Cheek Mula’s journey of coming up in the NYC drill rap scene has given him first-hand experience of losing friends to gun violence, the misfortunes associated with drill music, and the gang culture surrounding it. Nominated by Brooklyn’s Guns For Grants, a nonprofit that offers scholarships to those who turn in guns, Cheek’s song “Paying For Hits” steers clear of performative gimmicks, incentivized violence, and puts protest back in the genre.