During an exclusive interview with XXL magazine, G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks recalled the moment he realized the music he fell in love with was changing. The rapper revealed that at one point he had to take his mind off of the music industry completely.
According to Banks, who says he ultimately grew frustrated with the music industry, there are “a lot more political relationships” in the business.
He also added that rather than relying solely on releasing good music, artists today have to follow a step-by-step process in order to receive praise.
“Nah, my mind wasn’t on the music [business] for a point,” Lloyd Banks said. “I always make music, so I can’t be like I was zoned out because I never got out the zone. It was more about the game…So I just realized after a while, and then watching the comments, that music is changing. This is not what made me fall in love with music. So if I’m watching all the pieces that made me fall in love with it not be relevant anymore… Like it don’t matter what’s being said but [it matters] who did the beat. Status, or anything like that. I didn’t fall in love with that.
“There’s a lot more political relationships, as opposed to just saying, ‘I like this person, he’s dope,’” he added. “That shit frustrated me. It frustrated me that if I don’t do step-by-step what [they] want me to do, then I don’t get the praise. Does that also mean that the people that get the praise don’t actually deserve it? How do you gauge that? If you’re an artist that’s successful—like look at Kendrick Lamar. He dropped a body of work and it was so good that people live with that until the next one. They don’t need a bunch of in-between shit.”
Banks later recalled being so engulfed in making music that he eventually became “mad at the music” due to what he missed out on. He says he wasn’t there when his best friend passed away or when the body of his father was found.
“I had to deal with all of this shit in the media,” he said. “I lost my grandmother, I lost my father, I lost my best friend. I grew up in the shit. My whole 20s was sacrificed to my friend’s family and hip-hop. I don’t have no girlfriend, I don’t have no kids. I was completely locked in on it so much that it made me mad at the music. It made me mad that I put so much into this shit, that I missed so much. I wasn’t there when my best friend got killed, I wasn’t there when my father was found. It makes you kind of resent the same shit that you love. So my fans are going, ‘Where you at?’ [But] I hated it. I love to make music but I hate what it did to me and what it did to my friends. So I fell back from it.”
The Queens, New York lyricist also recalled reuniting with G-Unit earlier this year. He says the process of reuniting took a few months once it was initiated, and shared that the reunion “happened collectively.”
“It kind of happened collectively,” Banks said. “Like me and Yayo were talking, then I eventually ended up reaching out to 50. Went to go see him and just get things out the way. I spoke to Buck before I spoke to 50 but Buck gave me [50’s] number. It was kind of like everybody felt it was time. So we all ended up talking to each other, we crossed pathways. Before you know it, we were all in one room. But it wasn’t like it took one person to get everybody together. We all felt we had something that we needed to make right with each other.”
RELATED: 50 Cent Says He Was “Insensitive” Towards Lloyd Banks When Banks’ Father Passed Away
Game album year of the puppy is expected to sell around 30,000 first week sale this site want put it up but sohh has it posted this site is pro game and fifty haters they just post him for hits
Fuck SOHH!
Banks
Thanks for doing that interview and sharing that with us. U a real one. Alot of people fell in love with the same vibe, same energy.
When love does not reciprocate, it turns into apathy or hatred.
I see the way hate ensued. This is shit is mind boogling how these politics, dick sucking and secret relationships is shaping what was more organic.
It’s so homogenized. The true hip hop is still alive tho. It’s important to still release reaL music regardless to the polar opposition.
This is a war at this point. Atleast I see it that way now.
Once again, thanks Banks.
Power to the Strong Willed
Banks a 100% real dude, gotta support him when releases his album
This a real dude.
Success is hard.
Grass is always greener on the other side.
Does not mean you made the wrong choice.
In the end, grandma, pops, best friends all wanted you to get the best outta life. you were busy doing that. And that is how life goes.
co-sign
Lloyd banks is the man
I wanna smoke a blunt and chill with Banks
has been emo pussy
Gunplay, is that you?
Yeah the industry is a fucking joke now, whoever “they” want in the forefront just gets shoved in your face, I fucking despise young thug, Rick Ross, French Montana, yet they are fucking everywhere and they literally aren’t talented, or in Ross’s case a real person. Just an ex C.O identify thief, that being accepted by people opened the doors for fuckery, evolution should kick in soon though and in 5 years hopefully we are back to a decent spot in hip hop…till then
Glad the homie is back. Be sure to check out thegrandreport(dot)com they have some good videos on there too
Banks is a real nigga, shame he doesn’t do much interviews because he talks so much sense
He kicks his truth, and that’s something that’s rare and much needed in rap. Especially today.
this guy is the truth … my nikka plkk …..
Big ups Banks for giving the insight on a business that take more than it gives
PLK!
Love hip hop hollywood is a hot mess Nikki need to sit her fake butt down and Mally knew he was wrong for dogging out massika, and Tierra is a sneaky $&@$&@ you know what, why would you go behind hazel back to work with berg knowing hazel has or had a relationship and trust issues with berg, regardless of the making money only, business deal only please. Hazel should feel betrayed and just leave berg alone. These women need to stop putting all their eggs in one basket and trying to keep up with jones can cause you pain and suffer in the long run. If you fall for it.
Bitch, get a life, stop fucking watching channel zero.
One more thing women ain’t loyal now days they want your man and trying to get rich quick scheme. In life people should rather be poor and happy then to be rich and miserable not saying that poor is a great thing, but in the long run look at the pressure folks go thru to keep up with the jones and reality crap,gossip,half the time from the folks you trusted be the ones gossip about you. It may seem all fun and games at end of the day somebody is suffering from hurt and betrayal and the women on love and hip hop hollywood need to stop and evaluate they life. Nikki so stupid yeah Mally her man in her eyes but I’m sure he has messed on her plenty of times she got major funds she can go buy her bum and fix him up and bet he treat her like a queen instead of Mally who has it made but he treats her like crap, according to her Mally is her boo.
fucked lloldy banks
When Banks gets rattled the result is no career.