Lloyd Banks
The Hunger For More

      By
Rohit Loomba

IFyall don’t know who this is by now, u must have been under a rock. It’s Lloyd Banks. A.K.A.  I’ll
Take Ya Girl. A.K.A. The Mixtape Champion Of 2003. A.K.A.The Newest, Hottest Thing Coming In
2004. Tell us a little bit about The Hunger For More. The title came from me wanting more
finances last year. The finances came. So now my hunger switched, from finances to more
respect as a solo artist. I think for the most part, G - Unit as a collective..... we’ve built the respect
for G - Unit, as a whole. So now it’s time for me to solidify my spot as a solo artist. So how do u
plan on, one day, being announced as Lloyd Banks. Instead of  Lloyd Banks from G - Unit ?
Umm, I mean, it’s cool. At the end of the day, the personal success.....umm, it’s cool. I came in the
game as a solo artist. People don’t know that. I signed my solo deal two years ago. So it wasn’t
like we just worked day by day and because of the momentum, we decided to do solo albums. I
signed my deal two years ago. It was something we came in the gate with. I knew I was a solo
artist from day one. It was just a matter of preppin’ myself and having the right setup. The idea of
staying separate, it’s cool. U know,  me and Yayo, we came up with with that dream. As well as
having a plan to do an album together. As far as me and Yayo go, we’re kinda of inseparable. It’s
cool to be separate. But the end of the day, I’m still all for the family. U know what I’m sayin ? I
mean, I’m gonna go back and do the G - Unit album. And vice versa. Know what I mean ? What
ever I can bring to the table from a different perspective, is only gonna make G - Unit as a whole,
better. And at the end of the day, that’s what we’re tryin’ to do. Tell us about guest appearances
and producers. Well, as far as producers on the album, I’ve got Eminem, Hi Tec, No I.D.,
Timbaland. There’s a lot of new production on there, too. That’s why I can’t even name all the rest
of the people on there. As far as features, I didn’t really have a feature on the album. Because I
know what the street wants. If they wanted everybody else, they’d go buy they albums. So I kinda
kept it to the family. I got 50 on there. Buck, Game, Yayo (he came home, actually, the day before
my deadline). So he kinda came straight from the cell to the booth. That was a blessing. Cause
like I said, me and Yayo, we kinda like.... grew up together. Me and 50 grew up together, too. But
me and Yayo were closer. We were like knick and knack. Like Tango and Cash. So it was like a
blow for me, for him not to be here to do the Beg For Mercy album. Actually, it was the last record
we recorded, but it’s the first record on my album. So I just wanted to bring that energy there. Out -
side of the camp, I got Eminem rappin’ on the album, as well. I got Nate Dogg and a new kid by
the name of KC doing the r&b cadence. I mean, I kept it to the family. Cause I tour a lot, and I don’t
want one of my biggest records being with another artist. And when it’s time to go perform it, I’m in
L.A., and he’s in New York. So, have u got a tour planned out yet, for the album ? Yeah, as we
speak, I’m on my promo tour. I’m doin’ spot dates, here and there. Come July, Buck will be on his
promo tour. Then I’m gonna start doin’ shows. I’m gone start off in the states. Then I’m gonna go
overseas. I’ll be overseas  for ‘bout a month. Then come back. And hopefully, be in time to do the
Rock The Mic Tour. What major differences have u seen between working solo and working
with the G - Unit ? We’re use to writing a 16 (16 bar verse), and that’s all u gotta worry about.
Usually, the song structure that we work with is 3 sixteens and a hook (chorus). So it’s a transition
from going from 1 verse to 3 on every record. For the most part, it wasn’t a big adjustment. Cause
like I said, we came in as solo artists. We came in knowing what we wanted, as solo artists. At the
same time, we worked as a group for so long........ We never wrote a rap together. We never sat
down and wrote a song together. We were just on the same vein. From the same block. U know ?
It’s like, if I’m in New York, Fifty’s in Connecticut, Yayo’s in L.A., and we all call back home - we’re
all gonna hear the same things. So we don’t  necessarily have to sit down and write together.
Cause we’re on the same vein. It just came out like that. We’d come together in the studio, and
what ever the topic was, we’d have a verse for it. I’ve always said that knowing is half of the battle.
And I know that 2 years ago, I wasn’t ready to be a solo  artist. It’s all about finding yourself as an
artist. As  well as, a person. As an artist and as a person, anything that changes too fast, isn’t
good. When I came in, people said, yo, he doesn’t talk a lot. I mean, u wouldn’t talk to these
niggas, either.....if  u don’t know em. I was straight off the street. U understand ? I’m not gone be
laughy taffy in someones face all time. I really didn’t care. I  was fresh off the block. And it was
more important things to think about. Situations are not  all rap.  And I knew that. I had trust
issues. The same way 50 had been shot, I had been shot down on the block. He’s the one who
had to speak at the time. We followed the same structure from the street. If we were in the street,
and 50 was my provider, and I was told to do something, then I’m gonna follow out with it. And that’
s the same structure we brought into the rap game. U understand me ? It just took me a while. I’m
not gonna be too talkative, because it wasn’t my time, yet. If I had answered all of their questions a
year and a half ago, then I wouldn’t be relevant today. Because they’d already have all the answers
to the questions. On your new album, The Hunger For More, are u airing out any beefs with
anyone ? Naw, I don’t got no beefs. I’m rich. I worked my whole live to get where I am.
I’m not gonna waste my 60 minutes on someone else. June 29th, The Hunger For More. Go it !!