A&E
Photo by Dan Tu ’20
Artist D.R.A.M. shone at C@B Spring Concert
By Cesar Renero ’17
April 13, 2017
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Hamilton’s hip-hop lovers were treated on Friday, April 7, to a slickly electrifying C@B Spring Concert, headlined by D.R.A.M., one of the freshest rappers of the past year. The performer masterfully delivered content from his latest release, Big Baby D.R.A.M., topping the night off with two hits that have been playing out of Hamiltonians’ speakers: “Broccoli” and “Cha Cha.” The opener, Caleborate, replaced the originally slated Murs, yet still set the tone for an evening of bass, rhyme and beat.
A Hampton, Virginia, native whose stage name is the shortened version of “Does. Real. Ass. Music.,” this Spring Concert’s headliner has no time for B.S. Anyone can learn to drop lines like their life depends on it, but D.R.A.M. pairs playful writing with serious production to deliver incredibly enjoyable music. His beat library is well sourced, reflecting the influence of Caribbean percussions while still retaining consciously textured chord palettes, more reminiscent of R&B and soul.
In “Cha Cha,” the lyrics slither in between a sensuously syncopated beat that almost tastes of rum and the retro synth vamps that sound like an arcade on RedBull.
The result is an entrancing experience where your legs will be begging you to dance. This song is also a pretty good example of what D.R.A.M. can do: taking a snapshot of the current culture, then one step back to tap into childhood nostalgia. It’s almost like he’s dancing bachata with the song itself.
D.R.A.M.’s trademark jovial nature filled the Tolles Pavilion, better known as the Annex, with this desire to dance. He filled segues with well-timed chirps, cutting into songs with a bass like artillery fire. His true strength lies in an almost Tarantino-esque approach to songwriting, with every song showing off another facet of his musicianship.
“Cute” has R&B written all over it, but D.R.A.M. brings it up a notch with tongue-in-cheek references to Pokemon and Instagram.
He speaks to millennial realities, but gives it his own weird spin, unafraid to show off the result. Maybe more than anything, this authentic and no-frills honesty might be his greatest asset.
Even though scheduled at the last minute, Caleborate was a great opener to the show. Entirely comfortable at the mic, he prefaced his songs to invite a more attentive intake of his lyrics.
His style is more embedded in rap culture, with a quicker delivery that emphasizes lyricism over beat. However, this is not due to lack of innovation, as the songs delivered powerful messages that were more evident when placed in context. If anything, he represents a more “orthodox” approach to hip-hop, sticking to a style closer to Childish Gambino.
Last November, C@B gave students the chance to vote on the artist to be featured in the Spring Concert. The other options that didn’t garner enough support were Bad Suns, ILOVEMAKKONEN, Joywave, Mura Masa, Raury, Roy Woods and Wet. However, D.R.A.M.’s selection proved decisive when tickets sold out in less than two hours.
With Lupe Fiasco headlining this year’s Class & Charter Day, the prevalence of hip-hop, R&B and soul seems to be defining our campus’s music taste. Nevertheless, just like D.R.A.M., that doesn’t mean you can’t break down to some Latin steps as well.