David Banner turns 42-years old today. Ever since his 2003 hit “Like A Pimp” help spark the South’s takeover of Hip-Hop, Banner has emerged as one of the culture’s most outspoken artists. Whether it’s on the stage or on Capitol Hill, Banner never wastes a chance to represent his Mississippi roots. Here is a history of some of his greatest moments.Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Banner was born Lavell Crump and he was using his voice as an instrument long before he became a rapper. As a student at Southern University he was voted SGA President. His relationship with the school did hit a rough patch though. He fought to have the school audited while he held the office, an act that he claims administration was not happy about.
Banner was also banned from performing on campus for nearly ten years, starting right around the time his hit single “Like A Pimp” took off. The ban came about after a local radio station handed out copies of the explicit version of his debut album, Mississippi: The Album. The then-vice president of student affairs was offended by the language and banned Banner from performing at the Homecoming concert that year. Banner was never invited back after that either. It should be noted that it was the radio station, not Banner himself who handed the CDs to the children. The ban was eventually lifted in 2015.
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Banner did not go on to become a politician, instead he used his voice to become a rapper. He co-founded Crooked Lettaz with fellow Mississippi MC Kamakaze and went on to become one of the most respected duos in the underground. They garnered national attention when they appeared in a 1996 issue of The Source magazine in the Unsigned Hype section. The appearance placed them alongside artists like The Notorious B.I.G. and Common who also appeared in Unsigned Hype before blowing up later in their careers.
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Two years after appearing in The Source, Crooked Lettaz signed a deal with Penalty Recordings/Tommy Boy Music. Their debut album Grey Skies hit stores in 1999 and reached #75 on the Billboard R&B Charts. The album meshed conscious lyrics about the struggle and growing up in the South with beats that made every car sound like a thunderstorm. Their first single “Firewater” featured then label mate Norega aka N.O.R.E.
But it was the underground classic “Get Crunk” featuring Banner’s mentor Pimp C of UGK that made the album memorable.
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After one album with Crooked Lettaz, Banner went solo and released his debut album Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1 in 2000. The album featured appearances from Devin the Dude, Jazze Pha, Polow Da Don, Bonecrusher and Young Bleed. The project included some of the better songs from Grey Skies as well as some new material. Banner’s production skills are highlighted throughout the album. Banner has said that he was homeless and living in his promotional van during the recording and release of this album.
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Them Firewater Boyz made enough noise down South for record labels to start taking notice. But it wasn’t until he dropped his hit single, “Like A Pimp” featuring Lil Flip, that the phones started ringing off the hook. The song came at perfect time when Southern Hip-Hop was growing from a underground phenomenon into a national explosion. The instant classic led to him signing a deal with SRC/Universal Records and releasing Mississippi: The Album in the summer of 2003. Where the track is obviously made for the clubs, the accompanying video is laced with political imagery as Banner runs from a noose while shredding a Confederate flag.
Banner would try to capitalize off the momentum by releasing another album, MTA 2: Baptized In Dirty Water, later that year. The album did not perform as well. Banner was also not able to promote the album effectively as he was suffering from high blood pressure and near diabetes. He has shared that he almost died from his unhealthy lifestyle.
One highlight in his struggle was the he scored one of his first hits as a producer when he made the beat for T.I.’s breakout single “Rubberband Man.”
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Banner bounced back in a major way in 2005 when he emerged healthier and more focused. His fourth album Certified saw him stepping out of his comfort zone and allowing input from outside producers. The first single “Ain’t Got Nothing” featured Mr. Magic and Lil Boosie, marking the first time Boosie appeared on a nationally recognized single.
The album’s second single “Play” produced by Mr. Collipark wound up being the biggest hit on the album. The song borrowed elements from Ying Yang Twins’ “Whisper Song” and would go down as perhaps one of the raunchiest songs ever recorded. But hey, the ladies loved it.
While he was finally enjoying mainstream success with “Play,” Banner found himself getting called back to his activist days. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of families, leaving many of them with no resources to move, let alone live. Banner stepped up and founded Heal The Hood, a organization created to deliver food, clothing and supplies to Hurricane Katrina victims. To help assist with the efforts, Banner called on his celebrity friends to organize a benefit concert at Atlanta’s Phillips Arena. Performers included Busta Rhymes, 8Ball and MJG, Nelly and T.I.
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In 2007 David Banner stepped out of the booth and onto Capital Hill when he spoke before the United States Congress in a hearing about violence and misogyny. He and Master P spoke on behalf of Hip-Hop and rap music in an effort to defend the art from from lawmakers and culture critics looking to blame the music for everything that is wrong in America. The most memorable moment came when he said:
“I can admit there are some problems in hip hop but it is only a reflection of what’s taking place in our society. Hip hop is sick because America is sick.”
In 2008 Banner released his fifth album The Greatest Story Ever Told that was led by the single “Get Like Me” featuring Chris Brown and Yung Joc.
It was also around this time that Banner made himself more visible in Hollywood. He appeared in Black Snake Moan, This Christmas and in the television series Monk. However, after growing tired of being typecasted as a thug, Banner stepped back from acting to focus on building his own films and creative projects.
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Banner’s career reached another plateau when he was recruited to produce music for a Gatorade commercial. Banner wrote and produced the track “Evolve” that was featured in Gatorade’s 2010 ad campaign. He would go on to deliver another Gatorade commercial for the 2014 World Cup.
