DRAM FKA Shelley

Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith (born August 3, 1988; Landstuhl, West Germany), known professionally as DRAM (an acronym for "Does Real Ass Music"), formerly styled as D.R.A.M. and, for a period, as Shelley FKA DRAM, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Hampton, Virginia.
 

Early Life

Massenburg-Smith was born in Landstuhl, West Germany, the son of a mother serving in the U.S. military, and moved to the United States before his first birthday, growing up in Hampton, Virginia. He began writing raps in eighth grade, drawing inspiration from the wide-reaching success of fellow Virginia musicians including N.E.R.D., Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and Clipse.

In his senior year of high school, he and a friend recorded a track at a recording booth in Hampton's now-defunct Coliseum Mall, impressing the booth's owner. As a teenager, he became an ardent fan of singer Bilal, later citing Bilal's leaked, unreleased second album as a significant early influence. Between 2005 and 2009, he worked at call centres and spent a year at Kentucky State University before returning fully to music.
 

Career

Massenburg-Smith released his debut mixtape, "#1EpicSummer," in 2014, featuring the single "Cha Cha," which became a regional hit after a Cleveland radio station adopted it as a recurring feature, eventually drawing a co-sign from Beyoncé, who shared a video of herself dancing to the track. In 2015, he released the "Gahdamn!" EP, which included "Caretaker," a duet with SZA.

His breakout single, "Broccoli," featuring Lil Yachty, followed in April 2016, reaching number five on the Billboard Hot 100, earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance, and eventually achieving Diamond certification from the RIAA. His debut studio album, "Big Baby DRAM," followed on Atlantic Records in October 2016, featuring guests including Young Thug and Erykah Badu, and was met with widespread critical acclaim; that same month, he performed "Blessings (Reprise)" alongside Chance the Rapper, Ty Dolla Sign, Anthony Hamilton, and Raury on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

In 2017, he featured on British band Gorillaz's single "Andromeda," from their album Humanz, earning a further Grammy nomination, and provided uncredited guest vocals on the same record's "We Got the Power."

Towards the end of the 2010s, he adopted the name Shelley FKA DRAM, releasing the self-titled album "Shelley" in April 2021, featuring Summer Walker and H.E.R. and marking a deliberate stylistic shift towards vintage soul influences.

He reverted to the DRAM name for his 2022 album "What Had Happened Was…," released on his own label, Waver Records, followed by further singles in 2023, including "Summer Nights," with Will Hill, and "Conflicted," with ZYA. In April 2024, he released the album "DRAM&B," a lighter, more playful record blending the soulfulness of his recent work with the energy of his earlier releases. In 2025, he collaborated with Ellis Quinn on the mixtape "LEORPIO," named in tribute to Outkast's Aquemini, and in 2026 he released the six-track EP "Shake Tape."

Personal Life

Massenburg-Smith has spoken candidly about the personal and artistic reinvention behind his 2021 album and subsequent return to the DRAM name, describing years of reworking and self-reflection as central to his creative evolution. He has discussed growing up in a relatively conservative, close-knit community in Hampton, Virginia, and has credited his early exposure to the city's wave of successful musicians as a defining influence on his own path into music.