Christopher Lloyd, professionally known as Lloyd Banks, is one of the members of the popular hip-hop groups G-Unit. It also comprises other well-known rappers Tony Yayo and 50 Cent. Lloyd was born in 1982, in Maryland, but when he was only one year old, his family moved to South Jamaica, Queens, New York. His mother had to work hard to raise the child, as his father had a great deal of troubles with law. Thus Lloyd Banks dropped out of school when he was not even 16 and performed his rhymes on street corners, which actually made him famous around the neighborhood. Then he met 50 Cent, and G-Unit appeared. Since then Lloyd Banks’ affairs developed successfully, and in 2004 his debut album The Huger For More was released. This October the rapper released a sophomore effort after a number of delays for different reasons. The title of the new album – Rotten Apple – is a play on the New York City nickname The Big Apple, for Lloyd Banks has had his purpose to demonstrate the darker side of New York and tell the listeners about the hardships of living in Queens. Eminem, Havoc, 9th Wonder and Ron Browz have performed the production of the record, and from the point of view of the contents, Rotten Apple is filled with self-confidence, which quite does Lloyd Banks credit.
Lyrically Rotten Apple is not too different from Lloyd Banks’ first record, offering the themes characteristic of classic gangsta rap like money, drugs and having fun with women. It boasts guest appearances from 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Young Buck, Scarface, and many other stars and impresses with professionally made arrangements. The album opens with the title song, to which not only 50 Cent has added a couple of lucky verses, but also Prodigy has brought its unique sounding and special audio effects. On guitar featured, introspective and frank song Survival experienced Lloyd Banks gives youngsters a lesson telling them about his hard childhood and the struggle for financial independence, and Playboy 2 is a follow-up to the song from the previous album. The tracks share much in common creating a connecting line between the two records. The Cake and the single Hands Up, both performed with 50 Cent, are most powerful songs on the album with superb beats and unusual melodies. An emotional song Help featuring Keri Hilson is a more serious composition about trust, family and the rapper’s attempts to become a monogamist. Track Get Clapped, a collaboration with Mobb Deep, tells about the crimes that people in New York turn out to be involved to, and song Stranger, refined by strong piano chords, is Lloyd Banks’ way to inform us about how rich he is and what kind of jewels he can afford. Tony Yayo appears on a slow track NY NY produced by Eminem, and by the end of the album it is clear that Rotten Apple is doubtless going to be a successful release due to infectious hooks and the undeniable sonic power.
The number of young American rappers is constantly growing, and the themes they turn to in their songs hardly ever change. In most cases they never have to invent anything for each of them can tell a story that blood freeze in one’s veins. Yet these young men are quite used to live in such conditions and have learned to make money by putting their life stories on rhymes. So does Lloyd Banks. He is surrounded by quite influential figures in modern show business like Eminem and 50 Cent, but his songs are about the life he lived when he was not even dreaming of today’s privileges. Of course, luxurious way of life makes itself felt more and more as new songs appear, and so it happens on Rotten Apple. Yet the very title of the album speaks for itself: Lloyd Banks will always remain just a guy from the streets, who had to collect all his courage and rap for passer-bys. His rough voice and an inborn talent to rap have made Lloyd Banks noticeable in the world of hip-hop, though he still seems to feel quite comfortable being a part of the team and avoids complete independence. Anyway, no matter how he prefers to work, he definitely can both entertain the audience and give the growing generation a wise piece of advice. Rotten Apple is only his second work, and his potentials surely have more room to develop.
