On behalf of his mates, Dimzy of UK drill group 67 has penned a open letter against police oppression. Not only have artists in the UK been barred from producing material without being granted police permission, at least 30 drill music videos appearing on popular music aggregators have been systematically taken down. The scene which is characterized by circumstances similar to Chicago's drill scene, its antecedent in every shape of the word.
At the heart of Dimzy's message is how his gripping sense of realism has provided his family with basic amenities his closest of kin could barely afford before he made a name for himself in the scene. The impact of family structure is something the Metropolitain Police Department have failed to grasp during their witch hunt. The real issue here is this idea of provisional support in these West-London communities, or the lack thereof.
Dimzy writes:
“Doing Drill music has positively changed my life in so many ways. I can now pay bills & set up direct debits which builds my credit score so I can go on to have a mortgage and be self sufficient,” he explains of his own positive experiences as part of the relatively young culture. “I can contribute financially to help my family financially. I’ve explored different cities & towns, indulged in different cultures, tasted different food and met different types of people who live all different types of lifestyles with different beliefs and these things have made me be a much more mature and patient person.”
The rest of his letter can viewed at The Fader.