Legendary Hip-Hop producer Pete Rock recently had a lot to say about the evolving New York drill music movement, taking to Instagram to air out his frustrations with the growing sub-genre of aggressive and violent street rap. 

“Good Morning Drill Rap,” Pete Rock wrote alongside a clip of New York Mayor Eric Adams playing a drill song during a press conference. “That's trash hop, not Hip-Hop. I been told yall about this kinda shit. Idc, call me what you want, but that kinda Hip-Hop is doo doo, and it disrupts the soul. I told yall that already, man, lol smh.” 

He continued, “Nobody speaks up on this trash, lol. Drill rap not even for the birds or the streets, its the result of greed, people with no talent, and the destruction of the culture. Yall never see the play when it’s happening and everyone complains but does not speak up and say a word. Now, this!  this how we going out? It's on social media, but who is really promoting this? talk about that, smh.”

Pete Rock’s comments on the New York drill scene come after Mayor Adams declared war against the Hip-Hop sub-genre, claiming the music contributes to the rise of violence in the city. He specifically cited the February 6 shooting of 18-year-old Bronx drill artist C-Hii Wvttz, who was gunned down in his car after leaving a Bed-Stuy recording studio. 

“I didn’t know Jayquan, but his death hit me hard because the more I found out about Jayquan’s story, the more I saw how many times he had been failed by a system that is supposed to help boys like him,” Adams said in a tearful February 10 address.

He continued, “He was not just a victim now, but a perpetrator. But he was young, there was still time for him to turn the path of violence and move away from that,” Adams said. “Our system and justice system should have done more, more to help him, rehabilitate him.”

What do you think about the promotion of violent messages in New York’s booming Drill scene? Is Pete Rock speaking facts? Stay tuned for more on this and other Hip-Hop news.