How can any music artist say they are “living a dream” when they have yet to go platinum, or to be signed to any six-figure endorsement deals? Easily, if you are Raleigh, North Carolina rapper, producer, and actor Tye Banks.
It made perfect sense for Banks to name his sophomore album LIVING A DREAM. In the two-plus years since his debut self-release of GHETTO GOLD, Banks’ music and his career as an artist and entertainer has jolted forward at light speed. From writing and recording a hip-hop tribute to his hometown’s hockey team, to having the music video for the album’s lead single “I’m Still Cool” watched by millions of people around the world, it’s no wonder that Banks feels like he’s living a dream.
As a youngster growing up surrounded by drugs, crime, and violence, Banks knew early on that his destiny had to be different. Music – particularly rap and go-go – had a firm grip on him, and he decided if his influences -- rappers like Run DMC, Ice Cube, Geto Boys, and A Tribe Called Quest -- could earn a living making music, what was stopping him? Absolutely nothing.
Coined as "sexy Southern Hip Hop - with substance" by one music journalist, Banks’ smooth cadence of delivery, catchy hooks, and diverse subject matter have already garnered him favorable comparisons to artists like T.I., Nelly, Will Smith, LL Cool J, The Lost Boyz, and AZ. LIVING A DREAM makes light of the trials Tye Banks has endured while celebrating the triumphs. With straight-forward lyrics, new takes on universal themes, and production so fresh you’d think it was from the farmer’s market, the album strikes a delicate balance between party anthems and life lessons. Not only are listeners granted greater insight into Banks as an artist and person, but they are often left feeling motivated, inspired, and energized. Banks’ live shows serve to electrify those emotions among all who attend.
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