This past weekend, the rap world suffered yet another senseless tragedy with the murder of Bankroll Fresh. Hopefully the frequency of the loathsome killings of promising young talents will not dilute the legacy of any one of hip-hop's fallen stars. In this case, the world lost a rare talent from the fiercely competitive city of Atlanta, right at the time when his movement was taking shape -- when he was set to experience a level of success he couldn't have dreamed of a few short years ago.
Born Trentavious White, the rapper known as Bankroll Fresh began rapping under the name Yung Fresh. He was mentored by Gucci Mane, and he caught the eye of many producers including D. Rich and Zaytoven, impressed by his relentless energy and natural understanding of trap beats. His grind continued at a steady rate and quickly proliferated upon the release of Life of a Hot Boy, his debut project as Bankroll Fresh. He was then signed to 2 Chainz' The Real University, and with the help of Tity, he went on to start his own label and entertainment company, Street Money Worldwide.
Last year, he dropped Life of a Hot Boy 2 as well as a self-titled project, both among the strongest mixtapes of 2015. The former included his first huge hit, "Walked In," produced by Street Money's Mr. 2-17. In the wake of Bankroll's death, young artists and producers, like 2-17, as well as Metro Boomin, have spoken on how he was always humble amid his rise to fame and remained intent on seeing his friends and loved ones reap the rewards of his success.
For those unfamiliar with Bankroll, his dedication and love of his home community can be immediately heard throughout his music. Here are 10 tracks that honor his legacy and provide a brief introduction to his many talents.
R.I.P. to a young legend who was taken in his prime. Stop the killings, stop the violence, and stop robbing the world of great art.
"Hot Boy"
"Hot Boy" was Bankroll's first big hit, the song that really got his style and sound noticed in his hometown and beyond. It appeared on Life of a Hot Boy, which has since become one of the most recognized recent mixtape series in Atlanta, despite just two installations. After Bankroll's death, producer D. Rich revealed the slain rapper had been planning to drop Life of a Hot Boy 3 this upcoming August, on his birthday.
It's no surprise this was the track that set off his movement, showcasing Bankroll's new-age Hot Boy flow, one that's simple but never lazy, and one that matches the energy of the beat -- this one from Cassius Jay -- for the entire song, and not just the hook.
Gucci Mane Feat. Young Scooter & Yung Fresh - "Trap God"
In late 2012, Yung Fresh, not yet Bankroll, got his first big placement on the first installment of Gucci Mane's Trap God mixtape series. He appeared next to Young Scooter on the track "Shooters," and in February of the next year -- about 7 months before his incarceration -- Gucci gave the song a music video, bringing along both Scooter and Fresh.
The video takes place in Gucci's trap house, and Bankroll enters at about the 2:20 mark. His rapping skills have improved tremendously in the time since, but Bankroll's unique voice and confidence are immediately noticeable in his first big-time YouTube appearance. Gucci is wary with his trust, but he welcomed Fresh into his trap house at a young age, indicative of the character and work ethic of the west side rapper, who was 28 when he was shot and killed.
"36"
One of Bankroll's most powerful and dedicated supporters was Zaytoven, who gave an emotional interview on the legacy of his frequent collaborator shortly after he was pronounced dead. Zay dropped a song and video, titled "36," with Fresh in summer 2013 that would go on to earn the rapper recognition throughout Atlanta. It's no wonder they had a storied partnership in the two and half years that followed, as "36" shows off a guy who can match the fast-paced, skittish energy of Zay's signature drums, keys, and sample work, bar after bar.
One of Bankroll's most natural abilities was how he was able to channel the energy of a beat and adjust his rapping style accordingly. He'd never wallow in the negative space, as some successful ATL trappers are wont to do these days. For whatever time frame he was given, he'd fill the soundscape with non-stop raps, never just to stay afloat, and never without the intent of relaying real and potent emotion.
"Screen Door"
Bankroll was one of many features on Mike Will Made-It's star-studded Ransom mixtape, released in December 2014. And he was one of just to few to get a solo record on the tape, produced by Mike as well as Ear Drummers' Pluss. The song captures what was most enjoyable about Bankroll's rapping: no pop-style hooks -- just a hard beat and even harder rapping, every word ringing with trap-certified credibility.
Perhaps Mike's upcoming Ransom 2 will feature a tribute to the young legend. The game-changing Atlanta mogul was crushed by the shocking loss.
I'm sick to my stomach 😷
— Mike Will Made-It (@MikeWiLLMadeIt) March 5, 2016
rip Fresh, feel like I lost a brother, fr...
"ESPN"
This scorching track named after the popular sports network was one of the standouts off Life of a Hot Boy, his debut tape as Bankroll Fresh. The track is produced by D. Rich, one of Fresh's most frequent collaborators, and Bankroll snaps in sync with each one of his racing, razor-sharp piano loops.
Weezy paid tribute to SportsCenter on a noteworthy Dedication 2 cut, and tracks like "ESPN" make it clear why Bankroll chose to anoint himself as Atlanta's newest "Hot Boy." HEAT is really the only way to describe this energy, packed front to back with bars fit for the primetime highlight reel.
"Take Over Your Trap"
Last summer, Bankroll teamed up with his fellow TRU affiliate Skooly for "Take Over Your Trap," a one-off that turned into a hit record. The song was soon remixed by the pair's boss at TRU, 2 Chainz, and it became an anthem for both TRU and Street Money Worldwide, the latter of which Chainz is part owner.
Earlier this year, Bankroll used the song as inspiration for a short film, his first foray into the movie world. Chainz and Skooly also appear in the "Take Over Your Trap" movie, of which Bankroll is the leading star.
Check out the song as well as the film below.
"Free Wop Freestyle"
As is the case with so many of Atlanta's best young talent, Bankroll Fresh's first big cosign came from Gucci Mane. There's a video of him rapping alongside Wop that dates back to early 2009, when he was just trying out his skills as Yung Fresh. When he finally started to blow up, last year, GuWop, of course, was sitting in jail, and Fresh decided to pay tribute to the Trap God with a fiery freestyle on Life of a Hot Boy 2, over a high-adrenaline D. Rich production.
Bankroll emulated Gucci's relentless grind and energy like few others in the game, and it's a great shame the incarcerated hero wasn't able to witness the full rise of one of his most talented protégés.
"Trap"
One of the hottest records on Life of a Hot Boy 2 was this one, produced by Chophouze, simply titled "Trap." And it's an essential record to his catalog, as the "trap" is the genre and culture Fresh represented with more authenticity than most artists exist in a similar lane, one that's way overcrowded. He represents the heart and simplicity of the genre's early purveyors, such as Gucci and Jeezy, and even takes on the snappy, stutter-step rhyming of the Hot Boys, who prefaced a new genre without realizing it. To top it off, he had the spontaneity and camera-ready charisma of the top guys in New Atlanta, able to stay ahead of the curve despite opting for a somewhat throwback sound.
He was revered by trappers of all generations and will be greatly missed by all fans of the indelible Southern-bred genre.
"Everytime"
This isn't one of Bankroll's biggest records, but it's a personal favorite off Life of a Hot Boy 2, and it's one that's really been hitting hard after this weekend's horrible news. The track features Spodee and Street Money Red, and it finds Bankroll going in on a slow-burning, somewhat melancholy beat from FKi, and he adjusts his style accordingly -- going into reflective mode, and even doing some singing. And the spiritual quality of the hook is undeniable.
"Every time I open my eyes, go outside, look in the sky, and I thank God that I'm alive / Every time you see me, bitch you know I'ma shine bright / We live forever, never die." Amen.
"Walked In"
The biggest record Bankroll was able to put out in his all-too-short career was "Walked In," the lead single off last year's Life of a Hot Boy 2. The track featured Travis Porter and Street Money Boochie and was produced by Street Money's in-house producer, the young Mr. 2-17, who was working as an anonymous cameraman when Bankroll took under him under his wing. "Walked In" was everywhere in Atlanta last year and has continued to get frequent radio play. A few months after Hot Boy 2, the song got a remix from one of Fresh's idols in Jeezy.
With Bankroll's death, "Walked In" will likely be memorialized for generations to come. The track ditched Atlanta's current trend of dark and punishing trap sounds for something simple and stripped-down -- driven by raw trap energy but with the aim of creating a celebratory street anthem dedicated to his home city.
Long Live Bankroll, and long live this Atlanta classic.