*Rapper David Banner says he has bounced back from a terrible 2006 with a new sense of self and fresh outlook on his priorities for 2007 and beyond.
Banner tells Billboard.com: "2006 was the worst year of my life. 2007 has been the best year of my life. I've learned to say no and not take on everyone's problems. My father had brain and lung cancer, and I had high blood pressure because I was working 18-hour days. You have to value the person you are."
The Mississippi native says his involvement with the rebuilding effort following Hurricane Katrina was a bit taxing. Among other things, Banner gave out his own clothing to victims and organized numerous events designed to help displaced victims.
"I took on too much responsibility," Banner says. "I did volunteer work for six months for Hurricane Katrina but my own business wasn't right."
These days, Banner is looking forward to the summer release of his new album, "The Greatest Story Ever Told," with production from himself along with Nitti, Cool & Dre, Akon and Get Cool 3000. Guests artists include Chris Brown, Jim Jones, UGK, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, Carl Thomas and Xscape's Kandy.
“I have a tendency to want to change music," Banner says. "But I realized that people just want hits. The ladies want a 'Play,' I made a 'Cadillac on 22's,' and I made a few 'Like a Pimp' records. I did a rock song that's probably going to get me hung. Let's just say the record was written three years ago-it's just truthful."
As previously reported, Banner’s semi-autobiographical animated series "That Crook'd Sipp," debuted earlier this month on the Cartoon Network. Banner plays the main character, a young contemporary black man named Virgil who tells the story of the Beauregards, a white family trapped in the 1800's in Mississippi but living in 2007.