"Left, Right, Left" was first released in 1997 under Raheem the Dream's Tight 2 Def/Tight IV Life Records. An as an independent, DRAMA’s “Left/Right” reached #32 on the Billboard 100 and #2 on the Billboard Rap/R&B charts — long before he ever signed to a
ATL Hip Hop Legend, Terence "Drama" Cook, Celebrates 25 Years of "Left, Right, Left." ATLANTA , OH, UNITED STATES, October 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Saturday, October 12, marked the 25th anniversary of the release of "Left, Right, Left." The Atlanta rapper celebrates his 25th Anniversary of "Left, Right, Left" with a new single, an Atlanta Falcons anthem, and a new album on the way.
For Terence “DRAMA” Cook, no one would guess that a 17-year-old teen growing up in Atlanta would ever propel to such success — and definitely not as quickly as it did.
The production of "Left, Right, Left" was a truly creative collaboration between a 15-year-old DRAMA and the 15-year-old future Trap Music Legend Shawty Redd (born Demetrius Lee Stewart) of Twinn Productions. Cook would turn his entire body cavity into a living drum set and would bang out the beats heard in his head on his chest instead. He would hum out the melodies, and Shawty Redd would take out his E-mu SP-1200 to turn it all into a beat.
DRAMA co-produced many of the tracks on his debut album, including "Left, Right, Left,” which was known as “Left/Right” at the time. The entire 12-track Causin' Drama was recorded in a little under a week, with the first 9 songs recorded in the first 2 days, as DRAMA and Shawty Redd went to work, locked away at BullFrog Studios with Engineer Paul Thompson in Atlanta, Georgia.
Shawty Redd would eventually become the multi-platinum super producer credited with laying the foundation for both Crunk and Trap Music in the South. Using an 808 kick in place of bass, Redd would establish his signature sound and go on to set a new standard for today's hip hop music and ignite a whole new era in music that would continue to evolve into what it is today.
The Pioneering King of Drill
Although "Left, Right, Left" was considered a forerunner and predecessor of the Crunk and Trap Movements in Hip Hop, DRAMA doesn't necessarily consider himself a "Crunk" artist. Over the years, many of his fans have unofficially crowned Cook the pioneering “King of Drill,” thanks to the release of "Left, Right, Left." It was also the first single off his Causin' Drama album — and the first full studio album Shawty Redd ever did.
Most people remember hearing "Left, Right, Left" for the first time on The Box, an American broadcast, cable and satellite television channel known for its music videos, entertainment and programming. But the truth is, the South knew about DRAMA almost two years before he was ever signed to a major label.
According to Raheem the Dream, "Left, Right, Left" brought the label over $10,000 a week in profits and sales — not including touring, merchandising, or any other profits made outside of album and single sales. DRAMA was the first artist on Raheem the Dream's Tight 2 Def Music/Tight IV Life Records and part of the Tight IV Life Bootcamp that included artists like Young Dro, Fabo (of D4L), and Tommy Gunn.
Let's Talk Numbers
Originally dubbed "Left/Right," DRAMA's iconic "Left, Right, Left" held at #2 for 32 consecutive weeks before it was re-released under the new title. Once re-released, it sat at #32 for 7 more weeks, as he continued touring and recording new studio tracks.
The album itself, Causin' Drama, peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200 and #11 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop album charts. And within a month and a half of releasing the debut album, Causin' Drama, DRAMA went gold, selling more than 500,000 copies in the United States alone!
DRAMA's album reached 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was only halted due to legal issues DRAMA was dealing with in his personal life.
In the first year, "Left, Right, Left achieved the following:
#73 | Billboard Hot 100 and Hot 200 charts
#18 | Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
#35 | Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
#17 | Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
#2 | Billboard Hot Rap Songs
#14 | Billboard Rap Airplay
#38 | Billboard Rhythmic Airplay
#8 | Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales
#70 | Year-end Billboard US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks
#32 | Billboard's US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles
#9 | US Hot Rap Singles
It's important to note that DRAMA was signed to Atlantic Records long before streaming and downloads ever existed. Back then, artists relied on DJs, radio, and mom-and-pop music stores if they really wanted to grow their movements. Most consumers weren't discovering their favorite new artists via social media — in fact, in many ways, social media didn't really exist yet.
What's Next for Drama?
At the tail-end of 2023, DRAMA dropped the 2024 Atlanta Falcons Anthem, "Rise Up," which is featured on the Atlanta Falcons Nation podcast. And in July 2024, DRAMA unexpectedly released "Amongst the Stars," exclusively for his very loyal fan base.
