We can only hope to see one or more of them make an appearance on COTI, perhaps even over production from Daringer, Beat Butcha, or both. In fact, many fans are hopeful to see Banks embrace his affiliation to the Buffalo crew, with Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher among his most desired collaborators. Shades of Griselda, who have been responsible for some of the more recent Banks releases, including Conway’s “Juvenile Hell'' and Conflicted OST highlight “Element Of Surprise.” Unsurprising, given their shared connection to Beat Butcha, who has seen quite the substantial rise since the Griselda trio infiltrated the mainstream. Though this is purely an assumption, it seems fair to suggest that he values the praise of his peers - specifically those with a stellar pen game - over any sort of commercial accomplishments. It’s evident, based on his social media activity, that Banks’ competitive spirit remains sharp. That’s not to say he’s a cult artist, but the days of seeing Lloyd Banks on the charts are likely over.Īnd that’s okay. There is nothing even remotely suggesting that Banks has any desire to chase commercial trends, though he may have experimented in doing so in the past. Given that Banks has always embraced that raw and gritty aesthetic, there’s no reason to believe he would deviate at this stage of his career.
It’s not entirely uncommon to see a narrative lamenting the death of real hip-hop, with the implication centering around a shift away from the golden era sound. On the other hand, hip-hop has undergone such a drastic transformation since Banks was active, his straightforward and lyrically focused mixtape approach would be a welcome jolt of electricity. Not to mention that it would certainly be nice to see the project land on streaming services, and mixtapes seldom make the transition gracefully. And since it’s been such a long time, an album might give Banks a little more space to unpack some of his experiences of the past few years, perhaps even touching on the rap game and society at large. Given how long it’s been since Banks dropped anything, either option is certainly welcome. With COTI on the way, many have wondered whether the project would be a proper studio album or another mixtape. While it sometimes forced the PLK to deviate from his comfort zone, it also opened the door for some of his most contemplative penmanship who’d have thought one of the realest songs he ever wrote would take place over a haunting Eminem ballad? Yet with that increase in character development, during which the many facets of Banks’ personality are revealed, comes the risk that punchlines and relentless lyricism might fall to the wayside. As the budget was bigger on such releases, Banks tended to dabble in the commercially viable sounds of the time, which results varying. For one, the production value is notably higher, with a wide range of beatmakers and a generally pristine sonic aesthetic.
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Series like The Cold Corner and Halloween Havoc are widely praised among Banks’ best work, with a case to be made that his mixtape catalog surpasses his studio discography.Ĭonsisting of three studio albums - The Hunger For More, Rotten Apple, and The Hunger For More 2 - his discography is certainly worthy of praise.
It wasn’t uncommon to hear Banks absolutely obliterating beats both classic and original, paying little mind to anything other than clever lyricism and hard-hitting bars. Over the course of the past twenty years, Banks has assembled an extensive collection of mixtapes, many of which played a role in honing his reputation as The Punchline King. There are certainly exceptions, but many emcees came of age during a time when a mixtape meant jackin’ for beats and attempting to steal the spotlight from the original artist.įor Lloyd Banks, who essentially made a name for himself through early G-Unit tapes, the tradition became a staple of his career. For the most part, a mixtape is unfettered by a commitment to theme and structure, often used as a low-stakes showcase of an emcee’s lyrical prowess. Though the specifics surrounding the distinction tend to vary depending on the artist, there’s an unspoken difference between the mixtape and the album.
With the Punchline King gearing up for his triumphant return, what can we expect from Lloyd Banks' anticipated "COTI" album?
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