Image via Complex Original
Every now and then, an artist comes around that gives you a feeling of inexplicable joy. The kind of joy that makes you smile and turn the radio up to full volume whenever their music plays, no matter how much the guy next to you at the traffic light is staring. The kind of joy that radiates down to the pit of your stomach and helps you forget—if only for a moment—about all the fucked up stuff going on in our world. Right now, that artist is D.R.A.M.
D.R.A.M. is a larger-than-life personality with a permanent, enormous grin affixed to his face. After he first broke out with “Cha Cha” last year, some wrote his unexpected success off as a fluke or a one-hit wonder. None of his detractors saw “Broccoli” coming. After letting the Lil Yachty collaboration loose on SoundCloud it became a sleeper hit, eventually going double platinum and climbing as high as No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 (so far). With a plinky piano beat and Yachty’s goofy guest verse, “Broccoli” turned out to be exactly what hip-hop radio needed: something fun. With his debut album Big Baby D.R.A.M. out today, Complex called upon Dr. D.R.A.M. to share his cure for the 2016 blues. Here’s what he recommended:
Start Every Day With A J
Broccoli, that is. “It’s vital for me. I ain’t even gonna fucking front,” D.R.A.M. says. “As soon as I get up, I roll up and smoke.” More than just a stress reliever, he views weed as a way to connect with the people around you at a deeper level.
“I’ve bonded with many people off the strength of weed alone. It’s definitely a peace pipe as they say,” he laughs. “It kinda binds the room together, especially if everybody is partaking. It opens people up to be more personable. You find you’re agreeing with people on a lot of shit.”
Focus on What Brings You Joy
Even D.R.A.M. has bad days, he just tries not to dwell on them. “I don’t know if I really like to focus that much on it,” he says, about feelings of self-doubt. Rather than fixating on the negative, he tries to channel his feelings into something constructive. “I think in those times the best thing to do is make that music and let it fuel you,” he says, noting that it can be a way to help yourself and others at the same time. “Put it out there, and hopefully it can do the same for others that are going through similar situations,” he says. “Everybody goes through everything. I think that music that puts you in a good mood or lift your spirits up, it has a better input on your life in general.”
Turn Strangers Into Believers
“I don’t really feel as though I’m underestimated,” D.R.A.M. explains when I ask about the surprise that’s greeted his success. “I don’t think I’m estimated at all if you’re only judging me by two records.” Even at his current level of success, D.R.A.M. says a lot of people still don’t know him, or have only heard “Cha Cha” and “Broccoli.”
“One thing that I do is convert people into believers once they do get a chance to catch the vibe,” he says. “Especially live, that’s what I like to do the most is perform.” By capitalizing on the opportunities he gets rather than wondering why things haven’t happened for him automatically, D.R.A.M. shows how far a good work ethic can really get you.
Don't Neglect The Pets
Cam’ron’s 2002 album Come Home With Me famously featured the rapper’s infant son on the cover. While D.R.A.M. doesn’t have any children, he modeled his Big Baby D.R.A.M. album cover after Cam’s by using the next best thing: his goldendoodle, Idnit.
“I really got a living breathing thing out here in this world that depends on me being able to provide,” he says, sounding a bit in disbelief. “You gotta take care of that little guy. He builds responsibility and all that shit.” Said responsibility comes with the benefit of a therapeutic bond that helps D.R.A.M. through tough times. “My dog loves me unconditionally,” he says. “He really helps me out a lot. Sometimes I come to the crib and I’ll be just lonely or whatever, ain’t nobody around to talk to, and he’ll just be [there]. It’s like man fuck it, I don’t give a damn, I got my dog.”
Embrace Your Anxiety
With great opportunities comes a lot of pressure, and nobody is feeling this more acutely than D.R.A.M. “I’m nervous as hell. I ain’t gonna sit here and lie to you,” he says about the release of his debut album. “I’m going through the jitters, but it’s mostly good jitters.” We get to talking about how this type of anxiety is a good thing in a way; it means he has the chance to do something big.
“At the end of the day—whenever I go through shit—I just tell myself deep inside, ‘This is what you literally signed up for. Literally,’” he says. “It’s what I always wanted ever since I could remember.” This doesn’t stop him from feeling “anxious, anxious, anxious,” but it does help bring some perspective; there wouldn’t be any anxiety if there wasn’t something major happening in his life.
Don't Be Afraid to Be Different
D.R.A.M. is known for his outlandish style—he recently showed up to his Breakfast Club interview in a rolled-up, electric blue skull cap and what looked like a plaid bathrobe—but he’s also making music that doesn’t sound like anyone else’s. His two post-”Broccoli” singles have wildly different vibes; “Cute” is a kitschy, falsetto-driven love song and “Cash Machine” is a money-making anthem built around a carnival piano loop and an ATM noise. Both feel distinctly of a piece though, united by his winning personality shines.
“It’s good to be unexpected,” he tells me, shrugging off the “weirdo rapper” label. “Anybody that’s been with me from day one, they still haven’t even gotten the half of it,” he says. “This isn’t even half my journey.”
Healthy Relationships Are Key
Most of the positive things D.R.A.M. talks about circle back to building a sense of community and maintaining strong interpersonal bonds. The power of the people in D.R.A.M.’s life really comes through during our discussion of Erykah Badu, who appears on the song “WiFi.” According to D.R.A.M., Badu first heard about him through her son Seven, who played his music for her and for Seven’s father Andre 3000. They spoke, linked up in the studio, and really hit it off. “She’s just a huge influence on my confidence in regards to me being here for a true purpose. I always felt it, but this was like destiny,” he says. “She’s one of the major keys that helped me acknowledge that.”
If working with Erykah Badu helped him realize his potential, it was his relationship with his mother that first put him on the road to stardom. In a March 2015 interview with Complex, D.R.A.M.’s mother took partial credit for his current success. “I told him, your gift is singing,” she said. “I always believed that they needed to hear him, and they’ll understand his talent.” As we wrap up the interview, I ask him what advice he would give to himself five years ago. Sure enough, his mother comes up. “My advice to myself back then would be don’t worry so much,” he says. “You definitely made your mama proud.”