B-side "Cha Cha" Format 7"
digital download Genre Hip hop
trap | Released April 6, 2016 Recorded 2016 Length 3:38 | |
"Broccoli" is a single by American hip-hop recording artist D.R.A.M. The song features hip-hop recording artist Lil Yachty and was released on April 6, 2016 by Atlantic Records and Empire Distribution. It is the lead single from D.R.A.M.'s debut studio album Big Baby D.R.A.M.. It was produced by J Gramm, Rogét Chahayed and Karl Rubin. The song was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on September 23, 2016, for combined sales and streaming-equivalent points of 2 million units in the United States.
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Background and release
The song was released for digital download as a single on April 6, 2016. It is the first single from D.R.A.M.'s debut studio album, Big Baby D.R.A.M., which was released in October 2016. A limited edition picture disc 7" vinyl version of the song was released on November 25, as part of Record Store Day's Black Friday sale. In an interview with Genius, D.R.A.M. spoke on the creation process behind the song:
"I was first introduced to Yachty through Rick Rubin. I was in Shangri La and Rick asked me if he could bring Yachty through. We linked and played each other music. A good month later, one of my main camera guys was following Yachty around during his SXSW run and I came about during the conversation. We exchanged numbers and I saw he was in LA, so I called him and he answered on the first fucking ring. He came to the studio and we had the loop of this going. We weren’t sure on what was going to make it carry over. At first, it was the piano with the drum loop, we had the flute and when that went in, everyone started vibing. Yachty started on his verse and I didn’t have any bars at first so I told him to go in. When he left, I didn’t even have my verse, I just had the bridge."
Critical reception
"Broccoli" was praised by critics for its playful nature and perky instrumental, which juxtaposes high-pitched, "chirpy" piano keys over its distorted 808s. Spin lauded the track, saying "the pair’s affable, clever rapping is a delight over the beat, which switched from a grizzled boom to some flighty, Kirby’s Dreamland-esque twinkling." Pitchfork was also complimentary, saying that "D.R.A.M. comes through with his usually energetic rhymes, proclaiming his territory while giving the track even more punch." The same magazine listed "Broccoli" on their ranking of the 100 best songs of 2016 at number 33. The track was named the 47th best song of the year on Rolling Stone's "50 Best Songs of 2016" list. Billboard ranked "Broccoli" at number three on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list. In the annual Village Voice's Pazz & Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2016, "Broccoli" was ranked at number 26. It also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.
Music video
The song's accompanying music video premiered on July 22, 2016 on D.R.A.M.'s YouTube account. The video makes extensive use of wiggle stereoscopy.
Track listing
Commercial performance
"Broccoli" debuted at number 87 on Billboard Hot 100 for the chart dated July 2, 2016. It rose to number 65 on the Hot 100 the following week and has peaked at number 5, making it D.R.A.M. and Lil Yachty's first top 5 entry.