Lloyd Banks On G-Unit Records Going Independent, “It’s A Very Smart Option”

Written By S. Samuel

G-Unit's Lloyd Banks has addressed recent speculation that 50 Cent's record label is going to be an independent company.

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According to Banks, he is also still narrowing down an exact release date for his third solo project.

“Yeah, we’re aiming for a summer release, late summer. Its not a stamp date, but that’s where I’m headed for,” he said in an interview. “This is my year. That’s the other thing. When you are working independent, you can decide when…sometimes when you are working for a label, they put you on that time clock. Sometimes, things can get forced. We’ll see in the very near future, it’s a very smart option [for G-Unit to go independent.] Based on the response that I’ve gotten from ‘Beamer, Benz of Bentley,’ the artist is more powerful than you think…When I did the, ‘Officer Down’ – the response to Rick Ross – it was already 700 – 800 thousand free download before we even made the deal with iTunes. Before they approached me and I still sold 60 or 70 thousand.” (All Hip Hop)

Last year, Banks explained why he parted ways with Interscope Records after two album releases.

“I was ready to make a move,” Banks said about leaving the powerhouse label. “I’m a brand-new engine. If anything, it’s their loss. It’s been a dark shadow cast upon that. That’s why you hear [Funkmaster] Flex on the radio [boycotting Interscope], because it’s an aura created around that machine, and the artists automatically get smacked in the head…I felt it’s time for me to go somewhere where it’s not biased and I get a fair shot. There’s a lot of stuff on the table right now. You don’t wanna speak about it until it gets ironed out all the way…Everything happened for a reason. I feel like I’m so blessed because of my work ethic and how easy the music is coming to me. It feels so good to be an independent artist with a brand. I have direct deals with iTunes and things of that nature, where it’s direct money coming to me. It’s 50 percent of me that’s not pressed to be on a major.” (MTV)

G-Unit’s Tony Yayo also blasted Interscope for their past efforts.

“I feel like Interscope was trying to blackball me,” Yayo explained in an interview. “But to each’s own, man, like, when T.O.S. came out, I felt like it was a classic album, T.O.S., but I felt like, a lot of stuff I was starting to learn about the [rap] game, like, why wasn’t our album up two weeks ahead of time on iTunes? You know what I’m saying? It feels like there’s always something messed up, I felt the office up here, G-Unit, was doing more work than Interscope. That’s why I feel like I was getting blackballed.” (True Stories Radio)

Yayo recently said 50 Cent would be releasing their next solo projects independently.

“Everybody all knows, me and [Lloyd] 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)

Check out Tony Yayo speaking on Interscope Records down below:

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Written by S. Samuel

Steven Samuel is the co-founder of SOHH.com.

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