Chicago rapper Panamera P reflects on drill music’s effect on Black community

The musician talks about upcoming projects and his hometown

Panamera P has heard all of the theories. As a Windy City native and hip-hop artist, he witnessed the rise of Chicago‘s drill music. During a recent interview, the rap veteran discussed the hip-hop landscape and his hometown.


Some trap artists are from the suburbs and chase a certain lifestyle just to relate, and their music career takes off from there as opposed to artists who rap about the trap because they grew up around it.


A lot of people who aren’t into that tend to admire it. A lot of people put respect on stuff they never had the guts to do. Some people would be like, “Oh, man, you killed somebody!” What does that mean? That doesn’t mean anything, but where I’m from that gets you some more points, and that’s more valuable than money in some places.

Have you seen Channel 5’s documentary on O-Block with Andrew Callaghan?


I heard about it, but I didn’t watch it because it’s nothing they could’ve shown me I didn’t already know about or something I haven’t already seen about O-Block.

The whole city f—— up, not to be cussing, but the whole city messed up, man. O-Block’s just the most popular ‘hood right now in Chicago, but the whole city’s messed up. I tend not to get caught up, and I hate all the internet stuff, man. To a certain extent, the media’s gaining off of it. Just talking about the same thing over [and over], and it’s all f—– up. It’s entertainment for them, but it’s showing real life.

Do you feel the internet fanfare has caused more young artists to chase that lifestyle?

Yes. I feel like it influenced a bunch of artists to talk because a lot of dudes do music and say, “I’m living like this.”

Being real means so much to rap music. Everybody wants to jump in and everyone feels like they’re more real than the next.

I don’t advise it. Everybody wants the clout, everybody wants to blow up quick, but there’s a lot that comes with it, though.

What do you have coming up?

I’m going to drop a tape. I did a project with Chase Fetti. I don’t have a date for it, it might be the top of 2023. I’m proud to drop a tape in December called Poetry in Motion.

Join our Newsletter

Sign up for Rolling Out news straight to your inbox.

Read more about:
Also read