How women like Shaybo are pioneering the UK Drill scene | @shaybomusic

Drill music originated in the 2010s in the South of Chicago by the likes of Chief Keef, then it travelled to the UK in the 2010s, but from the late 2010s, UK Drill has been making a lot of noise especially with the new wave of Drill artists. Although Drill Music (and the music industry) is still male-dominated, that is not stopping the new wave of female Drill Artists (or drillers) from rebelling against gender discrimination and other barriers that come with being a female artist. From Ivorian Doll, Miss Lafamilia, Lavida Loca, Abigail Asante, Teezandos and the recently highlighted artist Shaybo.

Reigning from South-East London Shaybo has been on everyone’s radar since 2010, her core fanbase would remember her in her teen years rapping in the streets of Lewisham, South East London. She first made her mark by releasing a freestyle on behalf of Heavyweight Records on Youtube which went viral. She then went on to release numerous freestyles, covers and other remixes in different places in London.

SHAY’BO – FREESTYLE (HEAVYWEIGHT RECORDS)

Although she does not have a lot of official releases, she has gained co-signs from others who are well known in the entertainment industry, such as Julie adenuga and Rebecca Judd who are both Radio DJ’s at Beats One.

Rebecca Judd & Shaybo on set

Also in the genre of Drill and Grime Shaybo has become a respected artist because of her lyricism, blunt punchlines, her creative wordplay and also her ability to switch from rapping from English to Yoruba.  From rapping on and off from the past decade, she decided to take time off to pursue a degree at university. She released her first official single in 2018 titled Ride or Die on Link Up TV, she had also released a freestyle with them as well titled #MicCheck Freestyle.

Fast forward to August 2019, she has decided to pursue music full-time by releasing her return single titled ‘Bonjour cava’ featuring Miss Familia. Then in September 2018, she released her second official single titled ‘Ya Dun Know’ when in this single there are lyrics that she raps, for example ‘I’m been rapping since Limewire’ in which she is referring to the fact she has been rapping for a decade now.  In October 2018 she reminded her core fanbase of who she is and how she came into the game by releasing an HB (Hardest Bars) Freestyle on Link Up TV.

Shaybo – HB Freestyle | Link Up TV

With her EP to be released this year that will be titled ‘Queen of The South’ between doing interviews, freestyling live on radio and releasing her latest single ‘Anger’ 2020 is already looking to be the best year for Shaybo’s career. She has expressed on her social media that one of her biggest dreams is to create a female cypher including herself and other rising UK Drill artists.

Shaybo – Anger [Music Video] | GRM Daily

Words by – Hadjeley Zacabi