New York has always had a strong lineage of lyrical rappers. The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Rakim, and Jay Z cultivated New York Rap with their lyrical candor and unblemished wordplay. While some tried to follow the blueprint of these rap aficionados, many failed. Despite there being a dearth of lyrical rappers representing NY, Fabolous and Lloyd Banks have undoubtedly left their marks. Neither is loud and boisterous, but each pack huge punches within their arsenal. When both men collide on a record, all you hear are #bars, making it pretty difficult to gauge who out-rapped the other.
After taking a spin last week with Jay Vs. Ye, this week, we explore two of New York's very own, Fabolous and Lloyd Banks. Click through and cast your own vote while you're at it.
Lloyd Banks Featuring Fabolous & Brandy - "Fall Back"
Let's take it all the way back with "Fall Back." Around this time, New York was on the forefront of rap. 50 Cent and The Unit had the Midas touch and were living comfortably on the Billboard charts. While 50 relished in stringing together poignant cuts, Banks was serving a cold dish of bars for rap junkies. Anyone remember his "Victory Freestyle"? Both Banks and Fabolous were at their pinnacle lyrically. When they decided to link up on "Fall Back", it was every young fan's dream. Fab went first and delivered a slew of bars like "Already got box full of money like that movie Johnny Deep was in," and "What goes around comes around faster than a Gattlick gun." Despite Fab delivering a solid verse, he didn't have the same vigor as Banks. Banks completely wrecked this track with absolutely zero regard for human life. "They acting like they own slugs and armory/but if we bump heads, they'll be talking faster than Bone Thugs-N-Harmony," and "Why you with him if you troops don't buck?/I'm at the corner wrapping you up like a fruit roll up." Point goes to Banks.
Winner: Lloyd Banks
Your Vote:
Lloyd Banks Featuring Kanye West, Fabulous, Swizz Beatz, Ryan Leslie - "Start It Up"
Let's venture back to Hunger For More 2, which served as the sequel to Banks' first album. This star-studded track made its way onto radio rotation quickly during the summer of its release. Originally, the track was only supposed to feature Fab, but after Ye dubbed Banks a top five lyricist, the PLK called Ye to join the party. Each party caught a body on the record. On "Start It Up", Banks' rugged and untamed delivery shined, but bar wise, Fab and Ye swung for the fences. Fab's glossy verse included the perfect combination of flow and bars. "Let's make a movie and let the haters watch/Diamonds spinning round the bezel that's tornado watch/My independent chick, I like my ladies Koch/She got an appetite for dick, I guess her plate's my crotch." Niceeee.
Winner: Fabolous
Your Vote:
Lloyd Banks Featuring Fabulous & Travis Barker – “Perfect Match”
On "Perfect Match" Banks and Fab displayed their unparalleled chemistry. Both men tackled the subject of dealing with fly hunnies. While Banks' bravado fueled the track, Fab's swag talk edged him out. "Complaining to their girlfriend, throwing the TV Guide/But I'm not obligated to cater to your pride," said Banks. While that was a groovy line, Fab kept it more trill and disrespectful by saying, "I got playmates now, porn in the Hefner pen." Whatever the subject matter, be prepared for hear some bars from both men.
Winner: Fabolous
Your Vote:
Fabolous Featuring Lloyd Banks & Vado - "Mo Brooklyn, Mo Harlem, Mo Queens"
For the first installment in the epic trilogy, Soul Tape, Fab called two of New York's very own to rap about their respective cities. While Banks and Vado handsomely performed over this soulful banger, once again, Fab demonstrated his lyrical prowess. It's not that Banks wasn't spitting hard enough or his lines were rudimentary, it’s just that Fab's punches once again took precedence over everything else. "In the club buying roses like it's Valentine's Day, bitches/They find them n*ggas in a meat locker soon/Have their mommas crying like they in the Heat's locker room." Ouch to Chris Bosh on that one.
Winner: Fabolous
Your Vote:
Fabolous Featuring Lloyd Banks – “Get Down Or Lay Down”
Here, Fab tapped on Banks for his mixtape, There Is No Competition 3. Over the Jahill Beats-produced track, Loso and Banks came out firing like the Splash Brothers. Both of them conveyed a sense of voracity aligned with unflinching lyrics. "She get round, she stay round/Girl just wanna have fun, your bitch found a playground/I swing by, slide through, see-saw the before/N*gga won't believe this, record the freak raw/On the road to riches, these broads get detoured,” spat Loso. Still, Banks owned the track. “I get mine, get yours -- I'm score-bound on fourth down/Don't make us bring them bulldogs round, Georgetown.” When Banks is flat out disrespectful, that’s when he really shines.
Winner: Lloyd Banks
Your Vote:
Lloyd Banks Featuring Fabolous – Money Chase
Here’s another track from two of New York’s brightest wordsmiths that went under the radar. This hard-hitting track lived on Lloyd Banks’ Cold Corner 2 mixtape and debuted on Hot 97. Banks’ raspy flow was a match made in heaven for this gritty track. “Christian, Louie, Gucci, coochie like it just came out/Daddy was a mack that suit me to take the same route/Counting money cut in coupe and that’s what my day bout/Ghetto license plate says stupid, Cuban chain out,” rapped Blue Hefner. Fab had some nice lines as well, among them, “I'm hardly seen for dissing, I follow things up different/Masked up at your house Halloween tradition/Treat but never tricking, throw it in the bag/Bout twenty of em rose' Moets on the tab.”
Winner: Lloyd Banks
Your Vote:
Lloyd Banks Featuring Fabolous – “Bring It Back”
Fab obliterated this track. Despite Banks bringing in two verses, Fab’s 16 was flawless from beginning to end. “Hottest n*gga in my city, ain't no way that I can possibly chill/Illest n*gga around, that's one hell of a hospital bill/Can't seem to find my top, if you boys want proof listen/"Hello, 911 I'd like to report my roof missing!” Fab wasn’t finished; he pummeled the beat with some more punches like, "Horsey on that logo, call my 'rari Polo/You obviously love my old hoes, new meaning for YOLO/All you niggas gon' learn today, I'm the teacher, I'm the tutor/A few Ray Allens, a couple cuties, and by Ray Allens I mean the shooters."
Winner: Fabolous
Your Vote: