10 Things You Didn’t Know about Bizzy Banks

Bizzy Banks is part of the emerging Brooklyn Drill music genre. He released his first single in 2019, Don’t start before his first mixtape GMTO (Get Money Take Over), Vol. 1 in 2020. Since then, he’s released numerous tracks, including 30, Ready or Not, and Hate Me. His first mixtape was released by Atlantic Records. In 2021, he released a few singles, including Bandemic and City Hot. During an interview with Audio Mack, he was asked to describe his music to someone who’d never heard it. Banks responded, “I would describe my music as vivid. It’s like something you can paint.” Even though he is young, his career is really taking flight. These are ten things you didn’t know about Bizzy Banks.

1. Early role model

Bizzy Banks’ biggest inspiration for his rap career was his brother. While growing up, he watched his older brother freestyle at home. Watching him, rap gave Banks early foundations for his successful career. His older brother also introduced him to the music of Lil’ Wayne, who was his favorite rapper. It also challenged him to master his own skills. After all, brotherly competition goes a long way.

2. Musical upbringing

Since Banks grew up in a West Indian home, he didn’t have a lot of early exposure to the type of music he later wrote and produced. Aside from his brother’s musical influence, he had to find singers that resonated with him. His mother listened to a lot of Reggae. Because of this, Banks became a big fan of Sizzla, Capleton, Damian Marley, and Bob Marley.

3. Eating habits

The home where he grew followed a strict vegetarian diet. Much like other changes in his life throughout his career, Banks began exploring different types of food after leaving home. According to XXL magazine, he’s very picky about what he eats, including some things that a new carnivore made shy away from and others that would be typical picks. He hates chicken but loves steak, and the only seafood he’ll eat is crab legs.

4. Energy

Fans are essential to Banks. His biggest career standouts are when he’s performing and thrives on the energy of the show. He feels that watching his fans help move his career forward and makes him a better performer. Additionally, he loves watching fans sing along to the lyrics of his songs. It’s moments like this when he realizes the profound effect he’s having, making him want to push his music to the next level.

5. Learning from the best

One of Bizzy Banks’ early mentors was Brooklyn drill rapper Pop Smoke. The genre icon not only had talent, but he also shifted the misconception of this type of music away from the negative. According to Pitchfork, Brooklyn drill is typically seen as a genre of music that focuses on gang violence and rude insults. While the article acknowledged those aspects, the music also reflects a lifestyle and a place where growing up is hard. When Banks looks back at his early days with Pop Smoke, he doesn’t see an angry person. Instead, he sees someone who was caring and happy. He also feels that his mentor helped him become more calm and relaxed.

6. Early starts

His high school years also prepared him for his later career. Banks went to George Gershwin Junior High School in East New York. During his lunch, he did rap battles. Additionally, the school he attended promoted the style of music. Chicago drill was quickly gaining momentum, and it began to spill over to New York. Banks and his friends drew many early influences from this style, including rappers like Bobby Shmurda and Rowdy Rebel.

7. Career bump

Even though Banks wanted to be part of the rising Brooklyn Drill scene, he had a run-in with the police. It came at terrible timing since he was just starting to gain fans. However, it was also a push forward in his career because he started focusing on music after the charges were dismissed. Additionally, it helped him find a style that would lead to him being signed with Atlantic Records.

8. Discipline

Banks is very driven about his career. It’s a characteristic that is based on his religious upbringing. His family was Rastafarians. The Sabbath was on Saturday, so they fasted from six am to nightfall, only drinking water. Early in life, Banks couldn’t stand the practice. Even though he no longer practices vegetarianism, he still fasts occasionally and does not feel the urge to overeat.

9. Life and art

His music is a way for fans to get to know him. One of the things Banks loves to do is tell stories, which is a lot of what he puts in his music. Additionally, he wants to write songs his fans can identify with and feel closer to him. Even though he’s already enjoyed a lot of success, he is still constantly evolving. One of the topics he’s still unclear about is what death truth means to him. The most challenging songs he writes are ones about severe trauma. When he works on those songs, it takes a different concentration level because he’s been through a lot of difficult times in his life, and this type of writing is intense and causes him to examine portions of his life that are darker and outside of himself.

10. Life Philosophy

Adversity has never slowed Banks down. East Brooklyn is a lower-income area in New York. During Banks’ childhood, both his father and brother went to jail. So, he had to grow up sooner than other kids his age. Essentially, he was the man of the house while they both were locked up. It taught him that there wasn’t any time to waste. However, looking back, it became something of a mantra in his life. Banks said, “You got to take a loss to win. You can’t just keep winning and winning. Sometimes in life, you’re going to take a loss, so it’s up to you to bounce back. You have to focus on your losses just as much as you focus on your wins.”

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