Lloyd Banks is one of the nicest MCs in hip-hop. He’s also stuck in the early 2000s when it comes to releasing music, so his star power has essentially hit its peak and he’s fine with popping up once a year, if that. The upside to this is that a new Banks project always feels like a special event. It’s never taken for granted amongst his die-hard fans. Returning to his All Or Nothing title from 2013, Banks reunites with DJ Drama for Live It Up.
Another fact about Banks is that he’s never been one to chase who’s hot in both features and production. He tends to work with the same guys who provide him with what he’s looking for, which is not a bad thing. In the years since his mainstream fame, he’s only gotten better as a lyricist. He’s like Bret Hart without the Montreal screwjob or WCW career-ending injury. There’s a reason why Kanye West called him a top five lyricist back in 2010 on Twitter — shortly before their “Christian Dior Denim Flow” record. Getting back to Live It Up, you’ll find collaborations with Prodigy, Joe Budden, Vado for some reason, Styles P and old G-Unit buddy Tony Yayo.
Stream the mixtape below.
https://www.audiomack.com/album/leakeditnet/all-or-nothing-live-it-up-no-tags
