The wait for Lloyd Banks’ new album is almost over. Following teasers over the past month, the former G-Unit member has announced his next LP is titled The Course of the Inevitable and set for release on June 4.
Banks took to social media to share the cover art for the project, which shows the 39-year-old holding his son Christopher Lloyde III’s hand. The tracklist boasts 18 tracks with guest appearances from Styles P, Benny The Butcher, Roc Marciano, Vado, Ransom and Sy Ari Da Kid.
Famed photographer Anthony Geathers, who shot the personal cover, considered it a major milestone in his career.
“For @lloydbanks and his team to put their trust and faith in me to create this photograph for his brand new album is the greatest honor for me as a black man and a fellow New Yorker who grew up on his music since high school,” he wrote. “Every moment in this blood and sweat filled journey has led to this right here.”
Lloyd Banks has been teasing the C.O.T.I. acronym since April, but finally revealed the meaning at the end of his album trailer. Throughout the clip, Rashan Brown delivers spoken word against black and white visuals of New York City that include images of a Big L mural.
“We have never known life without struggle or peace without war,” he says. “We have been simply faded in our own existence. But what do we say to the people who fear the choices they’ll have to make without any bit of guidance in this world? As if they already don’t have a sense of direction. Like they not sure if it’s their time to shine or stray away like it wasn’t already written. But how do we let destiny come to us? I guess until you accept it, you’ll keep on searching.”
Towards the end, Brown’s words pick up speed and he makes a reference to the Queens rapper’s debut album, Hunger for More.
The Course of the Inevitable will serve as his first project since 2016’s Halloween Havoc 3: Four Days of Fury, with his last studio album H.F.M. 2 (The Hunger for More 2) arriving in 2010. His last song “Element of Surprise” dropped in January and appeared on the soundtrack for Griselda Records’ CONFLICTED movie.
Lloyd Banks Says He Can Rap Circles Around 99% Of ‘The Rap Game’
In February, he previewed a new song on Instagram and promised to meet expectations with his upcoming music.
Aight. I’m looking forward to see what he came up with.
Gonna be a cold summer. PLK is back!
Man that feature list is perfect for a Lloyd Banks album!!!!! Straight fire coming!!
Lloyd Banks gotta be the laziest rapper I’ve ever seen, but he does drop some heat. About time he finally drops, I’ll check this one. Just hoping he doesn’t join the boring, sleepy drumless beat wave.
His nickname actually used to be Lazy Lloyd, fitting I guess.
This is gonna be dope! No 50 cent feature?
He don’t fuck with that back stabbing clown what type of peon put his people’s on front foh
So happy about the Styles P feature. Lloyd Banks and Styles P collabs are always fire.
50 cent gave pop smoke lloyd banks vocals . And I mean identical vocals pop banks should be his name
Dude get a fucking life! Drumless loops aren’t anything new, and a lot of dope lyricists have made a name for themselves using them primarily. If done right they can go toe to toe with any boom bap record. I see alot of y’all hating on Alchemist cuz of this, and i think it’s a cheap diss, and it’s LAME
I’m guessing that reply was for me, so I’ll hit you with this rebuttal. Umm, no the hell they can’t! Only two “drumless” beats I can think off that actually bump are Cormega/Mobb Deep “Killaz Theme” and Ghostface/Raekwon “260”. Any others I’ve heard, especially 2010’s on up, have sounded like audio NyQuil. And Alc did fall off because of this. Name a dope 2010s drumless beat that can at least go toe to toe with those two I mentioned. I’ll wait…
‘Killaz Theme’ has cross-sticks & a kick drum in it, so it’s not ‘drumless’. also, in ‘260’ there’s a open/close hi-hat and a snare; they’re just less prominent than the melody loop.
Okay, I did relisten to “Killaz Theme” since I actually haven’t heard that in a minute and you’re right on that one. Both barely have any drums going on, which is why I put “drumless” in quotations.
He ain’t shit compared to meek mill!!
Thats because Meek is SHIT…you’re absolutely correct
Man I cant to not buy it!
First true ‘drumless’ rap song i can remember hearing is OutKast’s E.T. (Extraterrestrial) (1996). can anyone identify one earlier than that that was truly ‘no drums’?
Forgot about that one. You’re right, definitely no drums period on that. Probably the best one I’ve heard, very mystifying beat.
Calling Pop Smoke ‘Pop Banks” is funny as hell . 50 cent did give Pop Smoke Lloyd Banks vocals tho and they were identical
That’s his daughter idiots
Truth be told, banks had the best song on the Griselda soundtrack.
Perfect feature list.. Hope he still got Doe Pesci and The Jerm handling his production among others.. Expectations r high Banks
I been waiting on a G-Unit like NWA back in the Day. This album is FIRE! Club music and Car Bumpin! Without a 50 Cent assist. Give it up for Floyd Banks! Come Back of the year award? He never left!!!