The LiFTED 5: R2R Moe pushes boundaries & stays true to his roots

LiFTED caught up with rising NYC Drill star R2R Moe during his current Asia tour. His first two shows were in Tokyo and Osaka, and he finishes up Saturday night at Vita in Seoul. Moe’s sound has been described as Melodic Drill or as he says Angelic Drill, which seems counter-intuitive, but when you listen you can hear the vibe he’s on is definitely new, and it caught the attention of UK Grime star Skepta, which led to a highly-rated collab, ‘Miss Independent.’ R2R Moe’s influences range from Juice WRLD to Don Toliver to Gunna, and he’s outside creating his own space.

To me, Harlem’s always been about pushing boundaries while staying true to our roots. In the past few years, UK Drill brought this new energy with darker, sliding basslines, and more menacing rhythms. When that sound reached New York, we saw a shift in how we approached storytelling. There’s a more cinematic element now, a certain tension in the beats and deliveries. It’s not like we’re just copying the UK sound, though. We’re taking that vibe and mixing it with our own swagger and cultural references. It’s given New York artists, especially the younger generation, a fresh canvas to paint on.

Bronx Drill is raw, very street-level, gritty, and direct. It doesn’t try to soften the edges, which makes it powerful. On the other hand, Melodic Drill still incorporates those hard-hitting rhythms but layers them with melody, sometimes even full-blown singing hooks. It’s less about pure aggression and more about emotional balance. You might hear an artist touch on struggle and pain in a way that feels more vulnerable and relatable, almost like R&B influences sneaking into that heavy Drill percussion. It’s a shift towards showing more facets of the artist’s personality.

Yeah, this will be my first time performing out there, and I’m hyped. I’ve heard so much about how passionate the fans are in Tokyo and Seoul. They really do their homework on artists and come ready to experience something new. I’m expecting to step off the plane and see a whole different world—new sounds, new foods, new fashion. I think those cultural differences will spark a lot of new ideas for my music. I’m excited not just to perform but to absorb everything that’s going on around me.

I’m definitely paying attention. Artists like Keith Ape and Jay Park have been on my radar for a while—Jay’s blend of singing and rapping could pair nicely with what I’m doing. From Japan, I’ve been listening to guys pushing underground scenes in Tokyo, although I’m still getting familiar with names. I think the best collaborations happen naturally, so I’m looking forward to meeting people in person, catching a vibe, and seeing what we can create together.

I’m looking at 2025 as a year of growth and solidifying my place in the culture. I’m planning a new project that fuses more global influences, not just what I pick up in Asia, but sounds from different regions I’ve touched. Expect some genre-bending tracks—maybe even stepping into Afro-inspired rhythms or experimenting with live instrumentation. I’m also focusing on visuals and storytelling. Beyond music, I want to mentor younger artists in my community and help them navigate the game. It’s about expanding my reach and leaving a mark that goes beyond just the next single.