Two rappers sentenced after breaching injunction by performing drill music

Skengdo and AM have both been sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years. Both south London rappers, whose real names Terrell Doyley are Joshua Malinga, pleaded guilty to breaching an interim gang injunction, issued in August 2018, for performing drill music.

According to a statement released by the Metropolitan Police, both men breached their injunction when they “performed drill music that incited and encouraged violence against rival gang members and then posted it on social media.”

The statement continues, “The injunction was originally made against the individuals as they were members of a gang in Lambeth and were associated with the escalating gang violence in the borough.”

When the injunction was ordered last year, both artists’ manager, TK, told the Press Association that neither Doyley or Malinga were involved in gang violence. He also said that one of the videos of them performing had been uploaded online without either artists’ consent.

The case was heard on 10th and 14th of January and both men were sentenced later that week.

It is the latest in an ongoing conflict  between authorities and drill musicians, which was partly inspired by the Chicago drill scene but, thanks to heavy British influences including grime, is very much its own entity. In June 2018, five members of UK drill group 1011 were banned from making drill music without police permission following an unprecedented court order. After over 30 videos from drill crews including 1011 were removed from YouTube last summer, they started cropping up on PornHub.

In July 2018, UK drill crew 67 criticised police and media for “scapegoating" their genre in open letter sent to The Fader by group member Dimzy.

In August 2018, drill rapper Incognito, real name Sidique Kamara, died following a fatal stabbing in Camberwell, South London. He was 23. Incognito’s group, Moscow17, have been involved in an escalating feud with Peckham group Zone 2.