In the throbbing heart of the music industry, Dusty Locane, Brooklyn’s fervent drill rapper, is undergoing an extraordinary metamorphosis triggered by his tumultuous journey through the justice system.
The drill artist declared on Instagram that he would turn himself in on the last day of November to confront his one to three-year sentence, plunging into a world far from the pulsating beats and visceral lyricism of his profession. Having struggled with his legal issues for almost four years, the 23-year-old vowed to return mightier from the ordeal.
His trial is not restricting Locane’s fervor for music. Standing tall against adversity, he launched an EP titled ‘CATCH DA FLU’ on December 5 while simultaneously releasing the music video for ‘WAY BACC’ from his Halloween saga ‘_NIGHTMARE ON DA FIFTH_’. With his staggering monthly listener base of 3.4 million on Spotify, the EMPIRE artist is set to revolutionize the drill genre. His 2020 freestyle ‘ROLLIN N CONTROLLIN’ also made an impressive impact, peaking at No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Born and raised in Canarsie, Brooklyn, Locane spent his early years under the influence of his childhood friend and late rapper Pop Smoke. As he was navigating rap’s complex landscape, he caught the attention of New York Mayor Eric Adams, who expressed explicit negativity towards the drill genre, hinting at a potential ban on social media platforms.
Locane’s peers, including Brooklyn native Sheff G and Bronx-born Kay Flock, are also dealing with their share of legal troubles. The intense scrutiny that the drill genre faces was further exemplified when artists like Sha Ek, Ron Suno, and 22Gz were abruptly removed from the lineup for the Rolling Loud New York festival at the NYPD’s request.
Standing steadfast amidst these challenges, Locane entered a guilty plea to two counts of criminal possession of a weapon relating to offenses in 2019 and 2020. Ironically, his resolution to face his punishment is a stark contrast to the 2019 incident when fellow rappers Pop Smoke, 22Gz, and Sheff G were removed from the Rolling Loud NY show after the NYPD expressed concerns over their potential propensity for violence.
The journey of Dusty Locane offers a wide panorama into the struggles endemic to emerging drill artists. Through these experiences, the rapper is poised to return stronger, affirming through his Instagram post, “ALIVE IS THE BEST PLACE TO BE. THEY LOCCED ME PHYSICALLY BUT MY MIND IS FREE,” displaying a unique resilience, one which will undoubtedly solidify his triumphant return to the music scene. When the bars that surround him eventually open, he will stride back into the world a wiser, bolder, and resolute figure, setting the stage for an epic comeback befitting a true champion of the drill genre.
