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Biography
Banks was born on 30 April 1982 in New Carrolton, Maryland and was raised in Queens, New York. Along with his childhood friends, 50 Cent and Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks formed the group G-Unit in 1999; and when 50 Cent was signed to Interscope Records, he hit a huge success allowing him to start his own label. This became the gateway for G-Unit’s success; however, while 50 Cent was establishing his career with Interscope, Banks remained in his neighborhood and performed locally to build up his buzz and fan base. By 2003 G-Unit recorded and released their first album, “Beg For Mercy” which went on to become certified platinum.
The following year, Lloyd Banks released his first solo album entitled “The Hunger For More” in June. The album debuted at Number One on the Billboard charts and sold over 500,000 copies in the first week; eventually, the album became certified platinum. Banks was slated to release his second album, “The Big Withdraw,” but due to a leak of the 23-track album, Banks went to work on “Rotten Apple.” The latter album went on to debut at Number Three and sell over 100,000 copies in its first week.
Unfortunately in 2009 Banks was dropped from Interscope Records, but remained with G-Unit Records. He released a mix tape in 2009 and in late 2010 he released a single, “Beamer, Benz Or Bentley,” that was to be the lead off for his new album. He then released “The Hunger For More” with the help of EMI Label Services.
Live reviews
Lloyd Banks should be a familiar name for all hip-hop fans that were paying attention in the 2000s, as he was part of the biggest rap group at the time: G-Unit.
I caught him at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California. The venue is unfortunately closed now, but at the time it was a great little intimate place that let everybody get up close and personal and interact with the performer. And interact we did; Lloyd Banks has this undeniable charisma and was a master at getting the crowd involved and pumped up. There wasn’t a single wallflower in the room, everybody was dancing and super into the music, free of inhibitions.
Naturally, being part of G-Unit, you kind of know what to expect from Lloyd Banks’ music: top-notch production, a tight flow, and unbelievable energy from start to finish. It was just plain fun singing along with the hooks all night long.
This was a great chance to escape from life for a couple of hours and just enjoy some great music and an amazing entertainer.
Lloyd Bank’s got a new album coming out this year with G-Unit, so make sure to check up from time to time on tour dates as that’s sure to be a can’t-miss show.
