smash single "Nairobi"?
So Nairobi basically is a song dedicated to the capital city of Kenya. On the track, we talk about how our music is booming in the streets of Nairobi that is (East & Westside). Also, to make a point that this is the crew that does the best drill music in Kenya, and we're here to stay. That's why we went out of our way to get good locations that show the Nairobi central business district.
How did you guys work through the pandemic lockdowns last year to record music?
Since we stay in the same area, we could meet up in the evenings, chop it up and record some music. But that song, "Nairobi" really surprised us even though we knew it was a hit song, it did good numbers for us.
What is the hip-hop scene like in your home town city, and how has it influenced your sound?
The hip-hop scene in Kenya has really grown. Guys are accepting new sounds. There are good rappers too in the city but we have been influenced by the way of life and the city's vibe. There's a rap group called Wakadinali who inspire us too.
Do you have any plans for a pan-African crossover? (Anyone on the continent you'd like to collaborate with, given the chance?)
Yeah sure, we believe in our music and what we do. We just feel like when the right time comes organically our music will traverse to other parts of the continent. But to mention names, we would definitely like to work with Nasty C.
Is there a full-length project in the works? When can fans expect it?
Yeah actually, (Ajay) is working on a solo EP. We also have many unreleased bangers that we plan to roll out soon.
What are you guys most optimistic about in the coming months?
Guys should just be ready for more bangers. For us it’s no days off we work until we get out of our situation, get our music everywhere and inspire people. We optimistic that the drill sound will be sonically accepted.
Check out Buruklyn Boyz on Spotify