Shelley FKA DRAM

Shelley FKA DRAM Bio

Rapper/singer D.R.A.M. (Does Real Ass Music) was born Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith on August 3, 1988 in Germany, while his military mother was stationed there. He was raised in Hampton, Virginia where, as a teenager, he would head to the mall every day after school to look for other rappers to battle.

In 2014, he released a mixtape called #1EpicSummer. The single “Cha Cha” became a viral hit, helped along by an Instagram video, posted by Beyonce herself, dancing along to the song.

By 2015, D.R.A.M. was able to quit his job at Best Buy and he released the well-received EP Gahdamn!. Soon, he began touring with acts like Chance The Rapper and working with big-name producers, including Rick Rubin, and was signed to Atlantic Records.

D.R.A.M. released “Broccoli” (ft. Lil Yachty) in April 2016. The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and went on to earn D.R.A.M. a slew of 2017 award nominations, including the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Performance, 2 MTV Video Music Awards (Best Collaboration and Best Hip Hop Video), and 3 Billboard Music Awards (Top Streaming Song, Top Rap Song, and Top Rap Collaboration).  He was also nominated for the 2017 iHeartRadio Best New Artist award.

“Broccoli” was featured on D.R.A.M.’S debut studio album, Big Baby D.R.A.M., released on October 21, 2016.  The collection debuted in the Top 20 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and included collaborations with Erykah Badu (“Wifi”) and Young Thug (“Misunderstood”).

In 2017, D.R.A.M. released “Gilligan,” featuring A$AP Rocky and Jessie J, and he guested on Matoma’s “Girl At Coachella.”  “Ill Nana” (ft. Trippie Redd) was released in October 2017.