lloyd banks new album

Rapper with 'Hunger' for hits must escape 50 Cent's shadow

By most people's standards, rapper Lloyd Banks would seem to have it made.

He's part of what is arguably the most successful hip-hop posse on the planet — G-Unit, which is fronted by no less powerful a star than 50 Cent.

Banks, 22, also has earned the respect of hard-core rap fans, after taking last year's Mix Tape Artist of the Year award for his series of independently released recordings. And on June 29, he'll issue his first major-label solo album, "The Hunger for More," which has already spawned the top-five rap hit "On Fire."

But Banks isn't entirely happy about the acclaim.

He says his association with 50 Cent has made the police pay him unwanted attention. His Mix Tape prize has made bootleggers more eager than usual to rip off his recordings. And the hard-core nature of his latest music has him concerned about getting it past the FCC, which has been tightening its strictures on what's acceptable.

"Even my clean version is not clean enough," Banks says with a laugh.

Indeed, Banks has built his reputation on cruel and racy lyrics, brutally stripped music and a cold-blooded rap flow. Mainstream music fans discovered him on G-Unit's debut CD, 2003's double platinum "Beg for Mercy." Some critics felt that his raps, delivered in a bone-dry monotone, even outshone 50 Cent's.

Again on "The Hunger for More" Banks keeps his vocals coldly understated and his words unforgiving. But in conversation, he couldn't be more courteous or eager to please.

"I'll do whatever it takes to sell this record," he says. "I'll kiss babies, shake hands. There's no plan B [for my career]. This has to work."

He has felt that way since he started rapping as a child in Jamaica, Queens. Born Christopher Lloyd, he took his nom de rap from an uncle, a career felon, who always used to say, "That's money in the bank."

Banks' mother, who's Puerto Rican, was still in high school when he was born.

His father, who's black, was rarely around when the boy was growing up. He was serving several long stretches in jail.

Banks began smoking pot at age 11, a habit he says he maintains to this day.

"That's my cigarette," he says. "I use it to calm down."

His rap role models were Big Daddy Kane and Slick Rick, who greatly influenced his unhurried, conversational style. Dropping out of high school at 16, Banks developed his own rap sound and soon began appearing on local mix tapes.

Positive feedback gave him the confidence to begin trading verses with two childhood friends — Tony Yayo and 50 Cent. The two suggested forming a trio — G-Unit — which quickly developed a strong local following for its mix tapes.

But the group faded into the background once 50 Cent got signed to Eminem's label and rushed to solo superstardom. 50 Cent's fame came partly from his music, partly from the legend of his having survived being shot nine times.

"I've been shot, too," Banks points out. "And not long after 50."

STAYING IN FRONT

"The Hunger for More" features fewer guest stars than most rap albums. Eminem is one of them, but there's no participation from ace producer Dr. Dre, who has worked with G-Unit, and only a single hook line from 50 Cent.

"The streets wouldn't respect me if I didn't lay it on the line and give them as much as possible," Banks says of his decision to dominate his record.

One of the rare cameos on the album is that of fellow G-Unit member Yayo. He had been incarcerated for most of the previous 16 months on a gun-possession charge, but got out just in time for the recording.

"He went straight from the cell to the studio," Banks says.

Because of his sentence, Yayo didn't appear on most of "Beg for Mercy." He was replaced by Cash Money rapper Young Buck. According to Banks, not only will Yayo now rejoin the group, they'll retain Buck and add a new member, Game, a West Coast artist who makes his debut on Banks' CD.

Over the next few months, a series of G-Unit-related CDs will appear, including solo works from Buck in July, Game in August and 50 Cent in November.

"I got five months for my album," Banks reasons. "Then 50 comes and takes the attention."

ALL BASES COVERED

To maximize his time in the limelight, Banks is involved in a surprising variety of projects. He's providing a voice-over for a Saturday morning kids' cartoon ("Beaver Street Gang"). He's also appearing in a porn flick, "Groupie Love," filmed for his own company. With a perfectly straight face, Banks labels the latter project "educational."

Obviously, Banks wants to keep all the bases covered and, he says, to make as much money as quickly as possible.

"This is the business music, not the music business," he says. "It's all about the marketing." And right now, no one is hungrier to market himself than Banks.