For DRAM, Pharrell's Something In The Water Festival Was A Hometown Show

If Virginia were to accumulate an all-star roster of its musicians, narrowing down a beginning lineup could be nearly impossible. Nevertheless it would almost definitely have to include names like Pharrell, Pusha T, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, and Trey Songz. Naming the sixth man off the bench, nevertheless, could be easy: DRAM. The Big Baby in back of highlights like “Cha Cha” and “Broccoli” has routinely shown his strength for making goofy, good-fun music, and his hits have catapulted him from an artist from Virginia to one of the artists from Virginia. And right now that he’s made it past tryouts, he’s well on his way to securing one of the roster's beginning slots. DRAM’s epic set at Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival this past weekend was him signing the dotted line on his contract.


As we caught up at the festival, he discussed about the event, what music he has coming up, and the state of Virginia itself along with because the house city we share, Hampton. Regular words, sentences, and descriptions can’t capture his presence just right. His voice bounces as he talks and his head swims from left to right. As soon as he’s in deep focus, he grips his knuckles up until they’re white, and just as it looks like he’ll succumb to pain, he responds quietly, eventually growing into a not-quite-inside, not-quite-outside voice. Subsequently, he asked me where in Hampton I came from. If I instructed him, we laughed knowingly for a brief second and exchanged grins – he went to Hampton High, a rival school of mine – and then it was over. I looked up again and he was taking photos, wide smile and all, with a fan who'd stopped him to aid her company. He had 30 minutes to get to the stage.


MTV News: So what exactly does it feel like performing here in Virginia Beach for Something in the Water?


DRAM: It means a lot, man, honestly. Literally being from this area and knowing about the quantity of talent that is concealed out here, and the fact that something like this is being brought to this area that has never seen something like this before is truly inspirational. Kudos to Pharrell, for real.


MTV News: Speaking of the rising talent, what up-and-coming artists are you keeping up with from the state?


DRAM: Young Crazy!


MTV News: Pharrell, Missy, Pusha T, Timbaland, Masego, you and several more come from Virginia. What is the something in this water?


DRAM: There’s passion in the water.


MTV News: What did growing up in the 757 area of Virginia teach you?


DRAM: It taught me to be from where you’re really from and absolutely from where you’re from and then you’ll have the ability to prepare it anywhere in the world.


MTV News: How did you get involved with Adult Swim’s animated series Lazor Wulf?


DRAM: Carl Jones, a friend of mine and producer on the show, just hit me up and mentioned, “I’m working on a show starring Vince Staples and we wish to give you a role up there.” They had me come in read and so they were susceptible [from laughing] and yes it went from there.


MTV News: How do you know that things have changed for you since your debut EP, #1Epic, came out in 2015?


DRAM: It just morphed. Trustworthy to god! It just morphed on every facet possible. Right now, I’m not saying that everything is a thumb up. [I'm] not saying anything is a thumbs down. Yet everything is just morphed.


MTV News: I saw you mention twice this year that fans can expect a new album before 2019 ends. What’s it been like working on that? What can we expect from it?


DRAM: Big Baby at large! It’s going to be more mature, and sound more grown up. I’ve been out here and I’m going to be showing off my stripes.