Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982),[2] better known
by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of
the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped
out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy
in 2003 and T.O.S. (Terminate on Sight) in 2008. Banks released his
first solo album The Hunger for More in 2004 with the top ten hit
single "On Fire". He followed with Rotten Apple in 2006
and left Interscope Records 2009. In 2010 G-Unit signed with EMI
[3] to distribute Banks third studio album H.F.M. 2 (Hunger for More
2), which was released on November 22, 2010.[4]
Banks was born in New Carrollton, Maryland and raised in Queens,
New York City; he is of mixed Puerto Rican and African American descent.[5]
His father spent most of Lloyd's childhood in prison,[6] leaving
his mother to raise him and his two siblings.[7] Lloyd attended August
Martin High School[8] but dropped out at age 16.[6] For his stage
name, he took his great, great-grandfather's name Banks, which was
passed on by his uncles who also shared it.[5]
Career with G-Unit (1999-present)
Main article: G-Unit
G-Unit was founded when childhood friends Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent,
and Tony Yayo decided to make a group with each other.[6] They met
Young Buck when UTP group came to New York and 50 Cent heard Young
Buck rapping. After 50 Cent signed his contract with Aftermath Entertainment
they took Young Buck in the group and signed him. Tony Yayo, being
an older and more experienced rapper, joined 50 Cent on the Nas Promo
Tour, the Cash Money Tour and the Ruff Ryders Tour. As Banks remained
at home waiting for 50 and Yayo to return, he started rappin around
the neighborhood to further increase his buzz on the streets. He
then hooked up with neighborhood producers and made tracks for local
mixtapes. Lloyd Banks has a renowned reputation on the mixtape scene.
While Banks was making Mixtapes,[9]
50 Cent was soon granted his own record label by Dr. Dre and released
the album Get Rich or Die Tryin'; Lloyd Banks was featured on the
song "Don't Push Me", and the remixed version of "P.I.M.P".
Soon after the group had established their own record label, G-Unit
Records, G-Unit released their first official group album Beg for
Mercy in November 2003, which went on to be certified double platinum.[10]
During August 2005, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and their entourage
were traveling in a van, when the vehicle was pulled over after passing
through a red light in midtown Manhattan.[11] Officers said they
discovered a loaded handgun and another weapon in the van. Prosecutors
asked a judge to dismiss the charges after an investigation determined
that neither Lloyd Banks nor Young Buck was in possession of the
weapons. Felony gun charges against Lloyd Banks and Young Buck were
dropped on November 8, 2006.[12]
In the early morning hours of January 9, 2010, in a Kitchener, Ontario
hotel, an alleged altercation took place between Banks and a concert
promoter over performance fees. Banks, and three of his associates,
were later charged with forcible confinement, aggravated assault
and robbery, and released on $50,000 bail.[13]
Feud with The Game
Main article: G-Unit vs. The Game
The most well known feud involving Lloyd Banks is the feud between
him and The Game, which started publicly after The Game left G-Unit.
Lloyd Banks speculates that The Game had jealous insecurities involving
the attention he received after the success of his debut album The
Hunger for More and Banks winning a lyricist title.[14]
Solo career
The Hunger for More (2004-2005)
Main article: The Hunger for More
Lloyd Banks released his solo debut album The Hunger for More in
June 2004. The first single was the summer smash hit "On Fire" which
featured 50 Cent, however he was uncredited. Banks explained the
reasoning behind the album's title:
“
When I say The Hunger for More, it could be referring to more success.
It could be more money. Or Respect. More power. More understanding.
All those things lead up to that hunger for more, because my more
isn't everybody else's more. I feel like I made it already, because
I got already what everybody on the corners of the neighborhood I
grew up in is striving to get.[15] ”
The album was a commercial success, receiving positive reviews.
It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard charts with 500,500 copies
sold in the first week.[citation needed] The album has since sold
over 4 million copies and has been certified double platinum by the
RIAA.[16][17] During an interview, Lloyd Banks commented on his first
week sales:
“
That's the kind of debut that veteran artists have," says Banks. "That
showed me that following 50's moves and studying the way that he
played the game had put me in an incredible position. ”
Two other singles were also released from The Hunger For More, "I'm
So Fly" and "Karma", the latter was a hit reaching
number 17 on the Hot 100, number 9 on the R&B charts and number
6 on the rap charts.
Rotten Apple (2006-2007)
Main article: Rotten Apple (Lloyd Banks album)
The Big Withdraw was intended to be Lloyd Banks's second album.
The album was leaked to the internet after Banks had a ménage à trois
encounter with two women and left the CD album behind.[18] The leaked
version of the album contained 23 tracks.[19]
During an interview, Lloyd Banks commented on the issue, he said:
It's truth to that rumor. That comes from me doing too much. I
was just lost in my ways, fucked two women at one time. It's the
little things you don't pay attention to. I had the CD in an actual
DJ Whoo Kid mixtape cover. It was just a blank CD with just tracks.
I got over 70, 80 tracks, so you can't get them all on one CD. So
I might have had 14 tracks of the last two weeks or something like
that. Next thing I know, [I] can't find the CD. I'm assuming it had
to be from one of those situations when you got too much going on
around you. Maybe I'mma just stick to one girl from now on. That's
the only explanation that makes sense. Sticky fingers.[18]
Lloyd Banks at the 2006 Monster Jam concert.
Due to the leak, Lloyd Banks began work on Rotten Apple. "Rotten
Apple" is a play on New York City's nickname "The Big Apple".
It was released on October 10, 2006. The album debuted at #3, selling
143,000 copies in its first week. Rotten Apple was not considered
as a commercial success because his debut album sold a significantly
higher number of copies in its first week. He has released three
singles from Rotten Apple: "Hands Up", "The Cake",
and "Help".[20]
Departure from Interscope
Banks was dropped from Interscope Records in 2009.[21] [22] He is
still signed to G-Unit Records, which will release his new album.[22]
Banks released a mixtape on his 27th birthday, which fell on April
30, 2009; it included the track "Officer Down" that dissed
Rick Ross. Banks also released a mixtape in 2009 called V5.[23][24]
The Hunger for More 2 and signing with EMI (2010-present)
Main article: H.F.M. 2 (The Hunger for More)
In late January 2010, it was announced that Banks would release
a new song, "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" featuring Juelz
Santana, from his upcoming third studio album.[25] "Beamer,
Benz, or Bentley" charted at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100.[26]
In early June, Banks released the second single off the album The
Hunger for More 2, called Any Girl and it featured R&B singer
Lloyd. Later on November 2, 2010 he released the third single Start
It Up featuring Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, Ryan Leslie & Fabolous.
Lloyd Banks release info via his twitter announcing that the title
for his third album has tentatively been called 'The Hunger for More
2' and will attempt to take him back to his best work. However, the
G-Unit label later stated that the title is not set in concrete and
still may be altered. The title of the album was confirmed by 50
Cent as The Hunger for More 2 in a interview with MTV News.[27] According
to Banks, Interscope is trying to get him back due to the success
of the single "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley",[28] but failed
when Lloyd Banks revealed that he had signed a deal with EMI.
After being dropped by Interscope Records in 2009, Lloyd Banks announced
on Friday, August 13, 2010 on MTV News that EMI Label Services has
signed a deal with 50 Cent’s label, G-Unit Records, in which
EMI will distribute and promote releases on the G-Unit roster in
North America including Lloyd Banks third album The Hunger for More
2.[29]
Banks' had this to say about the deal,
“
It’s refreshing to see the EMI staff excited about my project,
they have the passion and energy I haven’t seen in while. ”
Awards
In 2004, Banks was awarded 2004's Mixtape artist of the Year at
the Mixtape Awards. Lloyd Banks commented on this award in an interview
with AOL Sessions:
When I won the mixtape artist of the year 2004, after that I didn’t
want to get away from it because that right there is where I got
my satisfaction, from the fans giving me that award. It wasn’t
like an award show when you got some big fat guys in suits on the
podium that never even heard my album giving me a rating or judging
what I deserve... that's actually my most proudest trophy right now.[30]
In 2005, "On Fire" was nominated for a Grammy award for
Best Rap Solo Performance. In 2006, "Touch It [Remix]" was
nominated for Hip-Hop Video of the Year, and won for Best Collaboration
at the BET Awards. The award was shared by Banks and his collaborators,
Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Papoose, and
DMX. In 2010 with the excitement surrounding the release of H.M.F.
2 (Hunger for More 2) and his return to Hip-Hop's spotlight Hip-Hop
news website HipHopDX wrote that Banks had the "Comeback of
the Year" [31].
Discography
Main article: Lloyd Banks discography
* The Hunger for More (2004)
* Rotten Apple (2006)
* H.F.M. 2 (The Hunger for More) (2010)