Sharing his name with a DJ and mixtape host who too has become a prominent figure in the US hip-hop scene, Sylacauga, Alabama-based rapper Drama (born Terrence Cook on December 26th, 1981) spent the best part of a decade honing his craft before storming the southside rap scene. His big break came in 1999 with his Atlantic-signed, partially self-produced debut single “Left, Right, Left”, a memorable offering which saw simple directions chanted atop a surreal combination of glacial synth plucks and chiptune melodies. Reaching #73 in the overall US charts and #2 on the specialist rap chart, the song paved the way for Cook’s debut album, Causin’ Drama (2000), to perform more strongly, peaking at #37 on the Billboard 200. Later certified gold, the LP spawned a second single in “Double Time (Drama’s Cadence)”, a brassy number which showcased the burgeoning emcee’s dexterity over a more uptempo arrangement. The song failed to chart, however, and Cook reduced his output considerably in the years that followed, teaming up with Tommy Gunn for the double A-side “Keep It In Step”/“Grady Baby” and contributing to the soundtrack for the 2001 animated sci-fi film Osmosis Jones before going off the grid. He resurfaced in 2014 with a new album, Jean Wayne, released via Atlanta artist Raheem The Dream’s independent label, Tight 2 Def Music. The LP comprised a combination of old-school cuts and previously unheard material, including collaborations with labelmates Fabo and Dro while marking the digital debut for some of his more obscure 12” releases.
