Grouping artists into scenes makes it easier for us all to digest, discuss, and categorize music. But of course, there is a downside for the artists in question. Even those in tightly knit communities rarely sound exactly alike or make music about exactly the same thing, or in the exact same way. Chicago's drill scene is no different-- there are artists there, even young ones, making rap music unlike the hollowed-out rattle of Chief Keef and Lil Reese. One of them is Lil Durk, a Chicago teen and GBE associate, who is one of the the city's forgotten figures and who released his second mixtape of the year, Life Ain't No Joke, this fall.
Part of the reason why Durk has been overlooked is because he spent parts of 2012 in prison right as Chicago's rap scene really started to explode. Locally, Durk has long been recognized -- "L's Anthem", his single from earlier this year, was one of the biggest songs in the city. But on a national level he lags behind compatriots Chief Keef and Lil Reese, though maybe that's a good thing for Durk, as Keef and Reese remain toxic figures to many. Durk doesn't much sound like either guy; instead, he leans heavily on one under-discussed aspect of drill music: Autotune, and drowning music in it.
People thought Autotune was going to go away (or at least Jay-Z did), but Future's ascendance has given it as strong a place in contemporary rap as its just about ever had. The Autotune of the drill scene, though, is of a different nature-- its birthplace is in the stoned, aimless warbling of Soulja Boy (one of the earliest non-local Keef collaborators) and Lil Wayne before him. A good portion of Life Ain't No Joke (tracks like "Ryder" and "Days of Our Lives") finds Durk dunking what would be typical drill music into a vat of Autotune to no real positive outcome-- as an effect used with abandon here it grates without purpose.
Which isn't to say that Durk's Autotune fixation is a complete distraction. "Molly Girl" seems like it should be a throwaway track, but instead it's one of the tape's clear highlights. It's one of the few songs where Durk goes full pop, which is surprising considering that his flirtations with singing seem to indicate that he's aiming more for a traditional modern crossover than the rest of his peers. But the track has a deceptively intricate hook that is still plainly enjoyable and it's easy to picture it bubbling up to radio. "Right Here" is more of a rap song, but one where Durk's use of Autotune amplifies the song's anthem status instead of detracting from it.
The absolute most promising joint, though, is "52 Barz (Intro)", a jittery track that sees Durk rapping for three minutes straight. It has a confessional bent but is enlivened by a gleeful arrogance and unflinching confidence, which is roughly the same formula that has turned Meek Mill into one of rap's most beloved new artists. The song recalls Durk's earlier single "I Get Paid", a straight party track whose beat had roots in Chicago footwork but which would slot perfectly next to any Meek banger like "House Party." Durk may not turn out to be Meek and he may not even have that kind of art in mind, but it seems like the best case scenario for him would be evolving into the same type of artist.
All that is still in the distance, at least we should hope. Meek, for instance, was dozens of mixtapes and a handful of years into the game before getting his shot with Rick Ross. Durk has talent-- he has an ear for pop tracks and can spit bars when we wants to. But whether or not he'll be able to figure it all out before the rap game's focus shifts elsewhere is entirely an open question.
