Two rappers who perform as part of the UK drill scene, going by the name Skengdo x AM, have both been given suspended sentences for performing music with lyrics that allegedly incite violence against other gang members. A BBC news report stated that the sentences were carried when the duo pleaded guilty to breaching an injunction which prevented them from threatening violence against others involved in gangs, which included lyrics in music.
They were both sentenced to nine months in prison, with the suspended sentences being carried out for the next two years. The injunction against the pair was put into place in August 2018 and was given to them by the metropolitan police.
“It was breached when they performed drill music that incited and encouraged violence against rival gang members and then posted it on social media,” said the Met in their statement on the injunction. The groups manager claimed that the pair were not involved in gang related violence.The sentence is believed to have been carried out following a new legislation that was put into place last year when the police issued the taking down on several Drill videos on YouTube.
The British branch of the genre, which first originated in Chicago in the early half of the past decade, is said to have been an influence on the rise of gang violence in the United Kingdom. In early 2019, Commissioner of the Metropolitan police, Cassandra Dick pointed at it as being a particular influence on knife crime in London and pressured YouTube into deleting more than 30 music videos of artists in the genre.
This move was met with protest however, when Drill group 1011 set up a petition to get YouTube to stop censoring the genre, which thousands of people signed. One supporter named Rebeca Leech stated: “In the 50’s and 60’s it was rock music. Now its this. Get real.” A spokesperson for YouTube claimed they were only tackling videos which breached their guidelines.
Skengdo, real name Terrell Doylely and AM , real name Joshua Malinga, both 21 have been played on BBC Radio One and performed and the Reading and Leeds festivals. They also received critical acclaim from The Guardian with a four star review.
Despite the denial of any involvement in gang violence, Doylely is said to be one of the oldest members of the 410 gang who are based in Brixton, London. Even though he and his crew have been performing drill music for many years, he found no recognition for it until 2017 which was when the drill scene came to prominence. Over the course of that year he developed a fan base and released his debut mixtape with AM and their producer D-Profit entitled “2 bunny”.
AM is also said to be a member of the same gang who raps in French as well as English. He also rose to prominence in 2017 after the drill scene grew in popularity. Considered one of 410’s most talented members, he is recognisable for his trademark balaclava that he wears live and in videos.
