#Llyod banks warrior driver#

After 50 Cent’s debut though, Banks was the engine that drove the Unit. Of course, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was the breakthrough classic that functioned as the catalyst to G-Unit's world dominion. The period of time that can only be defined as “The G-Unit Empire” was propelled by a catalog of immaculate albums. Banks’ most arduous task was outperforming himself, and his competitive spirit propelled his ego as his punchlines became more complex. His verse was the one that everyone excitedly waited for, but his lyrical mastery catapulted him to heights of extreme scrutiny. Banks’ show-stealing performance became a staple on every G-Unit mixtape. Nothing I had ever heard was as simultaneously smooth and jagged at the same time. His flow was reminiscent of an automatic rifle, a continuous methodic explosion of assault that is both terrifying and satisfying to behold. “I got my own personal slave she really got a curfew / Cook and clean for the kid like Celie in Color Purple.”īar after bar, Banks slaughtered. “I gotta have bucks on the waist/ I'm hungry like a south African with flies stuck to his face.” “You only gon’ wind up dead tryin’ to prove shit/ I put chalk around ya head like a pool stick.” Classic Banks punchlines feature prominently on that track: Although “The Banks Workout” is originally a Jay track, I was ignorant to that fact and the beat was entirely Banks’ masterpiece to flow over. Growing up, I was a die-hard Nas fan, so much so, that I refused to pick up a Jay-Z album. 50’s commanding presence stunned my friends, but it was the track “The Banks Workout” that caught my attention. The 50 Cent Is The Future mixtape landed in 2002 and flooded the east coast streets almost immediately. Punchlines come so easy to Banks that entire gems lay undiscovered, hidden within meticulous wordplay, for months before listeners catch on to his genius. So many bars, that Banks adopted the moniker “punchline king,” a testament to his ability to create earth-shattering metaphors. Yes, 50 Cent may be the face of G-Unit, but Banks is undoubtedly the rapper in the group with the strongest bars. Today, we're going to bat for Lloyd Banks.Ĭhristopher Charles Lloyd, aka Lloyd Banks, is one of the most gifted wordsmiths of all time. The more obvious choices (such as André 3000, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, 2Pac) will be ignored in favor of artists who tend to get overlooked these days, for one reason or another. Previously, our writers have made cases for Pusha T, Ice Cube, DJ Quik, Big Boi, DMX, Ghostface Killah, and Scarface. In this series, we'll be making the case for specific rappers to be included in 'greatest of all-time' discussions.

#Llyod banks warrior driver#

Retrieved January 16, 2012.50 may be the driver behind G-Unit, but Lloyd Banks is the engine. Recording Industry Association of America. ^ 'American single certifications – Lloyd Banks – On Fire'.^ '2004 Year End Charts – Hot Rap Singles Titles'.^ '2004 Year End Charts – R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks'.^ '2004 Year End Charts – The Billboard Hot 100 Singles & Tracks'.^ 'Lloyd Banks Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)'.^ 'Lloyd Banks Chart History (Pop Songs)'.^ 'Lloyd Banks Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)'.^ 'Lloyd Banks Chart History (Hot 100)'.^ ' Lloyd Banks – On Fire' (in Dutch).^ ' Lloyd Banks – On Fire' (in German).^ ' Issue 757' ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles.^ 'On Fire - Lloyd Banks | Releases | AllMusic'.At the end of the video, 50 Cent is seen breaking through glass and the song changes to the chorus and the first verse of the song Warrior, which is also from Lloyd Bank's debut album The Hunger for More. The video contains cameos by fellow G-Unit members 50 Cent, Young Buck and Game, as well as G-Unit artist Olivia. The music video, directed by Jessy Terrero, features Lloyd Banks rapping on the roof of a small building that is on top of a large hotel building. The single peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold by the RIAA. Writing credits were given to Lloyd Banks, Eminem, Kwamé, 50 Cent, Luis Resto and Peter Harmsworth. The song was produced by Eminem and Kwamé. The chorus contains vocals by 50 Cent, though he is uncredited.