Mississippi: The Album

Upon the release of his major label debut, David Banner told an interviewer: “My vision is more about Mississippi than me. I want Mississippi to be able to be on MTV.” Even in the hip-hop world, The Magnolia State has been overlooked and misunderstood, but *Mississippi: The Album* gives outsiders a portrait of a region that has a totally distinct flavor from better-known locales like Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans. “What I Do” and “Might Getcha” are ferocious statements of intent directed at anyone who thinks Mississipians have, or should have, an inferiority complex. “Like A Pimp” and “F\*\*k ‘Em” are impossibly hard street anthems custom-built to roll over asphalt like artillery tanks. But it was with introspective songs like “Mississippi,” “Cadillac on 22’s,” “So Trill,” and “Bush” that Banner really made his mark. Mixing guitars and stuttering drum patterns Banner weaves an impassioned portrait of his friends and family, championing the experiences of an ever-invisible African-American populous. In his sincerity and in his rage, Banner delivers his own version of his forefathers’ blues.

As the lone Mississippi rapper with a major-label deal, David Banner (formerly of Crooked Lettaz) has a lot to prove, even after his 2000 solo debut became a critical success.