⚠️🚨The true reality and history of "DRILL"🚨⚠️
Family first I think we should stop a second to take a breath and understand that “DRILL” has finally risen to a new level, before we begin here to expose our opinion and our point of view on the situation that was discussed in the CMTV report, I think the time has come for all of us to we are part of Hip Hop culture and more specifically of this musical aspect that we call “DRILL” we give a round of applause to all the members of our family who contributed to the growth of our art in Portugal.
Secondly, I think we should also thank CMTV for making this report because, regardless of whether it is a report that fully corresponds to reality or not, with which we are all in complete agreement or not, in fact it has given visibility to our environment that it once was. ignored, devalued, marginalized and oppressed giving us an opportunity not only to better understand how we are interpreted but also an opportunity to be heard, better understood and to expose our point of view so that we can all look at one another bit inside and be able to improve.
No problem arises because things are too right or because there is an excess of compression by both parties, most of the time it is the opposite, the lack of communication and understanding is effectively the origin of the conflicts that generate problems.
Trying to solve a situation considered a “problem” by creating more problems around it or taking drastic measures is not a solution either.
We are going through a delicate phase worldwide and the truth is that everyone was affected by the way we had to deal with the "COVID" situation, we had two years completely conditioned to socialize physically, to feel or express affection physically to each other, thanks wearing a face mask to go out, to COMMUNICATE, to BREATHE! and what, after 4 or 5 months of lack of definition, did we forget about all those unusual behaviors that we had to adopt to deal with the situation?? Are we going to deny the possibility that these adopted behaviors have had a psychologically disturbing impact on the younger ones?? Let's see things as they are in reality and stop being hypocritical, most families had to go through extreme difficulties in Portugal, the country was left without a job, without food at home, without a form of support, really desperate situations that for those who maybe had in home receiving a full salary without doing anything, it's okay and they didn't feel affected and it's gone, but for those who already had little before the pandemic and with even less they stayed during it really affected a lot and continues to affect!! It was months and months of suffocation!! Months and months of anguish and even despair, whole families not knowing if they were going to have a roof over their heads the next day, whole families not knowing if they were going to have money to feed themselves the next day, if there was even going to be a next day… Those were extreme times!! ! And nobody talks about it? Is no one debating this? Is this no longer in question? Nobody remembers this anymore? Do you think that this situation did not affect the young people?? Are we going to blame young people as the cause of the problem and not as a consequence of the cause of the problem? It is natural that all these conditions have affected young people who have been in extremely difficult environments 24 hours a day and what are they waiting for? that they leave the street and that everything is ok?? Of course not, if things weren't going well at home, they certainly wouldn't improve on the streets, where opportunities are few and criticisms are many...
It's easy to come here and point the finger at the weakest, those who have few resources to defend themselves and use them as a scapegoat. But going to the root of the problem is probably not that convenient anymore.
But be careful, we are not choosing sides, the objective here is to be impartial and fair, we are just analyzing the facts and looking for a solution so that we can all improve and benefit together.
Let one thing be very clear here, the drill is not the cause of the problem, the drill is currently a means used to give voice to some problems and a means to get out of them. This is the psychology of those who make this art. It's one thing to make or listen to music, it's another thing to commit a crime, they are different things and calling a young person a criminal just because he sings with his face covered doesn't make much sense after we've been forced to walk around with our faces covered for two consecutive years. Crimes, knifes, pistols, homicides, horror and crime videos all of that already existed before the song “DRILL” existed. So there are two important conclusions to draw here, 1- doing violent or criminal acts because you heard it in a song is not right and it really has to end. However, 2- considering a criminal artist because he speaks of a close, true or fictitious reality is also not right and should not be judged in that way. I think that very few people understand the difficulty of building a career in the world of music, composing a song, recording and editing a video clip, creating a clothing brand that represents this culture, this is a reality that only artists know and it sincerely saddens me a lot to see being judged this way, because there are years and years of investment, years and years of trial and error, many times without seeing a penny, many times even ending up in debt just to be able to continue the dream in which we believe and in the end do not value us? Do they still judge and subjugate us? Also not right family! That's why we unconditionally support those who run after the dream because we've also been in the position and we know how extremely difficult the artist's journey is and how scarce are the opportunities and lack of existing support for lovers and creators of this or any other form of art mainly in Portugal.
The circumstances that surround us effectively influence our behavior and consequently, music often reflects this state of mind and as I mentioned in the article we wrote before the CMTV report, we saw the growth of Grime in the United Kingdom, it was a movement that we followed for our journey as artists in the UK during the development of our clothing, Grime is a musical style with a very unique sound, very British that corresponds to the style and rhythm of life that people live in the UK and was undoubtedly the origin of Drill that heard today and that also began to have more impact at the time when there were the " Riots " in the streets of London due to discontent on the part of the people due to the lack of conditions for the most disadvantaged, at this time Grime was seen by the British in exactly the same way. same way as Drill is currently being seen in Portugal, there were times of great controversy and the subject was talked about by everyone, it was on the news even in Portugal, it was then that the British government took the initiative to start giving more support to the lower classes underprivileged helping them to develop support projects and social reintegration, which at this moment could really make a difference in Portugal.
It was during this period of "Riots" and action/intervention of social reintegration by the UK government towards the population that we in Portugal were also going through the "Troika" crisis where at the time we were even advised by the Portuguese government to emigrate to get around the situation and so that's how our journey as emigrants began, we set foot on the road and followed the path in search of better days and off we went to the United Kingdom with one hand behind and the other in front and after a lot of road running and a lot of fall we gave up to be part of an institution founded by the British government to support young people in precarious conditions, without family support, without financial conditions or just out of prison of which we were part and where we started our journey as a "Clothing Brand" it turns out that everything this coincides with everything and our brand, which today is a source of support and inspiration for all those who are part of our community, was once part of a supported social reintegration project by the British government for those who came from nothing or had nothing too, that is, our origin was the result of exactly the same type of situation and possible solution that younger people are going through right now! I am telling you this whole part of our History to serve as an example and to show you that everything is not lost, neither for you nor for anyone else, whether you are starting now or whether you are still in a phase where you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel because we are proof of that, the United Kingdom and the way it handled the situation is proof that it is indeed possible to reverse this situation and that you will also be able to achieve your goals if you continue to believe in yourself!
What am I trying to say with this? I'll explain it to you in a simpler way so that you make me understand, nowadays we are a brand that represents Streetwear Nationally, and that after 10 years of intensive work without any return of pure dedication, pure love for the jersey, lots and lots of persistence and consistency we finally managed to have an impact and be seen and heard however ten years ago we were nothing, we were an idea, a dream, we were literally a scribble on a sheet of paper that after digitized became our first logo the one you know from signature of Jesus Amoretti that was created in a 2-hour workshop in which we participated spontaneously and with an open mind out of pure curiosity and interest, we were literally just dropped from a parachute, into a new world, in the midst of a diverse bunch of new cultures not knowing anything or anyone, in the middle of nowhere, coming from nowhere, without a penny in my pocket, not knowing what tomorrow would be like, not sure if there was going to be shelter or food, coming from a country with different habits that suggested that we abandon it because there were no resources or opportunities here with a pure and simple desire to want and make it happen and so it was, we set the course and went taking it one step at a time and after many steps and many years of running, and this I tell you anyone who is an immigrant or has already immigrated will know how to evaluate and understand the difficulty we managed to have or be something significant, however we are not a phenomenon of nature coming from another extraterrestrial planet , we are exactly the same as you, an imperfect human being who purely and simply united two things, the will and opportunity, the will to want to make it happen and generate change allied to the opportunity that the British government created to deal with the lack of integration and opportunities that existed in society at that time, what does this mean? It means that creating opportunities for the most underprivileged is not in vain, it means that wanting to change and fighting to make it happen is not in vain and it means that although we are not an astronomical success that allows us to drive Ferraris as everyone dreams, it means that we are what we are. that we believe in, and it means that with the few resources we had we made a difference and became an example that with work, persistence, consistency and dedication it is also possible and that it is possible to live off the art that has always been our dream and all that for that we always fight! Today our dream has become a source of inspiration and support for the younger ones just as they also supported us but in the past they were also very difficult and complicated times just like we are living now!!! That's why I tell you brother, having arrived here has already been the greatest victory, and that everything else that comes good and that in return we can continue to contribute for the family and for the country will be a bonus, however the important thing is to understand that the difficulties are not reason to give up but strength to win and learn to deal with problems in order to find solutions and reach our goals!
That's why I tell you my brother, it's in our hands to want to help and be helped, it's in our hands to give Drill, art and society the direction we want, it's in our hands to seize opportunities and we want to be helped and it's in our hands of the Portuguese government and the big media to create integration solutions and leverage our talent, of our youth and wanting to help us because at the end of the day we all need each other, there is no country without people nor people without a country, we are all one.
Let's work family, let's create solutions and solidary support organizations and social reintegration that can break these repetitive patterns over generations living in difficulties and bring positive and lasting results in the long term and make all the difference in our country so that we can be an example for the world.
What for some may be little for some may be a lot and vice versa, it is in our hands to share, understand and understand that with little we can do a lot and make a difference. One step at a time, stronger and more connected, more understanding and more united, let's shake hands and put our hands to work, there are no easy ways for anyone!! If we can do it, if the United Kingdom can do it, if football players can do it, if everyone who wakes up early in the morning and washes their face to do it can do it, so can you!! And Portugal will also make it!! let's go family, let's wake up it's our time to create a better future for all of us !! No one wants to go out into the street for fear of being attacked or having to attack in order to survive, what we all want is to be together with our people in peace, harmony and union with the conditions that we deserve and to which we are entitled.
I hope with our vision and experience to be able to illuminate the path of all those who are and will be part of this family that I am so proud to belong and be part of, you already know what the idea is, there is no need to say much, it is us Family. More Life, More Love, More Unity.
#AMORETTIFAMILYUNITED
Here are some terms used in our language and their real meaning for those who still don't understand, let us understand :
Give Blood - Help / Support each other
On the run - Work
Squeeze - Be Persistent / Discipline
Gang - Family / Community
Rijo - Be strong
Good blood - Good person / Good heart
Active - Worker
Txubaaa - Prosperity
