How to Write Brooklyn Drill Lyrics

You want bars that hit like a subway slam on a packed platform. You want a hook that people shout at 2 a.m. and a verse that makes your phone light up with clout checks. Brooklyn drill is mean, melodic, clever, and street smart. This guide gives you the language, the craft, and the delivery so you can write drill lyrics that sound like you lived them or you can sell them like you did.

Everything here is written for artists who want to level up fast. Expect beat selection advice, flow templates, rhyme drills, lyrical ethics, delivery moves, real world examples, and exercises you can finish in one studio session. We explain every term so nothing sounds like producer code. By the end you will have at least three verse seeds, a hook, and a performance plan.

What Is Brooklyn Drill

Brooklyn drill is a sub style of rap that fused the hard hitting beats and street narratives of Chicago drill with the production and rhythmic innovation from UK drill. The modern Brooklyn sound rose to mainstream attention through artists who blended sliding 808 bass with aggressive vocal delivery and catchy ad libs. Producers often use minor keys, stark piano or vocal samples, crisp snap like hits, off beat hi hat patterns, and booming low end. Think dark mood, tight pocket, and punchlines that sting.

Quick glossary for new readers

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• 808 A bass sound that hits low and slides. Named after a classic drum machine. It is the bottom end engine in most drill beats.
• Ad lib A short vocal sound added around a main line for energy. Examples include grunts, vocal stabs, or a repeated word like yeah or woo.
• Triplet flow A rhythmic pattern where three syllables fit evenly into a beat unit. It creates a rolling feel that is common in trap and drill.
• Prosody How words and syllables match the rhythm and stressed beats of a track.
• Pocket The groove where your words sit naturally with the drums. If you are in the pocket listeners nod their heads without thinking.
• Bars Lines of rap. Usually one bar equals four beats in a common time measure.
• Drill A style of rap focusing on street reality, aggression, and dark sonic textures. Drill originally documented violent and raw scenes from daily life.

The Sound and Tempo

Brooklyn drill typically sits in the 130 to 145 beats per minute range. Producers choose that tempo to give the beat urgency while leaving space for lyrical triplets and sliding 808 accents. The drum patterns often place snares on a less obvious part of the bar for a jerky feel. Hi hats tend to be fast and syncopated. The 808 bass will slide between notes to create melodic movement in the low end rather than a static sub tone. That sliding is a signature sound. When you write, imagine your words riding those slides like a skateboard on rails.

Typical beat elements

• Minor key melody or eerie sample repeated
• Fast, syncopated hi hats that play around the main beat
• Snare or clap hits placed to create off beat tension
• 808 slides and pitches that interact with the vocal melody
• Sparse top end so vocals cut through

Mindset and Voice

Two modes matter. One is personal truth. Tell something true that gives depth and specificity. The other is persona flex. A confident narrator who may exaggerate for effect. Brooklyn drill accepts both as long as the voice is consistent. Choose the lane you want. If you pick personal truth, small details will sell authenticity. If you pick persona flex, make the flex clever and visual.

Real life scenario

You are in a bodega at 3 a.m. and the fluorescent light hums. There is cheap cologne on the counter and a newsstand with yesterday s headlines. That image alone gives you more believable texture than a line about generic power. Use those small objects to anchor your story.

Finding a Beat That Fits Your Voice

Start with beat selection. A beat will direct your cadence and mood. Listen for a beat that leaves space for vocals. Drill beats can be instrumentally busy or minimal. If you are still sharpening your delivery pick a beat with clear pockets and slow the tempo slightly. Producers often tag their beats with a producer ad lib. Respect that tag and write around it when placing your hook.

Beat checklist

• Does the beat leave space for you to breathe
• Is the 808 pattern easy to feel when you rap
• Are the hi hats clear enough to guide your rhythm
• Does the mood match your lyrical idea

Structure and Form

Song structure in Brooklyn drill is flexible. Common forms are verse hook verse hook bridge or mixing in a short pre chorus. The hook can be melodic or chant like. Drill hooks are often short and repetitive so the phrase becomes ear candy. Keep the hook tight. Verses are where you land your bars and punchlines. A typical format you can steal in your first song is

• Intro with ad libs or a tag
• Hook 8 bars
• Verse 16 bars
• Hook 8 bars
• Verse 16 bars or 12 bars
• Hook out

Writing Verses That Punch

Verses in drill are measured by impact not word count. Each bar should earn attention. Use a mix of descriptive detail wordplay and rhythm tricks. The drill crowd loves clever metaphors and punchlines that hit quickly. Save long story arcs for later music. For a first verse focus on setting scene and delivering memorable lines.

Verse blueprint

1. Open with a striking image or action. Example imagine the door swings open and the lights flicker.
2. Follow with a quick line that states your energy in everyday language.
3. Drop a built in punchline or rhyme package to keep momentum.
4. Finish the first eight bars with a hook preview line that echoes your chorus.

Before and after example

Before: I got my people with me we run the block and move weight.

After: Night shop lights map the route I walk. Two phones buzz my name in case.

The after line is more visual and leaves space for a follow up. Notice how it does not say run the block directly. It shows details that imply control.

Rhyme and Flow Techniques

Good drill writing blends perfect rhymes internal rhymes and multisyllabic rhymes. Drill artists often use internal rhymes to create momentum within a bar while multisyllabic chains sell cleverness. Mix these with triplet flows and syncopated timing to sound modern.

Rhyme devices to practice

• Multisyllabic rhyme Rhyming more than one syllable across phrases. Example paper chasin player facin.
• Internal rhyme Rhymes inside a single bar not just at line ends. It makes lines feel dense and catchy.
• Assonance Repeating vowel sounds to create cohesion. Example long o sounds in rows and stones.
• Repetition Repeating a small phrase or word to create a chant like hook.

Flow patterns you can copy

Use these as templates. Write the lyrics, then fit them to the beat. Say them out loud at conversation speed first and then speed them up.

• Triplet push Try three fast syllables per beat. Good for aggressive energy.
• Stutter pocket Drop short syllables between beats to create jerky rhythm.
• Long vowel anchor Hold a long vowel on a key word as the 808 slides underneath.
• Pause and hit Leave a one beat silence before the line ends to create tension.

Hooks That Stick

Drill hooks tend to be short sharp and easy to repeat. Think of a hook as a chant that people can mimic in a club. Hooks can be melodic or rhythmic. Melodic hooks often use the higher vocal register or a pitched ad lib. Rhythmic hooks rely on repetition and delivery. Keep words simple. Use a repeated verb or phrase that sounds cool when yelled.

Hook formula

1. One clear phrase that expresses the main mood or claim
2. Repeat that phrase twice or change one word in the last repeat for a twist
3. Add an ad lib pocket to punctuate the hook

Example hook seeds

• I run my blocks I run my blocks I run my blocks yeah
• Light it up Light it up now they know my name
• No sleep No peace only checks only flex

Punchlines and Wordplay

Punchlines are a currency in drill. They can be violent metaphor clever brand callouts or unexpected similes. The goal is to make someone laugh or nod hard. Deliver punchlines with timing and confidence. A well placed pause before the punchline makes it land heavier.

Punchline formulas

• Compare a person to an object for a shock value. Example he soft like a pillow but I still push weight.
• Turn a phrase with double meaning. Example I count commas but I do not write checks. Commas are thousands separators in numbers and also rhetorical pauses.
• Use brand names as shorthand for status. Example my chain heavy like a toolbox. Use brands sparingly to avoid sounding generic.

Prosody and Stress

Prosody means matching your word stress to the beat. If a strong word lands on a weak beat the line will sound off even if the rhyme is tight. Speak the lines out loud and mark the stressed syllables. Then fit those into strong beats. Drill often uses accented syllables on off beats to create tension but ensure the natural spoken stress still feels right.

Real life drill prosody check

Stand up and say your verse like you are telling a short story to a friend. Clap the beat on the table. Notice where your voice naturally pushes. If that natural push collides with a rest on the beat you either shift the words or the rhythm. The goal is to make delivery feel inevitable not forced.

Ad Libs and Vocal Textures

Ad libs are the seasoning. They can be a guttural ah a pitched vocal chop or a repeated word like woo. Place ad libs on gaps after your main lines or on the tail of a hook. Use them to accent slides in the 808 or to cover transitions. Keep ad libs simple and unique to your voice. Overdoing them makes a track feel amateurish.

Ad lib tips

• Record several ad lib takes and pick the ones that sound natural not loud for the sake of loud.
• Layer one quiet ad lib under the chorus and one louder ad lib on the final chorus.
• Let one ad lib become your signature sound so fans can mimic you in crowd videos.

Delivery and Vocal Tone

Delivery is as important as the words. Brooklyn drill favors an aggressive close mic presence but with moments of melodic lift. Find a tone that suits the beat. Some artists use a gruff near whisper while others bark like a boss. Practice different intensities and record them. The best delivery sounds like a conversation that just got serious.

Breath control

Map your breaths when writing. If you try to rap 16 bars without planning breaths you will choke. Break your lines into phrases that match how you breathe naturally. This will help maintain aggression and clarity.

Layering vocals

Double the hook in a higher register. Add a low doubled whisper at key words for texture. Keep doubles precise. Misaligned doubles create mud in the mix. When in doubt trust a single clear vocal take over a sloppy stack.

Ethics and Street Reality

Brooklyn drill is born from streets and can include violent content. There is a line between artistic expression and real life consequences. If your lyrics reference actual conflicts avoid direct threats or revealing details that can escalate real world problems. Some artists use coded language or fictionalized narratives to keep energy without causing harm. Consider whether your words are making a scene or risking a life.

Practical edit rule

• Replace real names and exact locations with invented markers or general references
• Avoid specific dates times or phone numbers
• Use metaphors and universal images to keep the grit without creating targets

Editing Your Lyrics

Edit like a surgeon. Remove lines that explain instead of show. Replace vague words with objects and actions. Drill lyrics often gain power from precise nouns. Delete filler syllables that do not do heavy lifting in rhythm. After a pass record and listen to the track with a friend who knows the culture. Ask them to point out three lines that feel false.

Crime scene edit for drill

1. Circle any abstract word replace with a concrete detail
2. Mark every line you can tweet as a single phrase keep only the strongest
3. Remove any explanation the listener can infer
4. Check prosody and move stressed syllables onto strong beats

Examples Before and After

Theme Flexing wealth and street credibility

Before I got money and I move different.

After Wallet thick like late rent notices folded twice in my back pocket.

Theme Night life and risk

Before We run the block all night and never sleep.

After Store lights blink twelve I pass by quiet like a shadow with sneakers on concrete.

Theme Warning to rivals

Before Don t step up or you will get hit.

After Say my name and your speaker cuts out like bad reception in an empty train car.

Exercises to Build Brooklyn Drill Lyrics

The Object Drill

Pick one object near you. Write eight bars where that object appears in every line and does an action. Time box to ten minutes. This builds concrete detail and unexpected metaphors.

The Triplet Drill

Take a two chord loop and rap only in triplets for one minute. Record it and pick the best 16 bars. Convert them into a verse by swapping in punchlines for any weak filler lines.

The Hook Exit Drill

Write a one line hook. Repeat it 16 times. On each repeat change one word to make it escalate in meaning or attitude. Then pick the three best repeats and sequence them as your final hook.

Workflow to Finish a Drill Song in a Session

1. Choose a beat and set BPM to the comfortable range for this track
2. Record a short voice memo of the mood and two image lines
3. Write a one line hook that captures the main feeling
4. Draft a 16 bar verse using the verse blueprint
5. Record a rough performance to check pocket and prosody
6. Edit lines for clarity and replace any abstract words
7. Add ad libs and double the hook in a higher take
8. Finalize arrangement and mark where you will breathe in the verse

Common Mistakes and Fixes

• Too many clichés Fix by swapping the cliché with a local object or action
• Weak hooks Fix by shortening the hook and repeating the key word
• Overwritten bars Fix by cutting any line that does not advance image or punchline
• Bad prosody Fix by speaking the line at normal speed and moving stress to the beat
• Delivery mismatch Fix by recording multiple vocal tones and choosing the one that matches the beat

Real Life Scenarios and How To Write Them

Scenario One

It s 1 a.m. outside a deli. There is a mix of late commuters and people who never left the night. The neon sign flickers. You want to write about being unseen and dangerous.

Writing angle

• Start with the neon detail
• Follow with a small physical action like buttoning a coat
• Drop a punchline that reclaims invisibility as power

Example line

Neon coughs in the glass I button the coat like I m not even there

Scenario Two

You are in the studio and someone plays a beat with a choir sample. Your energy is braggadocious but you want depth as well.

Writing angle

• Use the choir as a contrast image against grime
• Mention an object that grounds the scene like a cheap lighter
• Make the last line a clever brand or metaphor punch

Example hook seed

Choir in the back cheap lighter in my palm sing to the money sing to the calm

How to Stay Original

Originality in drill often comes from local detail and personality. Drop a subway line an intersection nickname a corner store product a laundromat smell. These things are tiny but they belong to you and your city. Pair them with a unique vocal trick like a raspy whisper or a long held vowel. Originality does not require rewriting the culture it requires adding your lens to it.

Promotion and Performance Tips

For live performance practice crowd call and response with your hook. Teach the hook in the first eight bars and then let the crowd finish the last line. Make a short chant that people can record on their phones. For social media clips pick the most quotable line and make it the video caption. Keep performances tight and under three minutes to maximize replay value on platforms that reward short clips.

Legal and Safety Reminder

Writing drill lyrics means working with dangerous themes. If a line names a real person or reveals a precise address you could create legal risk or actual danger. Many artists keep their music fictional or anonymize names. Protect yourself. Speak to a manager or lawyer if you anticipate conflict. The goal is art not a real world escalation.

Action Plan You Can Use Today

1. Pick a drill beat in the 130 to 140 BPM range
2. Write a one line hook that repeats and is easy to shout
3. Draft 16 bars using the verse blueprint and object drill
4. Record a rough take and listen for prosody issues
5. Edit out any abstract words and replace them with objects or actions
6. Add two ad libs and one double vocal for the hook
7. Play it to one trusted friend and ask which line sticks
8. Finalize with a short mix where the vocals cut clearly over the 808

Brooklyn Drill FAQ

What tempo should a Brooklyn drill beat be

Most Brooklyn drill beats sit between 130 and 145 beats per minute. This range creates urgency while leaving space for triplet flows and 808 slides. Producers often set the beat to allow both aggression and breath control.

What is an 808 slide

An 808 slide is when the low bass sound changes pitch smoothly between notes. Producers use it to create melodic movement in the low end. Vocals can ride those slides by holding long vowels or placing ad libs to match the motion. The slide makes the bass feel like it sings.

How do I write punchlines that land

Set them up with a small image then deliver a twist. Use pause and timing to make the punchline land. Keep the wording tight and avoid over explaining. A single clever word can do more than three lines of exposition.

Can I write Brooklyn drill if I am not from Brooklyn

You can write in the style but be mindful of authenticity. If you are not from the place avoid representing lived experiences you did not have. Use fictionalized persona or universal images. Listeners respect honesty about origin more than forced locality.

How many ad libs are too many

Ad libs should enhance not distract. A good rule is one to three ad libs per eight bar hook and one or two per verse hook pocket. Use more in curated moments like the final chorus for effect.

How do I avoid violent legal trouble in my lyrics

Avoid naming real victims issuing threats or revealing specific locations and times. Fictionalize stories or use coded language. If your lyrics touch on sensitive real world conflicts consult a manager or legal advisor before release.

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Write Drill Lyrics Like a Professional Songwriter

The ultimate songwriting tool that takes your creative vision to the next level! With just a few clicks, you can unleash your inner songwriter and craft a hit that's uniquely yours. Your song. You own it.

What type of mood do you want your lyrics to have?*

Example: Happy, sad, inspirational, romantic, gritty...

What topic or theme do you want your song to be about?*

Example: Love, loss, overcoming adversity, party, faith, personal growth, reflection...

Are there any artists you want to use as inspiration?

Example: Lil Durk, Pop Smoke, Sheff G, Chief Keef, Headie One

Do you want the song to have a bridge?*

A bridge is used to provide a new perspective or shift in your song's mood

Yes No

What email address should we send your new song lyrics to?*

Generate My Song...