David Banner
Banner in 2023
Background information
Born	Lavell William Crump (1974-04-11)April 11, 1974 (age 51) Brookhaven, Mississippi, U.S.
Origin	Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma mater	Southern University (BS)
Genres	Southern hip-hop
Occupations	Rapper songwriter record producer actor activist
Years active	1994–present
Labels	A Banner Vision eOne Universal SRC Big Face
Formerly of	Crooked Lettaz
Website	davidbanner.com

Lavell William Crump (born April 11, 1974), known professionally asDavid Banner, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, and activist.^[1]

Born inBrookhaven, Mississippi, Banner's family moved toJackson, where he was raised. Banner graduated fromSouthern University with abachelor's degree, then attendedUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore to pursue amaster's. He started his music career as a member of the rap duoCrooked Lettaz, before going solo in 2000 with the release titledThem Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1. In 2003, Banner signed toUniversal Records, where he released four albums:Mississippi: The Album (2003),MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water (2003),Certified (2005), andThe Greatest Story Ever Told (2008). He is also a noted producer, having produced music for himself,Trick Daddy,T.I.,Lil Boosie andLil Wayne, among others. As an actor, Banner appeared in the filmsBlack Snake Moan (2006),This Christmas (2007),The Butler (2013), andRide Along (2014), as well as the television seriesEmpire,Saints & Sinners, andThe Family Business: New Orleans.

Lavell William Crump was born inBrookhaven, Mississippi, and raised inJackson, the elder son of Zeno Crump Jr., Jackson district fire chief,^[2][3] and Carolyn Crump. He graduated fromProvine High School in Jackson in 1992 and then attendedSouthern University inBaton Rouge, Louisiana, his mother's alma mater.^[4][5] At Southern University, Crump served as president of the Student Government Association and received abachelor's degree in business.^[6] He later attended theUniversity of Maryland Eastern Shore to pursue amaster's degree in education but later left the program to pursue his music career full-time.^[7][8][9]

Crump's stage name "David Banner" is taken from the lead character of the television series,The Incredible Hulk.^[10] With several of his friends, Banner sent some demo tapes to Jackson, Mississippi radio station,WJMI. Record executive Glenn Toby discovered the group and signed them toNeil Levine atPenalty Records. In 1999, Banner and rapper Kamikaze as the duo,Crooked Lettaz, releasedGrey Skies (Penalty Recordings).^[11] In 2000, Banner released his solo debut album,Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1. Released on the independent label, Big Face Records, the album sold around 7,000 copies.^[3]

After assessing various offers, Banner and manager, Scott Johnson, decided to sign withUniversal Records subsidiary,SRC Records, which was founded bySteve Rifkind who had previous success as CEO of the heavyweight hip-hop label,Loud Records.^[12] In 2003, Banner producedT.I.'s single, "Rubber Band Man", which reached No. 30 on the Hot 100, No. 15 on the R&B chart, and No. 11 on the Rap chart. In 2003, Banner released his first major label album,Mississippi: The Album.Mississippi included the hit single, "Like a Pimp", featuringLil Flip. "Like a Pimp" peaked at No. 48 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, No. 15 on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and No. 10 on theHot Rap Tracks chart.^[13] He released the follow-up album the same year titledMTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water which yielded the hit, "Crank It Up", featuringStatic Major.

In 2005, Banner released his third major label album,Certified. The album's first single was "Ain't Got Nothing" which featured Magic &Lil Boosie, followed by the second single, "Play", which reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 chart, No. 5 on the R&B chart, and No. 3 on the Rap chart.^[13] The third single, "Touching", featured Jazze Pha and reached No. 54 on the R&B chart. In 2006, Banner appeared on "Seein' Thangs", a song about Hurricane Katrina featured on DJ Shadow's album "The Outsider". A remix featuring Bay Area hyphy rappers Nump and Gold also was made. Outside projects for Banner have included writing the theme song to the video game,Saints Row, as well as contributing to the music for a commercial promoting the video game,Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.^[14] Banner played the part of Tehronne inBlack Snake Moan (2006).

Banner appeared on theAdult Swim pilotThat Crook'd 'Sipp, which premiered on May 13, 2007. His single "Play" was used as the background music in the pilot's first television promo. That same year, he played the character of Mo, in the filmThis Christmas. On July 15, 2008, Banner released his fourth major label album,The Greatest Story Ever Told.^[15] The album's first single titled "9mm" featuredAkon,Lil Wayne, andSnoop Dogg. Banner then produced his next two singles: "Get Like Me" featuringChris Brown andYung Joc,^[13] and "Shawty Say", featuring Lil Wayne. "Get Like Me" reached No. 16 on the Hot 100, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 2 on the Rap chart. In 2008, Banner was featured on the trackSuperfriend, from the 2008 album,The Sound, bygospelR&B duoMary Mary.

In 2010, he played Bosch in the filmThe Experiment and as Jay, a gang leader from the hood inStomp the Yard: Homecoming. He has also worked with international artists such as Seeda, a Japanese Rap Artist where he was featured in the song, Life Song in 2010 on Seeda's Breathe Album. Banner released his debut mixtape titledSex, Drugs and Video Games on May 22, 2012, as a free download.^[16] It is also available on his website, davidbanner.com, where fans are encouraged to make a donation of at least $1 for the sixteen song mixtape.^[17] The first single off the mixtape is titled "Amazing" featuringChris Brown. It was announced thatUniversal Republic Records was going defunct, all of the artists on the roster moved from the label including (David Banner) was being moved toRepublic Records making the label itself revived.

In 2013, Banner appeared in the music video for the songConfessions byLecrae. Banner played Earl Gaines, Cecil Gaines' father, in the 2013 filmThe Butler. Banner plays Jay, a criminal who is interrogated, in the 2014 filmRide Along. David Banner was featured on a remix of Mexican American rapperKap G's single "La Policia", which stirred hype throughout the media and the internet.^[18]

In November 2006, Banner was awarded a Visionary Award by theNational Black Caucus of State Legislators inJackson, Mississippi in recognition of his humanitarian work in response toHurricane Katrina.^[19][20]On September 25, 2007, Banner testified before Congress at a hearing about racism andmisogyny in hip hop music titledFromImus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images.^[21] He defended his use of offensive language and argued: "Change the situation in my neighborhood and maybe I'll get better."^[21] In his opening statement, Banner stated: "I can admit there are some problems in hip hop but it is only a reflection of what's taking place in our society. Hip hop is sick because America is sick."^[22]

Studio albums

• Them Firewater Boyz, Vol. 1 (2000)
• Mississippi: The Album (2003)
• MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water (2003)
• Certified (2005)
• The Greatest Story Ever Told (2008)
• #TheGodBox (2017)

Collaborative albums

• Death of a Pop Star(with9th Wonder) (2010)

| 2008| "Cool" |Anthony Hamilton| Himself

| 2006| "Dem Jeans|Chingy featuringJermaine Dupri| Himself

• BET Hip Hop Awards
  • 2008, Best Hip-Hop Video ("Get Like Me") with Chris Brown & Yung Joc [nominated]
  • 2008, Best Hip-Hop Collabo ("Get Like Me") with Chris Brown & Yung Joc [nominated]
  • 2008, Best Producer [nominated]
• Ozone Awards
  • 2008, Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ("Get Like Me"), featuring Chris Brown & Yung Joc [nominated]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toDavid Banner.

• DavidBanner.com
• ABannerVision.com
• David Banner atIMDb

• 1974 births
• Living people
• 21st-century African-American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• African-American activists
• Hardcore hip-hop artists
• Gangsta rappers
• African-American male rappers
• 21st-century American male rappers
• 20th-century American male rappers
• 20th-century American rappers
• African-American poets
• African-American record producers
• American hip-hop record producers
• American male film actors
• American male television actors
• American activists
• Rappers from Mississippi
• Musicians from Jackson, Mississippi
• Southern hip-hop musicians
• Southern University alumni
• SRC Records artists
• University of Maryland Eastern Shore alumni
• Businesspeople from Jackson, Mississippi
• Male actors from Jackson, Mississippi
• 21st-century American rappers
• 21st-century American poets
• 21st-century American male musicians
• Universal Motown Records artists
• 21st-century African-American writers
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