Lil Durk, multiple years after the initial Chicago drill wave that dominated the early 2010s, has reached new levels of stardom. His current music dominates airwaves, seemingly untouchable, dropping modern drill music to address beefs such as on “AHHH HA.” Meanwhile he still drops hits such as “Difference Is” that couldn’t be more different than the original scene his music was born out of. Despite it all though, the opening track aptly titled “Started From” from his newest album 7220 starts with the bars:
Nuski stayed downstairs, the first floor under Granny crib
Lil Durk – Started From
Multiple acts from the Chicago drill scene have either fizzled out or unfortunately been lost due to deaths or jail time. OTF Nunu was unfortunately a victim, never even getting to drop a true official release. However, the songs he did dropped showed immense promise of a long-term career. Compiled by Rapxclusive, Nuski Still Got That Strap may be a compilation, but it remains one of the strongest releases in the Chicago drill scene. While rappers like Lil Reese may have songs that have become iconic, flows like that are extremely one-dimensional. OTF Nunu showcased multiple flows & pockets that even the biggest in the scene were not able to hit.
One track that highlights this feat is “Feeling Good.” It may come off as just as ignorant banger, but once it dips into the verses, he unleashes flows that none of his contemporaries could manage just yet. His rhyming abilities felt years ahead of not just OTF, but the entire Chicago Drill scene. His presence on the mic was undeniable.
That being said its not as if his sound did not blend into the rest of OTF. His collaborations with Lil Durk show off how he sounded right at home with what the rest of the scene was doing. Their track together “At The Top” feels like a bittersweet moment in retrospect, as their claims of being at the top together never got to be fully realize as Durk has ascended to his current position. With that being said, they probably felt that way in the moment. Their energy & styles blend together perfectly making for an amazing track.
OTF Nunu – At The Top (feat. Lil Durk)
Just as Durk will not forget Nunu, neither will we. On the music end, Nunu’s is heartbreaking because there was so much genuine talent that never got to reach its pinnacle. Seeing Durk’s current position would’ve been incredible to see with Nunu by his side. However unfortunate the situation is, the music remains & has aged beautifully.