DRAM’s “Big Baby”: sophomore effort excels

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PHOTO BY DREW INGALL.

Dram’s number one hit, “Brocoli,” is off of his new album, “Big Baby.”The album consists of 22 songs and is Dram’s second.

By Drew Ingall, Arts Editor

Mixing rock, blues, soul, R&B and electronic dance music (EDM) with hip-hop and rap to create great music may seem impossible, but to hip-hop artist DRAM, it can be achieved, and he proves this on his newest album.

Two years after the release of his debut album “Gahdamn!” DRAM has come out with a new work called “Big Baby (Deluxe.)” Although it is considered a hip-hop/rap album, DRAM expands beyond the borders of genre and incorporates many styles of music into one album. Each song is so different and unique that it’s hard to tell they are all by the same artist. DRAM has incredible range and malleability in his capabilities. He clearly displays this on his album.

One thing that DRAM does really well on this album is that he keeps it simple. A lot of the songs take a very straightforward beat with fun and interesting lyrics added on top of it. This is the case for songs like “Cash Machine,” “ILL Nana,” “I Have a Dream,” and the hit single “Broccoli.”

DRAM also shows off his more complex, unorthodox methods when he incorporates his strong R&B/soul-like vocals over the modern hip-hop beats in “Get It Myself,” “Monticello Avenue,” “WiFi (feat. Erykah Badu),” and “100%.” DRAM shows off his incredible singing abilities while keeping within the walls of hip-hop. He mixes the two styles masterfully.

There are a few songs that really stand out from the others. DRAM enfuses a rock/pop feel into his hip-hop style on “Misunderstood (feat. Young Thug),” and included a song that isn’t hip-hop at all, but feels more like an EDM song straight out of a nightclub called “Outta Sight/Dark Lavender Interlude.” He also slows things down and really digs deep into the Blues with his song, “Sweet VA Breeze.” “Big Baby (Deluxe),” already feels so diverse, but these two songs that DRAM makes takes the musical meaning of that word to a whole other level.

The one flaw in this album is that in some songs, the styles don’t blend together very well. This could be said for “Change My #,” “Good Thang,” and “Daddy/Daddy Pt. 2.” With DRAM’s soulful and strong vocals, it can be hard to keep up with the fast-paced hip-hop tracks These particular songs feel off as the rhythms don’t compliment each other as well as they do in the other songs.

But of a 22 track album, only three songs have this problem. Overall, “Big Baby (Deluxe),” is a hit that needs to be listened to. With the amount of variety and diversity that DRAM puts together, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that even a non-hip-hop fan would be able to find at least one song that they like.