D.R.A.M. took some time out from his busy schedule to reflect on his musical ascension for a recent episode of VICE’s Autobiographies.
The Virginia-based rapper spoke specifically on his viral hit “Cha Cha,” which has received co-signs from the likes of Beyoncé since its release last year.
“In the process of making #1EpicEP, I barely had bread, I just had gas money to get to the other side of the water and keep making this music with [producer and frequent collaborator Gabe Niles],” D.R.A.M. explains. “We were just building up this sound in the local scene. We were doing things that were a little bit above what everyone else at the time were doing. We were setting the stage early.”
“This song ‘Cha Cha’ has changed my life financially, emotionally, mentally,” D.R.A.M. adds. “The people first heard the ‘Cha Cha’ record at Gabe Niles’ birthday party [in 2014]. It was just supposed to be a show opener but the crowd went so crazy during the intro [that] by the end of this show, they said, ‘Run back that record.’ We just went crazy. We were juiced up, baby. We was turnt. We didn’t release it until the #1EpicEP tape dropped so we kind of held the people by their throats like, ‘Yo, if you wanna hear this record you gotta come to our shit.’ So every event became lit. Last year I was sleeping on my cousin’s couch. Now people like Rick Rubin hit me up.”
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D.R.A.M. released his debut album, Big Baby D.R.A.M., last Friday (October 21). The 14-track project features guest appearances from Young Thug and Erykah Badu, as well as D.R.A.M.’s hit single “Broccoli” with Lil Yachty.
Watch’s D.R.A.M.’s full appearance on VICE’s Autobiographies above.
