Rising Houston Rapper Rocky Banks Opens Up on Big Little Brother, Releasing February 5th
The Starkly Honest Emcee Mean Mugs with a Shotgun in the Video for the Hazy “Through The Phone,” Premiered by HipHopDX
1.15.2018
Critical Praise for Rocky Banks:
“Houston’s Rocky Banks is an artist to look out for” – HipHopDX
The Announcement:
A versatile flow artist who rhymes with uncommon honesty, Rocky Banks raps to exorcise his demons and tell his story. Returning with a smooth and versatile new effort, Rocky Banks announces Big Little Brother, releasing on February 5th, 2018. Ably modulating his voice to fit his confessional lyrics, Rocky Banks is a rapper’s rapper, weaving internal rhymes and punchlines between his personal stories. Big Little Brother tells the story of Rocky’s life as a rising rapper and a recovering drug addict, dramatizing his search for balance with insular, head-nodding, yet bumping instrumentals courtesy of producer Mufasa Enzor. Featuring appearances from Ripp Flamez, LVFromCle, Mufasa Enzor, Big Brandon Willisand Tiara Jewel, Big Little Brother places Rocky Banks in an esteemed lineage of self-aware street rappers, inspired by the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Rocky Banks was a promising student and young artist, impressing with his speech and spoken word and drawing the attention of local artists like Dice Soho. In high school, Rocky started to struggle with drug addiction, alienating him from his family and his school. Banks hit rock bottom when he nearly overdosed on methamphetamine–his near death experience helped Rocky kick drugs and embrace his new lease on life. Banks used his art to break out of his stupor, devoting his life to his music. He began to see the fruits of his labor in 2015, when he released his debut full-length In Other News I Don’t Do Drugs Anymore, which earned the rapper coverage in The FADER, HipHopDX, Revolt, and more. In early 2017, Banks released Trust In Banko, his second project, which pulled in over 60,000 hits on LiveMixtapes and established the young Houston rapper as an artist to watch.
Today, the 23-year-old emcee shares “Through The Phone,” the first single from his upcoming album. A hazy, atmospheric cut produced by Mufasa Enzor, “Through The Phone” discusses the wide discrepancy between real life and the image projected on social media. Premiered by HipHopDX, the video finds Rocky mugging in a white room with a fine lady and a shotgun, as Matrix-like letters and characters stream down the screen. The video follows Rocky into a dimly lit smokers’ lounge and to a parking garage, where the Texas rapper blows off some steam. “Through The Phone” is an excellent preview for Big Little Brother, releasing on February 5th.
Pre-order Big Little Brother: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-little-brother/1328105663 // http://tsorecords.co/biglittlebrother
Watch “Through the Phone”: https://youtu.be/CsrJS7OO6ag
Check out the HipHopDX premiere: https://hiphopdx.com/videos/id.26441/title.dxclusive-rocky-banks-announces-big-little-brother-lp-with-through-the-phone-video#
Big Little Brother tracklist:
- Big Little Brother (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Unimpressed (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Purpose ft Mufasa Enzor (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Dopeman Interlude
- Dopeman (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Tony Hawk (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Loud & Clear feat. Ripp Flamez & LVfromCLE (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Other Side (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Wonderful ft. Big Brandon Willis (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Late Night Text ft. Tiara Jewel (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Through The Phone (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Boyfriend (Prod. Mitch Mula)
- Old Me (Prod. Mufasa Enzor)
- Big Boy (Prod. Roy Smith & Matt Vogel)
- [Bonus] Mini Me (Prod. Louie Ji)
Please contact Michelle or Dharmic if interested in talking with Rocky Banks.
Rocky Banks Background:
Rakeem Ishmauel Mahammad Williams (born on February 19, 1994), better known by his stage name Rocky Banks, is an American alternative Hip-Hop music artist from Houston, TX. Banks began to gain recognition following the late 2015/early 2016 release of his first solo album, In Other News I Don’t Do Drugs Anymore, which first introduced the artist’s personal hardships and his acceptance of drug addiction. Following the release of this project, Banks received cosigns from The Fader, Hip-Hop DX, Los Angles Leakers, & Revolt TV. In early 2017, Banks return with a sophomore project titled Trust In Banko, pulling in over 60,000 hits on Livemixtapes. His next album Big Little Brother releases on February 8th, 2018.
Links:
twitter | soundcloud | instagram | facebook | spotify
Big Little Brother Pre-order: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/big-little-brother/1328105663
“Through The Phone”: https://youtu.be/CsrJS7OO6ag
“SKRT Off/New New”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuuaP3Cp-v4
Trust In Banko: https://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/42273/rocky-banks-trust-in-banko.html
In Other News, I Don’t Do Drugs Anymore: https://soundcloud.com/rocky-bank/sets/in-other-news-i-dont-do-drugs