David Banner chatted with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about entrepreneurship on Scoop B Radio. Photo via Instagram.

Many people know David Banner as a talented lyricist and equally talented producer responsible for hits such as ‘Like A Pimp,’ ‘Get Like Me,’ and ‘Cadillac on ’22s.’ But what’s equally admirable is what he’s done in addition to the hip hop culture that he’s kind of been quiet about.

“What happens with me is I think it is very important, for you to become a success first,” David Banner told me on Scoop B Radio. “I think sometimes that black people in general, we run our mouth before, you know; we seem to put the carriage before the horse. What I wanted to do was, I wanted to be successful in a sector where there were not a lot of black people.”

Check Out David Banner and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson‘s chat on Scoop B Radio

Banner believes that diversifying portfolios is the only way to get ahead in the economy as an entrepreneur: 

“I own a multimedia company, people don’t know I did the music for Gatorade, for the World Cup, Mercedes Benz. I did like a whole season for Pepsi, all the music for Pepsi for the NFL season besides the Super Bowl. I scored video games, I scored movies, I done 12 major brands and the bad thing about it is, most of that money went from paying back taxes, for not knowing about it, you know, as a rapper. But, I just wanted to gain power, real power. I wanted to get to a point where nobody could stop me, you know. And what people don’t understand, as a leader, as a pan Africanist, one thing that I learned is one of the reasons why children don’t wanna be revolutionaries, because all the ones we loom up to were broke, lonely, crackhead or something. Malcolm died with $300 to his name, that’s what he left his family with.”

Banner broke it down further:

“After all the stuff that he gave, you know to people all over the world; globally, you know people don’t talk about the fact that Harry Belefonte and his friends were funding Martin Luther King. So why do the people who give the most that are black die broke? When you know revolutionaries from other countries and other walks of life they go down in history and their family live good and they live to be 80 and 90 years old and we die at 26 and 34. I just said that I wanted to be sure that I’m able to truly stand for the people and I think the only way you do that is to have success and then make a sacrifice.”

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The post Scoop B: David Banner Says Producing For Brands Like Pepsi, World Cup, Mercedes Benz Diversed His Portfolio appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

It’s 9pm and a slight chill howls through Brooklyn tonight as we reminisce on what Notorious B.I.G. brought to the rap game. With only two studio albums released prior to his untimely demise on March 9th 1997, Biggie’s influence indefinitely touched every part of the hip-hop genre with his witty lyrics, chilling narratives, impeccable style and charisma.

All across the world he iss proclaimed as one of hip-hop’s most prominent figures. He introduced the Junior Mafia with then Puff Daddy, celebrated multi-platinum rap status, and had one of the greatest feuds with Tupac Shakur. He was a father, a friend, a provider and a Rap God.

Before the age of 24, Biggie blessed us with domineering flows while donning Coogi Sweaters with Kangol hats. He rocked silk shirts, with a cane and Versace glasses.  He made the diamond encrusted Jesus Piece famous. Biggie embraced who he was and was crowned King because of it while bringing Black class back to his hood of Bed Stuy. His vivid imagination birthed the 700 Benz that Mercedes still hasn’t made, but most importantly he taught us how to spread love. It’s the Brooklyn way. Rest In Peace, Christopher George Latore Wallace. All Respect is due.

The post A Dedication To Christopher Wallace appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.