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David Banner
Profile of
David Banner
Type(s) of Music: Rap
Full Name: Levell Adrian Crump
Place of Birth: Jackson, Mississippi
Year the Act Began: 1999
Musical Influences:
Biography/History of
David Banner
Let's
cut to the chase: David Banner is one of the most underappreciated
rappers to emerge from below the Mason-Dixon Line in the last five
years. Since his SRC/Universal debut Mississippi: The Album in 2003,
many have been enthralled by Banner's obvious dedication to lyrical
craft, roaring tracks and b-boy stance. Still, while past tracks like
the cranked "Like a Pimp" from his debut to the electro-bounce of "Play"
(Certified, 2005) has helped build a loyal fan base, with the release of
The Greatest Story Ever Told this country boy is finally connecting on a
larger scale.
Exposed to all kinds of music while growing up, Banner's musical palette
is never lacking. From the funky head nod of the
Akon-produced first single "Speaker" to the
dark path of "Suicide Doors," featuring UGK to the textured grooves of
"Cadillac On 22's Part II," David Banner proves he can do it all. "UGK,
Sun-Ra and The Police all have had their influence on what you hear in
my music," he laughs.
In 1999, as a member of the Mississippi rhyme duo Crooked Lettaz, Banner
became part of the dirty south revolution, releasing the critically
lauded and criminally slept-on Tommy Boy Records debut Grey Skies. A
year later, Them Firewater Boys Vol. 1, his introduction as a soloist,
saw Banner blazing through the underground; both XXL and Murder Dog
named it one of the best albums of the year. Soon the major labels were
knocking on Banner's door, sparking off a bidding-war. When legendary
music executive Steve Rifkind (Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Big Pun) signed
the self-contained Banner and his b.i.G.f.a.c.e. Entertainment imprint
to Rifkind's SRC label, the music industry took notice.
Having recently released his first single, "Speaker," which features
Lil Wayne,
Snoop Dogg and producer Akon, it obvious that David Banner has
concocted the perfect hip hop banger. "When people listen to my songs, I
want them to consider them the soundtrack to their lives," David Banner
declares. "I'm not just making songs for the moment; I'm creating
material that I hope lasts in their minds forever.
"2006 was a difficult year for me," Banner continues. "So, for 2007 I
wanted to come out celebrating. To me, "Speaker" is a celebration of
hip-hop and what it can represent. Rap gets blamed for all the ills in
the world today; I just wanted folks to know there is a lot of love in
the music too."
In the last year, David Banner has also made the transition from the
studio to the screen, having appeared in Black Snake Moan and the
forthcoming movies This Christmas and Days of Wrath. "I started taking
acting classes soon after ‘Like A Pimp' came out," Banner states. "Now,
making movies is like my new love; it's hot to be able to go from one
art form to the next."
A complex man who is both street-wise and book-smart, Banner has carried
many burdens over the last few years. From working closely providing aid
for Katrina victims (his foundation and concert Heal the Hood raised
$500,000) to burying his father earlier this year, his heart has been
heavy. "The world isn't a nice place. Often, my music was an outcry of
my pain," he says. "But, a lot of my music has been too dark and
depressing; right now I'm trying to bring some light into my life." The
brightness of Banner's optimism blares brilliantly on the hypnotic "Get
Like Me," a track that features collaborations with Young Joc, Jim Jones
and Chris Brown.
Produced by the man himself, who has stirred massive pots of musical
gumbo for T.I. ("Rubberband Man") and Trick
Daddy ("Thug Holiday"), Banner has constructed his most mackadelic track
to date with "Get Like Me." "Chris Brown is like my little brother,"
Banner says. "It's been amazing for me to watch him grow as both an
artist and a man. I knew from the beginning, that I wanted him on this
track." But, what about the song's production? "I'm a real producer, not
simply a beat-maker," he explains. "When I'm in the studio, I'm thinking
beyond just samples, I'm trying to build something special. Unlike a lot
of other people, I'm still a fan of music and it's that fan in me that
I'm making music for."
Combining an old-school sensibility with new-school grooves, one of the
standouts on The Greatest Story Ever Told is the amazing "Hold On."
Revolutionary in its execution, this sweeping song has the cinematic
appeal of a ‘70s blaxploitation flick playing down at the local movie
theater. Yet, instead of getting caught-up in a web of blown-out afros
and leather pimp coat clichés, Banner has a deeper tale to relate. Deep
as quicksand and soulful as a steaming plate of catfish, "Hold On" is
social commentary at it's finest. "A lot of rappers today don't tell
stories," Banner comments, "but, on that track, I went through an entire
lifetime. Nobody does that anymore."
David Banner has bee busy perfecting his skills. "For me music is about
honesty, pain and a willingness to cry as well as fight. As a rapper and
producer, my goal is to unite with the audience, not trying to rein over
them." Coming straight out of Jackson, Mississippi with a license to
thrill, The Greatest Story Ever Told is a crowning achievement for a
rapper whose moment of recognition has come. No longer on the outside
looking in, David Banner is ready for his close-up.
Let's
cut to the chase: David Banner is one of the most underappreciated
rappers to emerge from below the Mason-Dixon Line in the last five
years. Since his SRC/Universal debut Mississippi: The Album in 2003,
many have been enthralled by Banner's obvious dedication to lyrical
craft, roaring tracks and b-boy stance. Still, while past tracks like
the cranked "Like a Pimp" from his debut to the electro-bounce of "Play"
(Certified, 2005) has helped build a loyal fan base, with the release of
The Greatest Story Ever Told this country boy is finally connecting on a
larger scale.