DRAM ANNOUNCES NEW COLLABORATIVE ALBUM LEORPIO WITH ELLIS QUINN

Hot on the heels of four back-to-back sold-out shows at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club in New York, Grammy-nominated, RIAA Multi-Platinum artist DRAM has just announced that his new collaborative album with fellow Virginia artist Ellis Quinn, LEORPIO, will arrive on May 16th via Create Music Group. The announcement arrives alongside new single “Money Calling”, which features Virginia native Khi Infinite, a soulful new voice in R&B and an opener on DRAM’s forthcoming headlining tour. A 12-track project that has been in the works since the release of their last single, “Blue Hunnids” (feat. Guapdad 4000), LEORPIO is stacked with appearances from longtime DRAM collaborators A$AP Ferg, Guapdad 4000, and Chance the Rapper. Named in tribute to Outkast’s Aquemini, the album sees DRAM returning to his roots and exploring the journey behind his unmistakable sound. As his third full-length release since reclaiming the DRAM moniker, LEORPIO marks a bold new chapter in the Virginia artist’s evolution — fusing gospel-tinged funk and Southern soul with a refreshed sense of self and creative purpose. Leading the charge is “Money Calling”, a woozy, genre-bending anthem that captures DRAM at a pivotal moment, reaffirming his belief that joy and artistry not only coexist — they thrive together.

DRAM has carved out a singular lane in contemporary music, blending soul, rap, funk, and R&B with a vibrant spirit that’s entirely his own. His breakout moment came in 2015 with “Cha Cha”, a Beyoncé–approved single that brought national attention to his debut project #1EpicEP. Just a year later, he released Big Baby DRAM, a bold and infectious debut album that featured the 8x Platinum hit “Broccoli” (1B + Streams) with Lil Yachty and the RIAA Gold-certified “Cash Machine” that went on to earn him a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Performance. The success led to collaborations with artists like Erykah Badu, Chance the Rapper, Young Thug, and Gorillaz — and even an appearance on The Tonight Show with his mom in 2017. In 2021, DRAM reintroduced himself to the world as Shelley FKA DRAM, exploring a more stripped-down, soulful direction on his self-titled album with features from H.E.R. and Summer Walker. He followed it up with 2022’s What Had Happened Was…, a deeply personal reflection on growth, addiction, and healing. Then in 2024, he returned to his original name and dropped DRAM&B independently — a sun-soaked, romantic record he describes as “made with the intention to uplift your mood and make you dance.” Now 36, DRAM remains rooted in the “oldies but goodies” he grew up on, citing Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, and Al Green as anchors in his “mental Serato.” With a voice that moves between playful and powerful and a catalog that continues to evolve, DRAM stands as proof that soulful music never goes out of style — it just finds new ways to shine.

LEORPIO – OUT 5/16

LEORPIO – Tracklist:
01. Money Calling (feat. Khi Infinite)
02. Blue Hunnids (feat. Guapdad 4000)
03. Folding Chair
04. HOTLANTA (feat. FERG & Lee Cash)
05. Sweet Nothings (feat. GROOVY)
06. Senzu Bean (feat. Chance the Rapper)
07. Earthquake (feat. DWN2EARTH)
08. 10th Floor (feat. 3AG Pilot)
09. Mars
10. I Decided (feat. Buddy)
11. What Can I Do?
12. The Motion

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