David Banner & 9th Wonder: Death of A Popstar

Collaboration albums seem to be a growing trend in Hip-Hop.  One producer, one emcee, it just seems right. So when Mississippi-bred David Banner and North Carolina producer 9^th Wonder announced their joint project Death of a Pop Star, why did many of us raise our eyebrow? It did seem a bit interesting; as Banner has wondered away from critical acclaim, and 9^th Wonder seems to be continually met with it. Inevitably, the project had a certain buzz of intrigue surrounding it.

The inclusion of 9^th Wonder had many underground heads checking for DOAPS already. The acclaimed producer boasts a bulky resume, filled with various artists up and down the Hip-Hop scale. Perhaps using this to his advantage, 9th helps enlist big features on the album- even though features are scarce to begin with. Ludacris is featured on the glossy single, “Be With You” and helps trade verses with Mr. Banner on the-closest-thing-to-a-crossover-song on the LP. Another noticeable feature comes in “Silly” with Erykah Badu. Aside from spitting some bars (which I still can’t take seriously) 9^th Wonder laces a melodic tune with bass grooves and signature drums to which Erykah Badu emits soul all over.  Overall, the album is well produced and seems to fit all artists on it. The best produced songs on the record, “No Denying (Channel 3)” and “Stutter” showcases the Grammy-award winning beatmaker at his best. The first of the two flaunts a soulful vocal sample juxtaposed by a gravity-barring piano loop- musical harmony.  “Stutter” possesses a smooth sample disguised in hypnotic bass grooves, accompanied by stammering snares that compliment the stuttering lines of David Banner perfectly. Not to mention, the always welcome Anthony Hamilton blesses the hook with his raspy, down-south vocal vibes. It’s safe to say 9^th Wonder did his thing, and it’s safe to say we expected this. However, the one aspect of the album that sticks out is David Banner, and his performance on each and every song.

It’s clear from the start of the project that David Banner is out to prove something lyrically. On “Mas 4”, he spits nothing other than bullet lines over banging production by 9^th. The veracious tone that these rhymes come with is incomparable and has listeners wishing the minute-twenty second length time was much longer. But even that wasn’t a huge surprise.  What impresses even more are the socially conscious lines sprinkled throughout the album. It’s an eye-opener towards Banner. The best tracks on the album come at the end and exemplify this tone shift in perfect form. “Something is Wrong” has David Banner speaking on issues in today’s society; particularly striking a cord in his last bars, “He said, ‘Uh, David Banner I remember when he raped me/ Take me to the bed/ Bonded both legs/ I blanked out and woke up, in a pool of red/ That changed my whole world/ I guess my Step-Dad thought that I should’ve been a girl”. DOAPS ends on an extremely high note in “Strange”. Over introspective instrumentation, both David Banner and guest Big Remo breathe thought-provoking lines, making this the shining moment on the record.

David Banner summed it up for us at the end of “Strange” when he said, “See man I was just sittin’ back wonderin’ like…when I meet the Maker like, what am I gon’ say that I did with this blessing called music?” With Death of a Pop Star, Banner broke down many barriers. He discredited the notion of him being a ‘sellout’-evidenced by his previous singles -by releasing and album that shows him at, arguably, his best lyrically. He ran through another stigma against the South, showing that not even his Southern-drawl could ruin 9^th Wonder beats; in fact they added to the production at times. And though this album isn’t perfect; “Be With You” may impress with a couple of listens, then it won’t and “The Light” comes off as a bit stagnant, one thing is clear. The South still has something to say, and David Banner & 9^th Wonder made a strong closing statement for the year.

8.0/10

Strange Ft Big Remo

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Something Is Wrong Ft Lisa Ivey

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Stutter Ft Anthony Hamilton

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