new David Banner interview

[mauzip]

I don't know what WOS stands for, but... it's a good interview. His single and his album sampler are promising another good album

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WOS: What's going on with you man?

David Banner: Man, working on my album homie.

WOS: You got "Gangsta Walk" blowing up down here right now. Is that going to be the official single for your new album?

David Banner: Well it's like this, originally "Gangsta Walk" is what I wanted to be my first single, but a lot of the radio stations were saying that it's too hard. The thing was, all the DJ's wanted it. So "Gangsta Walk" is blowing up without no push at all, like really blowing up. I'm going to do whatever the people want me to do. So if that's what the people want ("Gangsta Walk"), that's what I am going to push. Right now "I Ain't Got Nuthin" is my single with Magic and Lil' Boosie, but "Gangsta Walk" is blowing up bigger than that right now. It's whatever the people want.

WOS: How you hook up with Magic and Lil' Boosie? David Banner: I thank God for the opportunity that I am able to produce, so working on my beats I am able to work with a lot of different people. But to be honest with you, I had sat down and said who I wanted on my album. Bone Crusher taught me this bruh, it's called platinum concept. I got a concept of a song with me, Luda, and Twista all rapping fast on a song. David Banner, Ludacris, and Twista, that's a platinum idea. Think on that before you do anything. Think about it. My first artist, Marcus with a period, he's from Memphis. 8Ball, MJG, and Three Six Mafia, that's a platinum idea. So really dude, I'm putting together a platinum idea, and it's all like a dream come true homie, for you to be able to sit down and say that's who I wanna work with on this song. I'm like a kid in a toy store homie.

WOS: When you going to shoot the video for the single?

David Banner: I already shot it. I shot it Sunday. It was my directorial debut. What is really crazy dog, Magic dislocated his arm, I almost blew my knee out, and I almost sprained my ankle. Dog, we jumping off houses, jumping off cars while they moving. It's crazy.

WOS: That sounds crazy. When are they going to premiere it?

David Banner: "Access Granted." The date is April 6th.

WOS: It was kind of a historic moment with "Gangsta Walk" having Memphis pioneers 8Ball & MJG and Three Six Mafia on a track together after all of these years. How did you go about getting both of them on a track together?

David Banner: Well, everybody is saying, 'that dude David Banner is putting it down in history,' but the thing is bruh, it ain't nothing but God. I ain't never think about it that way. Paul told me after I did the song like, 'dude this history,' and I ain't even think about it. Ya know God put it on my mind and I went after it. To be real wit ya, people make stuff more then what it is. Them boys ain't never had any problems with each other. They both were so damn happy to work with each other, but it is they just was busy and ain't never really get a chance to work with each other. Them boys were happy to work with each other. Matter of fact, now I'm hearing rumors that they bout to do an album together.

WOS: Oh Yeah?

David Banner: Yeah

WOS: That's news to me. So what's your album title going to be?

David Banner: Yeah it's "Certified"

WOS: Who else you got featured on this album?

David Banner: We got Talib Kweli, dead prez, Jagged Edge, Lil' Jon, Jadakiss, Too Short. Man, just so many people (laughs).

WOS: Anyone going to handle production apart from you?

David Banner: Production wise: Alchemist, Jazzy Pha, Lil' Jon. I'm about to pick up some stuff from Smurf (Ying Yang Twinz producer), Mannie Fresh, I got two new producers that I'm signing now, G Cool and Maestro. Damn, so many people homie. But the thing is, I'm trying to say honestly, there (are other) people not just I saying this, but this album is one of the best in the past 5- 10 years. I think this album is gonna be a classic.

WOS: Are you finished or are you still working on it?

David Banner: To be real with ya dog, this is the best I have ever recorded in my whole entire life. So I'm a keep recording until the very last minute. I'm a keep moving and when they say it's time to turn it in, I may or may not turn it in. But the cool thing is, I'm a drop an independent record right after. Right after my major, and all the songs that don't make it on this one will make it on that one.

WOS: So when is the album gonna drop?

David Banner: July 19th. JULY 19TH, sir. It's when the world will be changed (laughs).

WOS: Let's hope cause we need one right now.

David Banner: I think I got it for ya homie.

WOS: Tell me about the whole recording process of the album. Did anything change this time around?

David Banner: Yeah, I changed a lot of stuff dog. I wasn't really trippin' off me doing the beats. I was really working on my lyrics dog. It's funny, Ras Kass said this on TV dog. Ras Kass was like, 'dog people really sleeping on David Banner lyrically.' People so used to the YEAH! and me being crunk and the beats, they never really listened to what I was saying. So I really sat down and worked on my lyrics, and I just found out folks be like, 'damn, David Banner be snapping on other folks albums.' And ya know, people really started listening to my lyrics after I did that song with Young Buck. People really liked that verse. So what I did with this album, I don't try to finish one song in a night. I don't do that now. Like I'll do one verse, then I switch to another song and do a verse on that song. It's like when I come back to that song next week, it's a brand new song again. Make sure every verse is snapping

WOS: Like you said people on you. A lot of people don't realize you produce and you have produced hits.

David Banner: After "Rubberband Man" people got on it. It really stopped when people heard "David Banner David Banner David Banner" (David Banner noise at beginning of tracks) (laughs). They started recognizing. I'm not in a big rush dog, cause I do so many things, from the acting to the beats. If the people love me like they do, I'm good man. You know man, I ain't in no big rush. When it come, it come the right way.

WOS: Fans usually don't get an inside look at what goes on in the studio unless it's on a DVD. What is a typical David Banner studio session like?

David Banner: Intensity. Real intense, workaholic. I think if most fans got a chance to see what most artists goes through, they would respect the music and process a whole lot more. It's a little bit different with me because from the concept to the execution of the beat, all the way down to the video, I got something to do with it. So it's like with me, get good people around you. I'm not so vain to think I am the best artist in the world. So I always bring in a couple of folks, not a room full of people but ya know just a couple of key people, who say 'yeah, yeah it's jamming,' but knowing that it's not.

WOS: What artist outside of hip-hop would you like to work with?

David Banner: Linkin' Park, Yellow Card, and people on that level. I wanna do rock shit dog, that's what I really want to do. Rock is something I would love to do. I want to do music and take it to the next level. I want to call in symphony orchestras and use Oboes and shit like that. I want to make some music ya know. That's what I'm really into. Three Doors Down, something like that. International acts. I want to experiment. That's why people come in and be surprised in this record. Scarface taught me this man and I will never forget. Scarface was like, 'dog you one of them dudes that can really take music there brah. You need to go and spread ya wings and do what ya do. Don't hold back.' And basically that's what I'm doing on this album. I'm givin' it to 'em.

WOS: Is there still the possibility of you and Lil' Flip doing an album together?

David Banner: I really, honestly don't know right now brah. I got to put myself back in a position that warrants that. I always felt like we gotta be on the same level. Flip doing his thing right now and it wouldn't really make any sense for him to do this right now. It's up to me to bring my weight back up. I'm really concentrating on me, to get my career and get my weight up. Then the truth is, I have always been the type of man to stand on my own. So I wouldn't want me and Flip to get together and that situation blow up, (and) then it's like, 'ok, well David Banner was put on because of that.'

WOS: What about another Crooked Lettaz album?

David Banner: I have no idea brah.

WOS: Why don't you know?

David Banner: David Banner poppin' right now. It don't make any sense to go back and try something else that didn't pop before, ya know what I'm saying. When you got something poppin', that's a problem, you just trying to do too much. I ain't to the level that I want with David Banner yet.

WOS: Being that your mission to put Mississippi on the map was not only rap-wise, it was half rap-music, and half history and legacy of Mississippi and the south as a whole. Do you feel that you're accomplishing your mission or is there still a way to go?

David Banner: I really feel like it someone else's path now. I think I started it and I have my interpretation of what the south is. There are so many more talented artists. Ten times more talented then myself. You know, it's their time to touch that torch. Folks know where I'm from. I ain't gotta scream, 'south, south, south, south, south.' Folks know they hear it in my voice. They know what I stand for. Now it's time to be more specific about our goals. You know we already have put the general thing out there. All us, me Buck, T.I., Luda, Trick, Eightball & MJG, Flip, just everybody. You know now it's time to talk about some of the specific things that go on in our hood and what the government do to us and all that. It's time to switch up and take it to the next level now.

WOS: I read that you was in LA studying to become a professional actor. How is that working out for you?

David Banner: Man it's a blessing. I love it so much. Right now I'm just learning these talents and continuously trying to capitalize on the blessings that God has given me. Be the best that I can be. How many people get the opportunity to do what I am doing? I really want to be the best man, and I really want people from Mississippi and people from the south to feel good in their investment. Somebody who buys your cd is investing in your life. So with me dog, I'm just trying to make the best out of it and make everybody proud of me.

WOS: Any movie roles that you have accepted?

David Banner: Nah, I turned them all down homie. When I get to the point when I can compete with the actors that have been doing it all their life (I'll take some roles). I don't wanna be a rapper/actor or a rapper trying to act. I want to be an actor who happens to rap.

WOS: You was in Atlanta a few months ago on Hot 107.9 asking the listeners if you should go to the White House to eat dinner with President Bush. Did you ever go along with that?

David Banner: Nah, I really didn't have the time. I was working on my album.

WOS: How did the college scholarship cd promotion deal work out?

David Banner: The kids got their scholarships. You know, one of the things that pisses me off about America: As (much time) as we spend talking about shooting, killing, and selling dope, as much as they act like they don't want us to talk about that, (it's) all that they promote with young black males. You have a young black male such as myself and Luda, who love giving scholarships, giving kids toys for Christmas, donating to different and various funds. They don't want to promote that. It was crazy. The only people that gave me props is the New York Times and CNN. The local news saying that donating to the kids isn't newsworthy. What the fuck is that? If I shoot somebody I'm gonna be on.

WOS: How many kids received scholarships?

David Banner: Five

WOS: I know you're a well educated man and you attended Southern University. How was the whole college experience for you?

David Banner: Aww man that was one of the biggest blessings in my life ever. One thing I think is that most rappers have is there ability to work with people. One of the things that get you to earn that is people ability to like you. The ability to talk to them and relay your messages and really like the feel. That's one thing in college. You meet people from all over the world and you have to learn how to get along with everybody. You have to learn to speak to people. You have to stand up in front of class and (speak). It's funny that rappers can get up in front of a microphone and rock a crowd of a million people but can't stand in front of twenty people and just speak. The thing that I thank God for is the one thing that I think I bring to the hood. Hopefully I can help the hood articulate their pain to the world. That's how I be on MTV. I'm trying to bring it to the hood and explain to people what's really going on in the hood in a way that every common man can understand it.

WOS: What is your favorite southern album?

David Banner: Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (Outkast) and Ridin' Dirty (UGK).

WOS: From a producers standpoint, what is your favorite produced southern album?

David Banner: There a bunch of them man. I like Tela's first album. I like Devin the Dude's first album. I like Aquemini production-wise. My new album "Certified." Beat for beat, I don't think there are gonna be too many albums that can hang wit it. Oh by the way, July 19th, July 19th, July 19th. "Certified." "Certified"- the album, David Banner. "Certified," July 19th, July 19th, July 19th. Put it just like that. *laughs*

WOS: If someone wants to get tracks from you, how would they go about doing this?

David Banner: Call the office homie. It ain't hard. Stop by the bank on your way. It's good.

WOS: Anything else that you would like to say before we wrap this up?

David Banner: I would just like to thank all of my fans for giving me the opportunity to feed my family. I really would like to thank God for touching me and allowing his will and work to work through me man. I hope everybody really enjoys the next album, and go buy the album and stop buying them fucking bootlegs because people don't know they cheating rap. The day that rap ain't around, they ain't got the right cd to find, or they favorite artist can't drop even though he sold a lot of records because you spend all this money on white folks stuff that they producing. You ain't gonna go get no bootleg chicken you know. We work hard as hell and spend our own personal money and put our lives up for the stuff that we talk about on our cd's. And for the people that act like they like us to go buy a bootleg cd? That's like ya homies stabbing you in the back. I even put my shit up on the table and all I ask the people is once you listen to it, just go buy it man. That man will be like, 'damn dude, this nigga really putting everything into that bitch. I know I got this muthafuckin' bootleg but this bitch jammin'. Let me go pick this up.'

[eS El Duque]

nice interview

[CoreG37]

WOS- Word Of South