Lloyd Banks:
Hunger For More

Release Date: 29 June 2004

Reviewed By: Usman Sajjad

1. Ain't No Click - feat, Tony Yayo

2. Playboy

3. Warrior

4. On Fire

5. I Get High - feat, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg

6. I'm So Fly

7. Work Magic - feat, Young Buck

8. If You So Gangsta

9. Warrior Pt.2 - feat, Eminem, 50 Cent, Nate Dogg

10. Karma

11. When The Chips Are Down - feat, The Game

12. Til The End

13. Die One Day

14. South Side Story

Jadakiss - Kiss Of Death
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Lloyd Banks finally releases his anticipated debut album ‘Hunger for More’, the first solo project in the G Unit crew after 50 cent’s success on his debut ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’ in 2003. Banks has created a heavy buzz, through appearances on DJ Whoo Kid and DJ Green Lantern mixtapes and most importantly, the witty, simple rhymes he is known for. Could we see the birth of a hip hop classic? The album features guest appearances of Eminem, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Tony Yayo and Young Buck. Production comes from Eminem (Jay Z ‘Moment of Clarity’), Timbaland (Jay Z ‘Big Pimpin’), Havoc of Mobb Deep and Hi Tek.

On the release of this album, the pressure and competition is on to see whether Banks will sell more copies than fellow G Unit member Young Buck on his July 27th release ‘Straight Outta Cashville’. Banks welcomes Young Buck on the street, dominating ‘Work Magic’, in which Banks declares his presence. Another record which created awareness of his presence was his strong party filled track ‘On Fire’.

Banks from here, really makes the album explode with high quality tracks such as ‘Warrior Part 2’ featuring the ‘G Funk’ vocals of Nate Dogg’, the hard, head moving beat of Eminem, and of course the blazing rhymes of both 50 cent and Lloyd Banks. A Focused Lloyd Banks raps about his strong alliance with Dre and Eminem. Banks continues the excellence on the Timbaland produced flamboyant ‘Im So Fly’. Banks ‘cracks out of his street rap persona shell’ and shows delicate affection towards women on the r’n’b type ‘Karma’ with the hook sung by the brilliant KC, known from being with Jodeci in the early days.

Banks gives Yayo his first appearance on a record since his jail release recently, on ‘Aint No Click’ and features the new Aftermath signed, Compton rapper Game on ‘When the Chips are down’. My favorite track on the album sees an excellent hook and surprisingly, Game taking the shine from the man of the moment. With lyrics on the track such as ‘I’m signed to the Doctor/ I aint got no patients/ So he put me with 50 cent/ So I got a facelift”.

Similarities are shown between Banks and 50 cent’s debut album. Both have a track about weed smoking, even though I’m no fan of records portraying smoking of weed, Banks uses his witty, artistic rhymes such as “ I don’t mean to provoke ya / But I’m a bad influence/ A musician can’t operate/ without his instruments” to light up the track.

What else can I really say? The 21 year old came to the table with high anticipation and excitement surrounding his album, and delivers all this to G Unit fans. Banks includes it all, and is excellent in all aspects delivered, including his mature but well crafted rhymes and calm, collective flow. The production is adequate on some records and of high caliber on others; however there is no Dr Dre, the man responsible for the success on ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’. Also Banks does not incorporate many big name producers, but modestly includes upcoming beat makers such as Scram Jones (Terror Squad ‘Lean Back) on ‘Work Magic’. So, if you waited in high excitement over this album, my advice is you go out and ‘cop it’. This is one of this year’s hottest albums in my honest opinion; everything about this album says multi-platinum. However, this maybe uninspiring to those who enjoy albums filled with lighter, more commercial, party records, or of course do not like G Unit’s records in general.

4 out of 5

Top 3 Tracks
11. When the Chips are down feat Game
9. Warrior Part 2 feat Nate Dogg, Eminem and 50 cent.
10. Karma feat KC

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