In 2018, drill artists Skengdo x AM were handed a nine-month prison sentence for performing their song “Attempted 1.0” at a London concert, with court docket labeling the offense as a “breach of a gang injunction.” U.Ok. drill was all the time going to seek out its seat within the scene — regardless of the authorities’ efforts to penalise the style — and nobody might have anticipated the rise that it’s had over the past 5 years. And whereas the origins of the sound got here from the land of southside Chicago (thanks Chief Keef), British producers have expanded the sounds’ affect with sprinkles of afrobeats, bashment, grime, and R&B – and in drill’s present entirety, nothing appears to be off-limit.
With this being mentioned, drill music — and U.Ok. highway rap — is constantly producing uncooked expertise, and it’s giving native rhymers the prospect to relate on the environments they’re merchandise of. Via the invention of the facility of music independency, artists now not want help from labels and execs alike — they’re free to create, specific and no one can cease it. One main day in U.Ok. rap and drill’s latest narrative occured on June 27, 2019 — the day Gipsy Hill rap star K-Trap unveiled his face after carrying a group of balaclavas since debuting in 2016. And whereas the music was well-received by followers from a faceless Ok-Lure, a newly-found flyboy of the new-school rap scene was born the second his naked face took to the digicam.
Three years since his unveiling, Ok-Lure is making extra noise than ever earlier than. With 4 mixtapes – together with a collaborative venture with Blade Brown – and a success single “Heat,” which went on to be a viral sensation — Lure is now polished, skilled, and admittedly, virtually the entire completed article. “It’s the press stuff – the first-week chart positions and the entire promotion round it, that’s the place it will get a bit tekky,” Ok-Lure advised Hypebeast.
However amongst the inexperience with the press, Ok-Lure appears hungry, switched on, and vigilant of what it’s going to take to launch his newest venture The Final Whip II to the subsequent degree of success. With this in thoughts, Hypebeast caught up with Ok-Lure to speak about new music, his evolution as an individual, and rather more.
Hypebeast: Your newest venture The Final Whip II is out as we speak. How are you feeling?
Ok-Lure: I’m good, thanks. I’m simply taking life because it comes, to be honest. For me, the music is the simple bit. It’s the press stuff – the first-week chart positions and the entire promotion round it, that’s the place it will get a bit tekky. However, the music is straightforward for me. I’m nonetheless studying and I’m getting there although, I’m positively extra assured with life outdoors of music, and I’m taking this profession much more significantly than earlier than, and I’ve positively taken a leap and leveled up inside myself.
It doesn’t really feel way back since drill and highway rap wasn’t given the time of day by labels and execs alike and now the genres have kicked down each door potential. In your opinion, how far do you assume drill and highway rap has come?
It’s come very far, man. I got here into the sport and began blowing up when society was telling us that this type of music [road rap and drill] was being swept beneath the carpet. So, for it to be the place it’s now, and with the variety of musicians which can be hitting targets and smashing numbers by being themselves, it’s loopy – who would’ve thought it?
Flitch
When listening to The Final Whip II, you appear to current a way more susceptible facet to your character. How come you needed to open up extra this time round?
I really feel that the brand new music relies on progress. Naturally, I’m a really reserved individual, and coming into the sport as somebody so reserved, is usually a little bit of a shock to the system. However, as I mentioned, I’m rising and I’m dropping extra music as I’m turning into extra acknowledged and well-known. And with that – and the longer period of time I’m spending on this life – I’m naturally turning into extra comfy with the music, I’m understanding the listeners extra and I’m feeling much more at dwelling the place I really feel that I can contact base on extra issues which can be private to me.
All through your profession, you’ve proven a variety of versatility. Do you do that as a result of you may or since you really feel that it is advisable to?
I work with versatility as a result of I can and since I wish to. I believe that there’s an enormous majority of those that solely know one facet of me and there’s much more to Ok Lure than what meets the attention. I prefer to discover and check out various things, nevertheless it simply so occurred that everybody caught me within the drill bag and that’s what sort of blew up for me – I do get pleasure from making drill music, however there’s extra to me and different methods I wish to specific myself. I don’t wish to be caught in a single nook, I wish to be often called an artist.
“I do get pleasure from making drill music, however there’s extra to me and different methods I wish to specific myself. I don’t wish to be caught in a single nook, I wish to be often called an artist.”
Following the success of your hit single “Heat,” have you ever taken a blueprint from there that you simply intend to make use of on future releases?
I don’t assume I might take a blueprint from “Heat.” I used to be assured in regards to the music, however I might by no means have predicted what it was going to do. The music was trending a month in the past and it got here out final yr – it nonetheless seems like a brand new music now. That music has advised me to make no matter I wish to make and to go along with what I imagine is difficult. After I recorded “Heat” I had simply come out of my file deal so my course of was quite a bit totally different. After I was in my deal, I used to be occupied with catering to totally different folks and if I’m trustworthy, it gave me a little bit of author’s block. However with “Heat,” it was in all probability the primary music that I made once I was free and it’s not even a system, it’s simply Ok Lure being in his bag and being targeted.
Do you ever use your platform to assist and advise youthful musicians?
I’d say that Ok Lure is an individual that whether or not you’re older or youthful, coming into the sport or being within the recreation, the way in which that I personally carry myself is only a bit totally different than how different folks do it. I believe that people who find themselves older or youthful might be taught from me. I wouldn’t say that I’m the person who is aware of what to do, or that I’m able and say, “I’ve achieved this, so you must do that,” I simply assume I’m understood and folks take pointers from me as a result of I do issues otherwise.
“After I was in my deal, I used to be occupied with catering to totally different folks and if I’m trustworthy, it gave me a little bit of author’s block.”
Your final venture Joints – which was a collaborative tape with Blade Brown – took the streets by storm. How was it working with Blade and the way is that this new solo venture totally different from what you’ve achieved earlier than?
Working with Blade Brown is straightforward and regular – that’s my man. I believe we’re each very related in the truth that we’re very detailed musicians. However, with this new venture, I don’t assume something is totally new. The music has leveled up and is of upper high quality, however the entire push, roll-out, and advertising and marketing that’s hooked up to the venture is quite a bit totally different than something I’ve ever achieved earlier than. This venture is the beginning of a domino impact and it’s going to tick a variety of packing containers that weren’t essentially ticked earlier than.
“This venture is the beginning of a domino impact and it’s going to tick a variety of packing containers that weren’t essentially ticked earlier than.”
Artists like Central Cee have used TikTok to assist take their careers to a brand new degree. Would you ever use the platform as the primary advertising and marketing device?
I’m by no means going to be the type of person who does one thing simply because another person has discovered success from it. However now, I perceive that I can’t all the time flip my again on issues as a result of each platform you could widen your fan base from or profit financially from, any manner that I can construct extra consciousness round my model, I’ve realized that I’m going to ensure I’m concerned in them. I believe I used to be fairly naive earlier than, however I’ve now come to the conclusion that I will be part of any of those platforms and make content material by simply being me. Why depart meals on the desk, ?
What’s subsequent for Ok-Lure and The Final Whip II?
I believe folks can count on that uncooked model of Ok Lure, there are bangers with good hooks, there are sing-a-long songs, and the females can count on much more, too. I believe the factor that individuals needs to be most enthusiastic about is the entire motion and the way it’s going to be introduced. For the final two tasks, I’ve dropped and ghosted, however now now we have a complete plan and construction – there’s the tour, and there’s much more content material. The complete bundle is the distinction, I haven’t come this heavy earlier than.
