Published: Sunday - October 2, 2005
Words by David Lopez
David Banner (Photo: SRC)
Being certified in SoundScan refers to selling a million plus units. This is exactly what Lavell Crump, aka David Banner, is trying to achieve with his third major label release, fittingly entitled Certified.
This Mississippi native has risen from the poverty stricken cities within his state to mainstream success, as the Southern region of the nation continues to dominate the music charts. But, with hip-hop steadily staying the dominate force over the past few years, Banner feels its time for the artists to become more business-minded, hence the reason he's graduated from the baggy jeans and long white tee to a more mature look with what the corporate world wears to the office everyday -- a suit.
With his album in stores now and his single, "Play", receiving major spins across the nation, Banner spoke with BallerStatus about why his new album can satisfy almost any listener, why he sports a beard and the reason why a suit is the way to go in clothing.
BallerStatus.com: Why is the album titled Certified?
David Banner: I just wanted to certify myself in the game. You know how rappers make they albums and that lets you know they ain't going no where? They [want to let fans know] that they are going to be here until they decide, or until they fans decide that they don't want them no more. What I'm trying to do with this album is stamp myself in the game, like David Banner is somebody who ain't going no where. It's bigger than "Like A Pimp", you know what I'm saying? So, for the most part, that was my goal.
BallerStatus.com: How is Certified different from your previous two solo albums?
David Banner: I just think it's more hits. My other albums were really emotional and I would tend to get across a certain message. This album I just wanted to bang.
BallerStatus.com: Right, what kind of messages were you trying to get across in your previous two albums?
David Banner: A lot of social commentary and a lot of pain. This album is a lot happier to be honest with you. I think that's the biggest difference.
BallerStatus.com: Let's get into the album. Talk to me about it in general.
David Banner: Its 17 songs with no interludes. I think the average person would say 14 out of the 17, if not 16 out of the 17, people like. Something that I've been hearing about this album is the fact that people have been saying no matter what you do, whether it's gospel music or rock music, there is two to three songs that is going to hit with everybody. If you not really a listener of hip-hop, you can still find music that you really like.
BallerStatus.com: So what two to three songs on Certified you think will hit with everybody?
BallerStatus.com: Of course "Play", hopefully, that seems to be working. I got a song that's called "Touching" featuring Jazze Pha", which is probably going to be the second single. I think most people will like that. I got a song with Twista called "On Everything" that the streets have been going crazy over. I think people will like that.
BallerStatus.com: I seen in the magazines, award shows, and even in video "Play," you wear a lot of suits. Is their anything you want to say about your choice in clothing?
David Banner: The suits are really signifying that we as rappers have transcended from people who are the mic; we business men. Urban music as a whole made billions and billions of dollars for the music industry last year and I don't see my people being billionaires yet. So, we going to have to be more about our money, be more about our business and not only do I want to be a certified rapper, I want to be a certified business man and make certified money. More or less, [wearing suits] is just showing the mode we in. It's business time; it's time to get paid.
BallerStatus.com: What about the beard, does the beard signify anything?
David Banner: Honestly, nobody has ever asked me that before. The beard is really a sign of rebellion. I used to have real long hair, like I always used to have something that displayed just fighting against the system. And I said, well, I'm not going to be able to get as far as I want to get with my hair every where, so I cut my hair off and let my beard start growing.
BallerStatus.com: Speaking about rebellion, can you talk a little bit about the song you did with Dead Prez, and Talib Kweli?
David Banner: Me, Dead Prez, Talib Kweli did the song called "Ridin'". And for the most part, we wanted to show that no matter where you from, if our people hurting in Connecticut, people are hurting in Nebraska; if our people are hurting in Nebraska, they hurting in California; if they hurting in California, they hurting in Mississippi -- all over the world. So, we going to show them that we could connect no matter what type of music we do and no matter where we from. We could connect, have like minds, speak on struggle, and that's what we did.
BallerStatus.com: To those who have never been to Mississippi, can you describe Mississippi and tell us about what it's like over there?
David Banner: Mississippi is a place that has been connected with a lot of pain and some of that pain is true. At the same token, the things that bring you the most pain also bring you the most pleasure. Mississippi is one of the most beautiful places in the world. We have some of the most beautiful women in the world, good eating and good family. That's what Mississippi means to me more than anything; good family, family still being together, people still speaking, ya know? It's a community.
BallerStatus.com: What are you eating now, and what's a good meal to eat out in Mississippi?
David Banner: I'm eating salad. But, just period macaroni and cheese, barbecue, and cat fish. You put it on the stove and grandma cooks it up, whatever it is.
BallerStatus.com: You're eating salad, are you on a diet?
David Banner: Uh huh, I just lost about 30 pounds.
BallerStatus.com: Wow, what made you want to lose the weight?
David Banner: Just being healthy, that's one thing I'm telling young cats. A lot of times when you a rapper, you don't have a chance to eat right and that causes other problems in life later on. So, I just been trying to eat right and take care of my body.
BallerStatus.com: I seen a documentary about the life and case of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally mangled in Mississippi for whistling at a white woman. I read online that you were trying to put out Jerseys with the year he was killed on them so people could remember him. Did you get to put them out?
David Banner: I actually didn't have a chance to get them put out, but I made a lot for myself and wore them in different television shows myself. I didn't have the opportunity to really mass produce them. I done wore a t-shirt in the "Cadillac 22's" video, and spoke about it a lot on "106 and Park" and "Rap City". I sparked a lot of interest.
BallerStatus.com: Do you think any of your efforts contributed to getting the case re-opened?
David Banner: Some people say yes. But to me, it doesn't really matter whether I had a little bit to do with it or a lot to do with it, as long as the case is reopened. That's all that really matters.
BallerStatus.com: Has anybody been convicted since it's been re-opened?
David Banner: What ends up happening in most cases -- when people are murdered and it has anything to do with a race situation -- that by the time they get to the case, the people that did it are so old that they about to die or that they dead already. So, either way it goes, in most cases, what will happen is it will only be symbolism. The people may still alive, but they 70, 80 years old.
BallerStatus.com: Why did you care so much about the Emmett Till case?
David Banner: I always been into my history. We have to make sure that these kids know that what happened before us are things that could happen why we still alive. I think that if we don't concentrate on that, it's not going to do anything but hurt us later on and it's going to happen again. So, I think it's important for us to constantly put it out there.
BallerStatus.com: If Certified doesn't go platinum, would you be disappointed?
David Banner: Aww, I'd be disappointed if it doesn't go two times platinum.
BallerStatus.com: Ballerstatus.net recently did an interview with Brooklyn emcee, L.G. (Lord's Gift). He said you produced a track and are co-signing him. What do you like most about him?
David Banner: I just think the dude is hot. I think he's one of the few rappers that's coming out that's sensitive to the fact that you love everywhere, not just the place where you from. And that's what I liked about him the most.
BallerStatus.com: I heard people saying that the Ying Yang Twins track "Wait" and your song "Play", which were both produced by Mr. Collipark, sound a lot a like. People are saying that your copying due to the way you speak softly and that it's kind of in the same vein. What do you have to say to critics who accuse you of biting the Ying Yang Twins?
David Banner: Tell them to go get they money up. Critics don't do nothing; they don't buy records. As long as people are happy with it, so am I. If they were really critics, they would know that their is a movement called Intimate Club Music. If they critics then do your job and do your research. Don't just sit up in your house, behind your little closed doors, never in the streets, and not know what's going on. You speaking ignorance.
BallerStatus.com: I read somewhere that you wanted to make movies and do music videos, how is that coming along?
David Banner: It's going great! I co-produced "Ain't Got Nothing", and I just landed a movie with Samuel L. Jackson.
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