Lloyd Banks
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Template:Infobox musical artist 2
Christopher Lloyd (born April 30 1982), better known as Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and is a member of the popular rap group G-Unit.
Biography
Lloyd Banks was born Christopher Lloyd 24 years ago and raised in South Side Jamaica, Queens. His mother is Puerto Rican and his father is African American. His parents were young and never married. His father spent most of Banks' childhood in prison which left his mother to raise him alone. Young Christopher Lloyd had the responisiblity of taking care of his younger brothers when his mother went out
His story starts in Queens, New York City, he grew up around the corner from 50 Cent and Tony Yayo so they all would usually rap together. Even when he was in school, instead of doing his school work he would write down everything that came to mind. Even when he wasn't rapping he would write. It was something he did in his spare time. His mother was responsible for nurturing Banks' early desire to be a rapper. She would play hip hop music around the house and took Banks to his first hip hop concert.
Yayo was older and a more experienced rapper, he went on the road with 50 on the Nas promo tour, the Cash Money/Ruff Ryders Tour. Because Banks remained at home waiting for 50 Cent and Yayo to return, he started rapping around the neighborhood to create a buzz for himself. Lloyd Banks has a well-built reputation on the underground mixtape scene.
G-Unit was founded when Lloyd Banks, Bang em Smurf, Domination, Tony Yayo and 50 Cent decided to make a group with each other. They met Young Buck when UTP, of the Cash Money group came up in New York and 50 Cent heard Young Buck rapping. After 50 Cent got his contract with Shady/Aftermath they took Buck in the group and signed him, Domination and Bang Em Smurf left the group because of a feud with 50 Cent and Tony Yayo was sent to prison on weapons charges.
Fronted by 50 Cent, the G-Unit quickly redefined the urban music industry. They produced a series of street albums with original numbers and high quality artwork, making the discs something more than a bootleg, but not quite an independent release. 50 Cent was soon signed to Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records and released the instantly classic, record breaking Get Rich Or Die Tryin, on which Banks was featured the song "Don't Push Me". Then came G Unit's first album Beg For Mercy, which remained in the top 20 of the Billboard 200 after four months on the charts. Though these successes allowed Lloyd Banks to tour the world multiple times over, one accomplishment means a bit more than all the rest.
In 2003, Banks was anointed 2003's Mixtape Artist of the Year due to his appearance on G-Unit mixtapes as well as his own Money in the Bank series. After the sucessful G-Unit album it was time for Lloyd Banks to release his solo album The Hunger For More. Lloyd Banks released the smash hit On Fire featuring 50 Cent to help his album sell over 433,000 its first week and eventaually sellling over 2 million records in the US and 4 Million worldwide.
In August 2005, Lloyd Banks,Young Buck and their entourage were riding in a van, when the vehicle was pulled over after running a red light in midtown Manhattan. 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 were in possession of the guns. Felony gun charges against Lloyd Banks and Young Buck were dropped on November 8, 2006.
In October of 2005 Banks rumored sophomore album The Big Withdraw was leaked on to the streets which featured tracks produced by Scott Storch and featured 50 Cent. It is rumored that Lloyd Banks left it at a women's house and she then sold it to DJ Kay Slay for $60,000. Banks then scratched the entire album and made new tracks for his sophomore album Rotten Apple.
Lloyd Banks second album is titled Rotten Apple. My House was thought to be the first single, but Banks confirmed it was not and he sold it to the movie: Little Man. "Rotten Apple" name came from New York City nickname "The Big Apple" and the New York hip hop is in a state of emergency. Rotten Apple was released on October 10, 2006, the album sold 143,000 copies in its first week. He has released three singles Hands Up, The Cake, and Help. On November 2, 2006 Lloyd Banks cancelled a few shows on his nation wide promotional tour for Rotten Apple because his father passed away.
Banks is set to release his highly anticipated mixtape Mo Money in the Bank Pt.5 early next year.
Banks is currently featured in the Eminem single You Don't Know along with 50 Cent and Up and Coming Shady Artist Cashis.
Style
Banks is known for his witty punchlines. Punchline rappers use lyrics in which metaphors are very prevalent in his lyrics and his lines frequently include a lot of 1 to 2 bar groups of lyrics that are often figurative, which are witty by themselves, by way of no context. This style gave Banks the moniker of "The Punchline Kid". His punchline are considered amusing but at the same time vicious towards other MCs.
Hip-Hop Beef
Banks has been engaged with hip hop beefs involving 50 Cent like all other G Unit artist. Most notable beef is with Ja Rule and Murder Inc. In the "Money In The Bank" mixtape with DJ Whoo Kid, the song "What Goes Around" he takes shot at Ashanti saying "Either I'm blind, or Ashanti's sideburns is thicker than mine". In the same song he takes a shots at Black Child saying "Gunit is Guerilla and Blackchild is the Mascot" and "Come on Ja you put a fuckin' crack head on ya single". He also takes a shot at Charli Baltimore saying "And as far as Charlie, a studio hour is a waste. She look like she took a bag of flour in the face" In another song called "Tryin' To Be A Gangsta", he mocks Ja Rule stating that everybody knows he's Wanksta and he's broke. Ja Rule hit back saying Lloyd Banks was in a gay Porno in the song "21 Gunz". Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent responded with "The Return of Ja Fool".
Lloyd Banks took shots at D Block and Fat Joe in the song "Simple Ain't It". Lloyd Banks did this because of 50 Cent's feud with Jadakiss and Fat Joe for appearing in the Ja Rule single "New York". Attacking D-Block saying "I'm still gonna be around when D-Block flop" also Fat Joe saying "I thought about clappin Joe, but why hit him with the iron, he's one big Mac away from dying"
This beef (feud) started when 50 Cent dissed The Game publically on the radio station Hot 97 stating that The Game wasn't loyal to G-Unit for not getting involved with his beef. It was also rumored on the station interview that Banks and The Game did not get along during The Game's tenure with G Unit. The Game reacted first on the song 300 Bars & Runnin' saying "Lloyd Banks asked 50 to borrow a line, thats when, thats when that 50 said say G-Unit one more time" Banks replied on a song "Simple Ain't It" saying "You see him around imitating legends, tough as hell in his records but terrified of my presence". The Game then released 'The Funeral 100 Bars' a diss aimed mainly at 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks but Banks replied on B.E.T. (Black Entertainment Television) Rap City dissing The Game's butterfly tatoo. But then The Game quickly responded to Lloyd Banks on a diss track called "Soundscan" poking fun at his "low" album sales for Rotten Apple, which was released on October 10th.
Discography
Solo albums
| Album cover | Album information |
|---|---|
The Hunger For More
| |
 |
Rotten Apple
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | |||
| 2004 | "On Fire" | #8 [gold] | #4[2] | The Hunger For More |
| 2004 | "I'm So Fly" | - | #32 | The Hunger For More |
| 2004 | "Karma" (featuring Avant) | #17 | #9 | The Hunger For More |
| 2004 | "South Side Story" | #24 | #13 | The Hunger For More |
| 2006 | "Hands Up" (featuring 50 Cent) | #84 | #30 | Rotten Apple |
| 2006 | "The Cake" (featuring 50 Cent) | - | #65 | Rotten Apple |
| 2006 | "Help" (featuring Keri Hilson) | #77 | Rotten Apple | |
Guest appearances
- 2Pac - "Loyal To The Game" (feat. 50 Cent, Young Buck & Lloyd Banks)
- 50 Cent - "Don't Push Me" (feat. Lloyd Banks & Eminem)
- 50 Cent - "Hate It Or Love It Remix" (feat. Lloyd Banks, The Game, Tony Yayo & Young Buck)
- 50 Cent - "Get That Money Mayne" (feat. David Banner, Lil Flip & Lloyd Banks)
- 50 Cent - "I Don't Know Officer" (feat. Lloyd Banks, Prodigy, Spider Loc & Mase)
- 50 Cent - "A Little Bit of Everything" (feat. Tony Yayo, UGK, Lloyd Banks & Too $hort)
- 50 Cent - "Order of Protection" (feat Tony Yayo, Young Buck & Lloyd Banks)
- 50 Cent - "We Got the Hood On Smash" (feat Tony Yayo, Young Buck & Lloyd Banks)
- Avant - "Exclusive" (feat. Lloyd Banks)
- Busta Rhymes - "Touch It Remix" (feat. Lloyd Banks, DMX, Mary J. Blige, Papoose, Rah Digga, & Missy Elliot)
- Daddy Yankee - "Rompe Remix" (feat Young Buck & Lloyd Banks)
- Eminem - "Bump Heads" (feat. Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent & Tony Yayo)
- Eminem - "You Don't Know" (feat. 50 Cent, Cashis & Lloyd Banks)
- Hot Rod - "Work It Out" (feat. Lloyd Banks)
- Joe - "Ride Wit U" (feat. 50 Cent, Young Buck & Lloyd Banks)
- Kid Punisha - "Full Clip" (feat. Lloyd Banks & Young Kodak)
- LL Cool J - "Freeze" (feat. 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks & Young HotRod)
- Mobb Deep - "Stole Something" (feat. Lloyd Banks)
- Mya - "Why You Gotta Look So Good" (feat. Lloyd Banks)
- Obie Trice - "We All Die One Day" (feat. Lloyd Banks, Eminem & 50 Cent)
- Obie Trice - "The Set Up Remix"(feat. Nate Dogg, Redman, Lloyd Banks, & Jadakiss)
- P. Diddy - "Victory 2004" (feat. B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent & Lloyd Banks)
- Rah Digga - Party Over Here (feat Lloyd Banks)
- Ras Kass - "Playboy" (feat Lloyd Banks)
- Spider Loc - "Things Change" (feat 50 Cent & Lloyd Banks)
- Tony Yayo - "I Know You Don't Love Me" (feat. Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent & Young Buck)
- Tony Yayo - "We Dont Give A Fuck" (feat. Lloyd Banks, Olivia & 50 Cent)
- Young Buck - "Prices on My Head" (feat. Lloyd Banks & D-Tay)
- Young Buck - "DPG-Unit" (feat. Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Soopafly, 50 Cent & Lloyd Banks)