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You can't blame David Banner for wanting to keep a steady flow of checks coming in. A year and a half ago he was literally out in the street, not knowing where his next meal was coming from.
"I was homeless and I was making beats out of my van," Banner, sitting in the back of his tour bus and surrounded by studio equipment, remembered. "I hooked my machine up to the lighter [socket] in my van and was making beats and recording. If you listen to Mississippi: The Album, all of my interludes were recorded in the van. You can hear the cars passing."
Today, not only has Banner become one of the most popular MCs in the game with his chaotic stage shows (most recently on display via Ludacris' Chicken-N-Beer tour) and hits such as "Like a Pimp" and "Crank It Up." He's also one of the most sought-after track masters, making soundscapes for everyone from Brandy to tourmate Luda to T.I., who's bubbling like crazy with the Banner-produced "Rubber Band Man."
Now Banner has his eyes set yet on yet another profession. Yeah, he's looking to score movies (John Singleton has already hit him up about possibly getting down on a flick), but that's down the line. Right now Banner wants to be a correspondent for MTV News.
Who better for Dave to get his John Norris on with than another one of his tourmates, Chingy? Riding together with Luda and his Disturbing Tha Peace family en route to a performance in Kissimmee, Florida, Banner conducted his interview.
Since Dave and Chingy are such good friends, there was a lot of joking, but the Mississippi madman did pull it together and get Chingy to open up about his next album, The Soul of St. Louis, and what he plans to do onstage while on the road with Christina Aguilera this spring.
David Banner: This is David Banner reporting for MTV News. Well, let me ask you a question. We heard about the Christina Aguilera tour ...
Chingy: Yes.
Banner: And we wanted to know if your show's going to change because you're going on tour with Christina. [Her audience] is a little bit different [than the ones you've been playing in front of.]
Chingy: Well, actually, I'm trying to get the slot machine onstage. I was going to have coins spitting out in the crowd. I'm gonna slide down with the coins [and] pop out. It's going to be really good. There's gonna be props onstage — snow is going to be up there. It's just going to be better effects, man, what can I say? It's going to be great.
Banner: So there's just going to a little more money in the stage production?
Chingy: Yeah, which is great for me 'cause right now I just have a backdrop. So this should be a real good experience.
Banner: All right, tell me a little bit about your new album, The Soul of St. Louis. I heard this album is really going to dig into the culture of St. Louis. What are you really trying to convey on this album?
Chingy: Basically, it's probably going to be a little bit more emotional topics. I'm really going to get deep into ... I got cousins and stuff that's locked up. I'm gonna be talking 'bout them. I got a lot of people who've passed away. I'mma be talking to them and I'm gonna be talking about what I've been through before and since "Right Thurr" came out. Just a lot of stuff I've been going through because my life has changed on a real negative and positive [note]. So it's going to be more emotional, man.
Banner: What's been negative?
Chingy: Like, they said when I wrote "Right Thurr" I was degrading women. I don't know why they said that, but I've heard that a couple of times. On this album I've got a song called "Pretty Black Woman" so they can understand that I'm not degrading women just because we sing and talk about women with nice bodies.
Banner: With that being said, are you still going to have Ching-a-Ling [flavor] on this album?
Chingy: Don't get it twisted. I have to have that part of me.
Banner: This is not David Banner the producer, this is David Banner trying to get a job at MTV! Oh excuse me, I just got excited about that. I'm sorry.
Chingy: Nah, but you have to keep the live music in there, man. I'm gonna always do that no matter what. Even if I make a gospel album, my gospel songs are going to get you dancing and crunk.
Banner: How has it been for you in the hometown? What's the difference now?
Chingy: Man, I love coming home. St. Louis is actually hard to capture.
Banner: But you caught them. When you came onstage [the other night] ... Excuse me, MTV, they had to stop the show because about 3,000 women just rushed the stage. He had to be taken off because such a large amount of panties were being thrown at one time. You know, it was just amazing to see how much love you got at home, but internally how does that make you feel?
Chingy: That's where I'm from, so they gotta show love. Overall, it's a blessing. I've got a lot of friends and families there, so it's a great thing. They came out to support the whole concert, and I love St. Louis.
Banner: Well, MTV, we're here with Chingy and [I've been] your host, David Banner.
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Photo: MTV News
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