STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

'Cha Cha' Singer/Rapper D.R.A.M. Reveals How Beyoncé Changed His Life This Week

We like to "Cha Cha" too.

D.R.A.M. (a.k.a. Does Real A** Music) is a 26-year-old rapper/singer/songwriter who just got a major co-sign this week from Beyoncé.

The Virginia native released his #1EpicEP in March and it featured his Internet hit “Cha Cha.” The Super Mario World-sampling song has gotten a lot of love from fans who need a new dance anthem at concerts, parties and any other public gathering. Now, you can add Beyoncé to that list. She posted a clip on her Instagram dancing to “Cha Cha." Her caption was priceless, too. “This song makes me happy!”

D.R.A.M. has had other established names like Rick Rubin and Chance the Rapper praise him, but Queen B takes the cake. Tidal, as part of their Tidal Rising series, reached out to D.R.A.M. to speak about Bey’s recent shout-out, his influences and more. Read some excerpts from the interview below and head over to Tidal for the full interview.

On how he found out about Beyoncé dancing to “Cha Cha”: I was standing out there, in the streets of LES, and I’m just talking to Nigil [Mack] and he’s talking to me because he’s on the phone with my other manager Tunde [Balogun]. And he’s just like, you know, D.R.A.M., and then, like, he’s saying something, then he just cuts off what he was saying and is like, “Nah, forget that, it’s officially lit, you’re lit now, you’re lit.” I’m like, “What you mean?” He goes on to say, “Tunde just told him that Beyoncé posted a video of her dancing to the song on Instagram.”

And I lost my muthaf**kin' mind. I screamed. I told people walking down the street, “Hey, Beyoncé likes to ‘Cha Cha,’” and they were like, “O-K.” But, I mean I’m like, “[Chuckles] Whatever, you’ll be singing it in about a month. Don’t worry about it.”

On how has things changed for him after the Beyoncé co-sign: It’s been crazy. My phone won’t stop. Like, literally, my phone won’t stop. It just won’t stop. I have yet been able to get through all of my mentions. I have yet been able to get through, uh…sifting through my new followers to find the attractive ladies. It’s been pretty complicated but in a good way. S**t been going crazy with my phone, my text messages, they won’t stop.

People are asking for the stupidest requests. I got like 10 new show requests. I don’t know which ones to stick. You know, s**t just been crazy, a zoo. You know, what the f**k? [Laughs]

BET.com is your No. 1 source for Black celebrity news, photos, exclusive videos and all the latest in the world of hip hop and R&B music.

(Photo: #1EpicCheck LLC / EMPIRE)

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.