Image provided by To Da Bank ENT.
Billy Bank$ is a 21-year-old recording artist born in the Dominican Republic, but raised in South Jamaica Queens. At first, living in NYC was a culture shock but Billy and his family knew they had to adapt to life in the concrete jungle quickly. In NYC, Billy learned that he would need to hustle hard to make it out of his gritty environment. Often mistaken for a professional ball player, Billy stands at 6’8 feet tall. Prior to making music consistently Billy was mostly known for being the kid from the hood talented at basketball.
Billy Bank$ is now the front-running artist of To Da Bank ENT., which consists of founding members Devon “POP” Jack, Dion “FIF” Thompson, and Tyquan “QUAN’ Johnson. To date, “2 Door” is one of Billy’s most popular songs, and perfectly captures his care-free, yet candid style of music. Billy Bank$ has been firing off music videos consistently over the last year, and is gearing up fans for his debut body of work, as well as collaborative releases with his team.
RESPECT. had an opportunity to speak with Billy Bank$ about growing up in New York, early inspirations, and Latinos in Hip-Hop. Read our interview below.
How do you think growing up in New York is different from other places?
Growing up in NYC was a culture shock coming from D.R at first but I adapted quick. I felt like I was thrown in the jungle with nothing to eat and I had to find my way but it was the best thing that happened to me. Nothing is given in this city.. you gotta take it. The hustle is 1000x crazier here so anywhere else I go I feel like I have the upper hand to be honest. Nothing in New York is sugar coated. If its wack, its wack… the crowds at the shows will let you know, even the girls the city is different because its so fast paced that you’ll be 21 years old and have lived the life of a 45 year old. Real talk the kids definitely grow up quick out here!
Is there a song right now that you’ve had heavy in rotation?
Right now I’ve been playing a lot of my own music. My new single “Watchin me” is in heavy rotation.
Was there a specific Hip-Hop song you listened to early on that inspired your rap career?
A Milli by Lil Wayne is probably one of my favorite songs of all time. It definitely inspired me to really take rap serious and see what I can bring to the game.
For someone that’s never heard your music – what song of yours would you recommend they listen to first? Why?
I would recommend my single “get you some.” One of the main reasons why is because the reactions I get from my fans.. I feel like everyone loves the track the same way I do. It’s upbeat, and catchy.
Cardi B has had an impressive run since her breakout single “Bodak Yellow” released. Do you foresee more Latino rappers breaking in the U.S. in the coming years?
Yes I do see more Latino rappers doing it big. Cardi’s killing it.. I’m glad she got Bad Bunny for her album. He’s one of my favorites right now for sure.
We know that you’re 6’8 tall, and you love basketball. Who do you want to see win in this years NBA finals?
I know they down right now, but I got Cleveland Cavaliers for the win! LeBron isn’t human..they’ll come back.
Who are some artists that you would love to work with this year?
I would love to work with Fabolous, A Boogie, PnB Rock, and Drake. I know I could make some fire with all of them..
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