S. Samuel
G-Unit's Lloyd Banks has decided to hold-off on announcing a release date for his upcoming Rotten Apple follow-up and said he is most concerned with creating a strong buzz.
According to Banks, he will continue to work independently on his first solo project in nearly four years.
“I’m aiming towards summer,” Lloyd said of the release. “Mid-summer, late summer. I won’t drop an album until I feel the buzz. You know, as an artist, when you feel it. I’m working independent. Everything they’ve heard the past year has come out my basement, including ‘Beamer, Benz or Bentley.’ When you first come on as a new artist and you hot and you got a buzz, you could sell doo-doo on a stick. The label makes you feel like they did it, when they just called their boy and dropped the record off. Now it boost my confidence when I know I can make a record in my crib, send it out and receive finances from it. Whenever it’s through iTunes or whatever other outlet you have, I’m happy with it. I’m not gonna rush it, though. If it came out after this year, it wouldn’t matter to me, as long as it’s the product people expect. (MTV)
G-Unit’s Tony Yayo recently said their projects would now fall under 50 Cent‘s guidance.
“Everybody all knows, me and Banks are not on Interscope anymore,” Yayo explained in an interview. “We’re not on a major anymore. Me and Banks are dropping two albums in the summer independently, through a deal that 50 [Cent] is conjuring up for us. It feels good to know that I have no red tape put on anything…If I had to deal with Interscope, I’d have to deal with the label and they’d have to sign off. Now I can do what I want. It’s exciting to work with new guys. Some of these kids shooting video are [teenagers]. It’s new energy. A lot of these labels need new energy – people who are willing to bust they butt, go in and do what they’ve got to do.” (Hip Hop DX)
Last month, Bank spoke on carrying the G-Unit flag as the “future” of 50’s brand.
“Well the status is, I am the present, the past and the future,” Banks explained in an interview. “So they can definitely look forward to that. Tony Yayo, of course. The founding members are always gonna be there. We built this up, gave opportunities to other artists that were signed including [Young] Buck and Game and so on. But as long as that structure is there, we’re good. We’re solid. You can look forward to me, I’m the future. This summer [for my album]. It’s a tight schedule…hopefully we can push for late summer.” (“KG Radio Show”)
Last September, Banks detailed his chemistry with Yayo and 50.
“Oh yeah, that sh*t is crazy,” Banks told DJ Whoo Kid about an upcoming mixtape he’s on with 50 Cent. “I mean, that’s back to where it started. Once we get in there, it ain’t really much talking going on, to be honest with you. It’s always been a good competition with us, it’s only competition. I mean, we don’t really need nobody else you know what I’m saying, because nobody else was here in the beginning. We’re locked in that room and it’s on and popping, automatic pilot. Probably about eight songs done a night, two days, that’s a mixtape.” (Sirius Satellite Radio)
Check out a past Lloyd Banks interview below:
