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DAVID BANNER HAS THE FULL 'STORY': Reluctant activist defends Jesse and urges fans to cop his new CD
Just last year, Banner lashed out against Sharpton and Jackson in defense of hip-hop. The feud has since become famous along with the good works the star has done.
But now, with Jackson’s recent microphone slip up, Banner is telling folks to just leave him alone – and just go buy his record.
“My feelings about [Jackson] as a person won’t change until he changes and who knows if that’ll happen,” Banner told EUR’s Lee Bailey, “but we should move on and not worry about his comments. We concentrate on such trivial things that are not even important. We’re at war. We’re in a recession. Jesse Jackson said something. He doesn’t literally want to cut off [Obama’s] nuts. He didn’t know the mic was on. Ok, let’s stay focused. I can honestly say that white media does that to us and we bite the hook every time.”
Don’t get it twisted, though. Banner’s apparent plea on Jackson’s behalf doesn’t come without a bit of ridicule.
“This is not a reality TV show. This is not a rap beef. We need to move past it,” he said, but added, “To me, Jesse Jackson is irrelevant. Nobody in our generation really pays attention to him. As far as we’re concerned, he should be able to say whatever he wants to and we just move on.”
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Jesse Jackson
No words about Jackson’s status as a Civil Right icon? No accolades for his supposed high moral standards? Not from Banner. No way, no how. Banner believes that Jackson has inoculated himself into the nation’s consciousness and that his generation (and younger) is quite aware of the false front.
“Young people see through all that,” he said. “Jesse Jackson and all these people come up with all these good ideologies about what we should do as black people, but y’all have had 40 years to implement it and y’all didn’t do nothing. If anything – you’re adding to it. We’re not going to go into the dude’s personal life, but me and you could pick several examples of that.”
Like many who talk about it, Banner’s reply to “being about it” was rather straight forward. The artist admitted that he has no designs on being the newest activist/spokesperson for the plight of blacks, but in actuality, music actually does that.
“If I’m called on and I can feel it in the streets that I’m the person that people want,” he said of the requirements for him to be named as an activist. “But I’m not looking for that job. I want you to go buy ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’.”
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The anticipated third album from the rapper hit stores this month. It features the hit single "Stuntin' Is A Habit - Get Like Me," featuring Chris Brown & Yung Joc. “The Greatest ...” also features tracks with Lil' Wayne, Akon, Snoop Dogg, UGK, and Chamillionaire.
“The way that I have more power is if people go buy ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told.’ Then I can be as candid as I want to and be free to not have to be constricted by whoever is endorsing my campaign.”
Banner’s philosophy is once you attempt to do good work and service for people from a professional perspective, that’s when you become tainted.
“I don’t make my money off of politics. I don’t make my money off being an activist. I don’t have to answer to my congregation getting mad at me. I don’t have to worry about my constituents getting mad at me,” he said.
“I am a rapper. I am free. That’s my power. I don’t want to be a full-time activist. I want to be filthy rich,” he said. “I don’t want to stand up on a soap box. People don’t listen to that. People listen when you’re rich and powerful and famous. If you want me to be a leader, then let me lead yo’ a** to the record store and buy ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told.’”
Don’t let Banner fool you. Though money is his bottom line, in a way, the artist still has a heart. In 2006 he was awarded the Visionary Award by the National Black Caucus of the State Legislature in recognition of his work after Hurricane Katrina. Still, Banner said his he wants to be recognized for his recent work in the studio.
“It’s one of the best rap albums in the last three years,” he modestly said. The disc has been compared to the Fugees’ multi-platinum, Grammy-winning “The Score.”
“I think that’s because it has a healthy dash of spirituality,” Banner said. “It’s what the kids want and a lot of what the kids need.”
Banner, considered to be what he calls the hit of the hood political rapper, urged fans and non-fans to just let him be him.
“Let me gangster rap to get these kids in; to listen to him; to get their ear. And if you love me in Katrina and you love me in Congress, don’t tell me that. Don’t pat me on the back, don’t give me no awards, go buy my album,” he said – once again. “And if you’re grown and you don’t like rap music, buy it and use it as a coaster.”
For the latest on David Banner and the new disc “The Greatest Story Ever Told,” check out his site at www.david-banner.com.
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