Early Life
DRAM ("does real-ass music") was born Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith on August 3, 1988, in Landstuhl, West Germany. Before he turned one, he moved to the United States. His mother was in the military but relocated to Hampton, Virginia, where DRAM was raised. He was a big fan of music as a teenager and particularly liked the singer Bilal. Before becoming a rapper, he worked in shipyards and call centers to support himself.
Career
DRAM became professionally active in the music scene in March of 2015 when he released his debut EP, "#1EPIC," through Atlantic Records and Empire Distribution. The EP included the single "Cha Cha," which reached the #1 spot on the "Billboard" Bubbling Under Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. In October 2015, he released his debut mixtape, "Gahdamn!"
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In April 2016, he released the single "Broccoli" featuring Lil Yachty. The song became very popular around the world and peaked at #5 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The single became DRAM's first top-five song in the United States. It went on to be certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also nominated at the Grammy Awards, the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, and the MTV Video Music Awards.
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In October of that year, DRAM appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and performed the song "Blessings (Reprise)" with Chance the Rapper, Ty Dolla Sign, Anthony Hamilton, and Raury. The same month, he released his debut studio album, "Big Baby DRAM." The album received a number of positive reviews and featured guest appearances by artists like Young Thug, Erykah Badu, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd, ASAP Rocky, and Juicy J. It was included on "Complex" magazine's list of the "50 Best Albums of 2016" as well as a similar list published by "The New York Times." The album also featured the singles "Cute" and "Cash Machine," and the latter went on to achieve Gold certification by the RIAA.
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In November 2017, he released another EP – "#1HappyHoliday." It featured the singles "The Uber Song" and "Group Thang." A year later, he released a third EP called "That's a Girl's Name." In April of 2021, he released his second album – "Shelly FKA DRAM." The following year, in 2022, he released "What Had Happened Was…"
In addition to his own music, DRAM has also been featured as a guest artist on other artists' tracks. He has been featured on the songs "I Feel Your Pain" by Sbtrkt, "Slappin" by E-40, "Andromeda" by the Gorillaz, "I'm on 3.0" by Trae the Truth, "Count Up" by Smokepurpp, "All of Mine" by Young Dolph," "Must've Been" by Chromeo, "Suavecito" by Yung Gravy, "It Gets Better" by GRiZ, and "New Hawaii" by Injury Reserve.
Personal Life
As his fame grew, DRAM struggled with addiction to alcohol and various other substances. In January 2020, people close to him staged an intervention, and he decided to get sober by checking into a rehabilitation center. He since has been able to get sober, lose a significant amount of weight, and live a healthier lifestyle. He has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for a number of years, though her identity has not been disclosed to the public.
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