David Banner Plots Three New Albums (one is acid blues hip-hop)

[Elano]

With the release of his fifth studio album, "The Greatest Story Ever Told," on the horizon, Southern rapper David Banner tells Billboard.com he has two more releases ready to go as well as some fresh film roles and a weight-loss DVD on the runway.

"Most rappers in this day and time don't get to make it to their fourth or fifth album, so I feel very blessed," says the Mississippi-born Banner (real name: Levell Crump), who plans to have "The Greatest Story..." out on June 3 via Universal. The set was originally expected last fall.

Banner says he actually abandoned "The Greatest Story..." at one point during the recording, instead working on another album called "13" that will be its follow-up. "It's different than anything anybody's ever heard," Banner explains. "It's acid blues hip-hop. Everybody that's heard it don't know what to call it."

Banner has also recorded a companion album for his Adult Swim cartoon show, "That Crook'd 'Sipp" which will come out later this year. And with credits already in "Black Snake Moan" and "This Christmas," he's filmed a role in "Days of Wrath," which also features Laurence Fishburne, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Ana Claudia Talancon and Wilmer Valderrama. "It's gonna be our generation's 'Scarface,'" Banner enthuses.

 
After losing 54 pounds through a diet and exercise regimen, Banner is making a DVD to encourage others to do the same. "Young black and Latinos now are dying from heart attacks at 28 and 30 years old," Banner notes. "Hopefully through my transformation I can get to people in the hood and encourage them. I honestly think I put 20 years on my life -- I really do. I want more people to be able to do that."

[Lunatic]

can't wait for the "greatest story ever told."

[Money]

acid jazz hip hop? sounds good. im still waiting for a killa mike and david banner album.