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D.R.A.M. Speaks Out on Racism in Virginia

The Hampton native shares his own story of being victimized.

Pusha T has set off a social media frenzy over a series of Instagram and Twitter posts that called out a venue in Virginia Beach over “blatant racism.”

The G.O.O.D. Music rapper explained in detail about how the owner of Venue 112 denied him and his entourage entry into the club on Monday night (June 1). From his account, he says that the owner told the doorman that it was “guest list only,” even though one of Pusha’s friends already had a wristband on to be allowed entry. He saw no guest list visible, and was offended that the club wouldn’t let him in because of his skin color.

Pusha shared his story on social media. He was surprised to learn that other patrons from Virginia Beach experienced a similar incident at the same venue. The conversation hasn’t slowed down either — Pharrell and NFL star Kam Chancellor have chimed in as well. “Where there is repression there is the deadening of culture. The 757 will not support establishments that practice bigotry. #raisethebar,” Pharrell wrote on Twitter.

D.R.A.M. (aka Does Real A** Music) is also a native of Virginia. Although he’s originally from Hampton, the “Cha Cha” creator understands the seriousness of racism happening in his home state and supports what Pusha T is doing in raising awareness. "Yeah, [it happens a lot]. I mean, what the f**k?," he said. "It’s making headlines now because it happened to an important person in the music industry. But, honestly, there are so many people that can line up and tell that story that’s gotten way worst treatment. At the end of the day, we just know that’s where we come from and we just grow from that. I’m appreciative that these muthaf**kas are being put on blast.”

D.R.A.M. tells us that Pusha T’s experience is similar to his own, detailing an incident that happened in Hampton while he was getting drinks with his girlfriend.

“I have experienced this all the time in Hampton. On muthaf**kin’ Old Buckroe, it’s like this little bar called the Turtle or some s**t like that or whatever," he recalls. "I walk in the spot; it’s me and my girl. I have a white T-shirt and some pants or whatever. She had on a nice little outfit. We walk up in there. And you would of sworn [makes rewind noise] that all the music stopped or whatever. ‘We won’t serve people in white T-shirts. You and your lady gotta go.’ I’m like, ‘Really? For real?’ It was like a middle-aged white woman that said it. And it was this 80-year-old white man as we are walking out, he, like, tapped her like good job and s**t.”

Rather than let the venue’s act of racism bring him down, D.R.A.M. went on a mission to make things better in his hometown.

“Right now where I’m at in life, I don’t give a f**k," he said. "I made it through that and I’ma strive through it. You know how I’ma give back? I’m gonna create opportunities and build once I get my get back. I’ll build establishments where Black people, brown people, any people who share like-minded [ideas] can have a good time and don’t feel harassed. We just gonna expand on that scene, and we already building up in the arts district. And you know if you are not trying to get hassled about your race, come to the arts district. If you don’t want that regular bottle service, if you don’t want to go to that regular rave club, come to the goddamn arts district. Straight up. These are facts."

Stay tuned for more of our interview with D.R.A.M. later this month.
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