New York Is Taking Over The Rap Game With New Sound Called “Sample Drill”

It’s often a debate on where drill music originated. It usually comes down to Chicago, New York, or London. But it’s safe to say that New York is taking over with a new sound called “sample drill.”

Sample Drill has been on the rise over the last two years. The new sound includes classic samples and New York drill’s signature bass-heavy production. Sample Drill bridges the gap between nostalgic and modern sounds by using easily recognizable hits.

In 2019, drill music took over the streets of New York with Pop Smoke’s drill anthem “Welcome to the Party.” The momentum continued when Fivio Foreign dropped his banger titled “Big Drip.” Both artists ended up signing multimillion-dollar record deals, and from there, everyone jumped on the new wave.

We can’t talk about sample drill without mentioning B-Lovee’s “My Everything,” which was another pivotal moment for the new sound. The song samples Mary J. Blige’s “Everything,” and went viral on TikTok.

“They just flow good,” Lovee told Okay Player of beats that sample older songs. “They be old throwback songs…majority of the time I just hear samples I recognize. Sometimes, I don’t know what the song is, but somebody in the room gonna know.”

TikTok has played a big role in the influence of sample drill. Many tracks were used as the soundtrack for viral trends over the last two years. As a result, the new sound caught the attention of mainstream stars like Cardi B, who jumped on the remix of Bronx rapper Kay Flock’s sample drill song “Shake It,” which samples Akon’s 2004 hit Bananza.

Sample drill has become one of the most popular music movements coming out of New York City. Sampling introduces new generations to older music and creates a cross-generational connection. With its’ group of influential young artists paving the way, New York’s future for Sample Drill is bright.