Requests from the Metropolitan Police to remove UK drill content from video sharing platform TikTok, have risen 366% since 2020, new data reveals.

Obtained through a Freedom of Information Request by DJ Mag ,the new figures show that 64% of content removal referrals for TikTok were drill-related. In 2022, 89% of enquiries concerned drill, whilst in 2021, 100% of the requests were surrounding the genre.

Originating in Chicago in the early 2010's, drill bears sonic similarities to trap, with its fast-paced and explicit lyricism. A later offshoot of the subgenre, UK drill emerged from South London in 2012. Drill tracks usually have lyrics that interrogate violent and hedonistic lifestyles, as well as sociocultural issues. Since its inception and subsequent popularity, drill has garnered controversy in the UK over its representation of criminal lifestyles.

Manager and producer Kovani, who worked with artists such as K Trap, Niska, Songer, and Midas The Jagaban told DJ Mag: “TikTok is crucial for artist discovery and promotion”.

“This [censorship] is just taking away another opportunity, allowing youths to turn to crime instead of focusing on their music career.”

“Being a part of the drill scene has given us the chance for personal growth and artistic expression,” Kovani added, linking to the success of Dave and Central Cee's no.1 hit ‘Sprinter’.

A representative from TikTok has stated that the platform, “accepts removal requests from special police referral units if the reported content also violates their Community Guidelines.”

“TikTok welcomes the artistic and creative content that many UK drill artists bring to the platform’s vibrant music community," the representative added.

“The Met works closely with social media platforms to identify content we believe could provoke or cause violence,” a spokesperson for the Met Police told DJ Mag. “Following our referral, the social media platforms make their own decision regarding removal of content.”