The UK Drill music scene emerged in the early 2010s, particularly in London, and was associated with street violence and gang culture. One of the most notorious conflicts that helped shape the genre was the violent feud between the 150 and 67 gangs in the Brixton and Peckham areas of South London.
The 150 gang, also known as the A Block, was based in the Angell Town estate in Brixton and comprised members from the GAS gang, named after the estate’s road names: Gresham, Styles, and Ashbourne. The 67 gang, also known as the Ghetto Boys, was based in the neighbouring Peckham area and comprised members from the rival Lil’ Ratz and Pekham Young Gunners gangs. Both gangs were known for their involvement in drug dealing, robberies, and violent crime.
The conflict between the two gangs escalated in 2014 when a member of the 67 gang, Siddique Kamara, also known as Incognito, was stabbed to death in Camberwell. The murder was believed to be in retaliation for the killing of a member of the 150 gang, known as Showkey, a few months earlier.
The violence continued to escalate, with both gangs using social media to taunt and threaten each other. Members of the 67 gang were believed to have targeted the 150 gang in a drive-by shooting in Stockwell, which left several people injured. The 150 gang retaliated by stabbing and killing two members of the 67 gang, Yung M1 and Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, in separate incidents in 2016 and 2018.
The feud between the two gangs had a significant impact on the UK Drill music scene, with members from both sides releasing tracks that referenced the violence and their respective gangs. Some of the most prominent members included LD, Dimzy, and Monkey from the 67 gang, and PS, AM, and Mskum from the 150 gang.
The 150 vs 67 gang feud was just one of many conflicts that contributed to the rise of UK Drill music and its association with gang culture and violence. The music has since evolved, with some artists using it as a platform to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and police brutality, and distancing themselves from its violent roots.