DRAM

Rapper, singer and producer DRAM – a stage name which stands for Does. Real. Ass. Music. – broke through to the mainstream with the 2016 summer mega-hit ‘Broccoli’, featuring next-gen rapper Lil Yachty. Born Shelley Massenburg-Smith, this Virginia-based artist issued his debut mixtape, #1 Epic Summer, in 2014, earning his first regional hit with the uplifting single ‘Cha Cha’. Buzz around the track amplified until Beyoncé herself shared a video featuring the single, bringing the artist international exposure and prompting the release of a second mixtape, 2015’s ‘Gahdamn!’.

Only months later, DRAM released what would become his breakthrough single, ‘Broccoli’. Featuring the vocal talents of viral hip-hop phenom Lil Yachty, the release became a global sensation, going seven-times Platinum and making the artist’s debut appearance in the Billboard Top 40: ‘Broccoli’ has since accumulated close to 350 million views on YouTube.

The debut album that followed more than lived up to the promise of DRAM’s early singles. Big Baby DRAM debuted at No 19 on the Billboard 200, featuring guest contributions from Young Thug, Erykah Badu, Trippie Redd, and Playboi Carti. Since the release of his debut, DRAM has issued two further EPs and made appearances on tracks from Calvin Harris, Smokepurpp, Chromeo and Young Dolph. 2018 saw the artist pick up his first Grammy Nomination for his feature on Gorillaz’ ‘Andromeda’. With the world at his feet and a host of high-profile collaborations under his belt, there’s no telling where this visionary artist will venture next.