David Banner proves “Stuntin’ is a Habit Get Like Me”

David Banner Proves "Stuntin’ is a Habit Get Like Me" By Brandon Brooks, Sentinel Entertainment Writer

Rap artist David Banner is back with one of the most anticipated rap albums of 2008. The new album is titled ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ and word around town is this is David Banner’s best work to date. Somewhere in-between 2003’s ‘Mississippi: The Album’ and 2005’s ‘Certified’, rapper/producer/actor David Banner decided to start constructing his next album. After years of work and countless big name collaborations David Banner has finally put together what he considers a “complete project”.

The Los Angeles Sentinel caught up with highly touted rap artist on the video shoot for ‘Get Like Me’ which will be the debut single featured on Banner’s new album ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’.

On the feature single, ‘Get Like Me’, Mr. Mississippi is joined by R&B sensation, Chris Brown and rapper Young Joc. ‘Stuntin’ is a habit, get like me,” is the chorus which proves Banner can do it alone and has another smash single!

(Sentinel) First off, tell about the new single ‘Get Like Me’ and how the collaboration came about with Chris Brown and Young Joc? Also, tell me what inspired you to come up with the songs concept?

(DB) What happen was, I had already did the record with me, Joc (Young Joc) and Jim Jones. I had done the record in my basement. It was the beat. It was one of those beats that when I did the beat I knew it was a hit record. I had done the record and I actually got Jimmy on two records on my album, this record (“Get Like Me”) and another record called ‘Point em to da Door’. Then I said this is an album I need to go ahead and push my self to the next level. I’ve been knowing Chris (Brown) for a long time. I knew Chris when Tina first signed him. I called him (Chris) and I was like dog I’m ready. He was like I got you big bro but he said the only thing that I need is I don’t want to be on no R&B song. He said I want to be on a rap song. I said I already got this song I did with Jimmy, you can jump on it. Chris got on it and it was jammin’ but I had been getting a lot of backlash from my fans. They was like, “Dude we buy our records to hear you, we want to hear more of you”. So I took Jimmy off and put him on the remix. I rap the last verse. I put Joc on the hook and Joc was like dog I’m on it so it’s good.

(Sentinel) Tell me about the new album coming out and some of the highlights of the record?

(DB) I’m not just saying it because it’s my album but it’s the whole record.

(Sentinel) What approach did you come with?

(DB) Just hit records and little bit more substance but jammin’ beats. You ever notice when a person has substance to the records the beats match the record. I worked on hit records and just my lyrics and trying to make it an all-around album. People may have individual songs that they consider better than the others but I just think overall record wise it’s a great album. Its one of those records people will enjoy for a minute.

(Sentinel) You went to college and a lot of people don’t know your full background, can you tell me a little bit about that experience and what that brought to you as far as the rap game and the politics you deal with everyday?

(DB) I don’t necessarily think it brought too much to the rap game. I think the one thing that college did do for me though; people don’t believe this, my ability to network. So many rappers are walking around like they are the end all to everything but you need everybody. Even me getting Chris out here today. You know, Chris don’t usually do this, it was our relationship. You know Joc cancelled a show to come here. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that (laughs). But he cancelled a show and like that transcends money. I could have paid him but the money he lost doing the show you know I wouldn’t be willing to pay that. Nah, it came back because of the type of person I am and the type of person he is. I think I got that from college because in college everybody says I’m from New York, I’m from the west coast and I’m from the south. But when you get in college and you in that dorm room and you are hungry, all that whatever coast you from, when you want them raman noodles (laughs) all of that stuff go past the door. People be like, “Man New York, you got something to eat,” “Ya Mississippi I got something to eat”. “Well let’s cook it up” (laughs).

(Sentinel) What college did you attend?

(DB) Southern University in Baton Rouge the largest as well as the greatest historical black college ever!

(Sentinel) Tell me what you have going on outside of music?

(DB) Me and my trainer Scott Parker, we hooked up and we got some health and fitness stuff going on but we can’t give you the idea yet. I got a cartoon coming out on the Cartoon Network. It was coming out next year but they liked it so much they are turning it into a movie. But let me tell you what special about today. Some many different people from a lot of different walks of my life. We got friends who were here from when I was broke. We got friends here from the rap side. We got friends that I met while I was doing movies and we got friends that I met today. You know its just so many different walks of my life and to see all these different people here for me is a blessing.

For more information on David Banner please visit www.myspace.com/davidbanner