This year is turning out to be full of surprises. It's safe to say that DMX doesn't have any Tony Yayo tracks in his playlist after the barking rapper spoke out against his fellow emcee. Initially, DMX shared that he wasn't a fan of Lloyd Banks during a conversation with Fat Man Scoop. "Lloyd Banks? Lyrical?" DMX asked. "Quote four bars. Impress me with four bars of his. It shouldn't be hard." Lloyd was made aware of X's remarks, and tried to figure out why he was being targeted by the rapper. Then, someone must have reminded DMX who Lloyd Banks actually was, because he admitted that he was really speaking about Tony Yayo when he made the remarks about Banks.

Theo Wargo / Staff / Getty Images

Later, DMX issued a formal apology. "It takes a real n***a to admit when he's wrong..... My apologies to loyd banks I was thinking tony yayo when I was asked about banks. I f*ck with banks!" On Friday (May 29), the former G-Unit rapper took a moment to address the controversy over on Twitter. An unfazed Tony Yayo wrote, "Dmx a crack head who cares what he think," along with a crying laughing emoji. Check it out below.

It’s difficult to imagine what prompted DMX to discredit Lloyd Banks in such a public fashion. Considering that the G-Unit rapper has been widely recognized as The Punchline King, it’s fair to assume that his bars have left an impression. Many are quick to cite early cuts like “That’s What’s Up” and his breakout “Victory Freestyle” as a testament to his lyrical prowess. With the bulk of his reputation having been cultivated on the mixtape circuit, which in itself encourages bars over structure and substance alike, it was initially difficult to assess Banks’ potential as a solo artist. Yet that changed with the release of his debut album The Hunger For More, an album that boasted classics like “On Fire,” “Warrior Part 2,” and arguably the greatest track of Lloyd Banks’ career in “Till The End.”

Though high caliber punchlines were expected on a Banks LP, “Till The End” unearthed additional depth in the young emcee. That of a storyteller, capable of conjuring striking images and emotional impact, never once diluted by an expansive three verse structure. A far cry from his mixtape material in subject matter, Banks retains his clever vernacular and imaginative control over language. “Nobody dead knew they would die before they woke, they probably started off a beautiful day with weed smoke,” he raps, opening the haunting reflection on a bleak note. “Out of last night’s pussy, the murder that she wrote, cold sweating from a nightmare, mind on a C-note.” Themes not unfamiliar to rap fans, the perils of a young hustler’s dangerous lifestyle; mirrored in many ways by mafioso rap, Banks understands how disloyalty speeds up the inevitability of death.

 Dave Kotinsky/Getty Image

Paranoia is another major theme in “Till The End,” and Banks’s second verse slowly expands the narrative to reveal some of his grievances. Like many young self-made men, Banks moves with a chip on his shoulder, both inspired and frustrated by his doubters. It’s a timeless reflection of the street cycle. Even those closest friends can fall prey to the trappings of jealousy and envy under the right circumstances. Given the track’s ominous opening — that of a violent drive-by shooting — there’s a constant sense of tension permeating throughout. It’s a testament to Banks’ ability to become one with an instrumental, his morose retrospection fueled by Eminem’s haunting lullaby. “The confusion of jealousy and dishonor will spin ya,” he warns. “But then nothing hurt worse than when that gunpowder’s in ya.” It’s something he himself grapples with, taking solace in achieving victory with those he deems kin.

Yet perhaps the damage has already been done, leaving behind unhealable scars. Even though Nate Dogg’s chorus is a comforting presence, it’s hard to shake the nightmarish foreshadowing of the opening moments. It’s not clear when death is coming for Banks, but rest assured that he knows it’s coming. And sadly, as he knows all too well, the ending is often bloody. Especially for a man who continues to carry his principles forward. “Keep my, mind on my money, and my head to the sky, I never really smile much, if you was here you’d know why,” he confesses. “There’s frustration and fire if you look in my eye.” Even amidst success, it’s difficult to discern whether Banks is even willing to accept happiness. Though he proceeds to rattle off many of his personal accomplishments, be it achieving desirability as a bachelor or commercial success as a rapper, he still cannot bring himself to smile.

Inevitably remains one of the driving themes of “Til The End.” It hangs over Banks like a guillotine blade. The fact that success is only a pitstop on the overall road, a road that is not straight, but rather circular in nature. For him, it begins and ends in the hood — the place that built him up as a man only to plant the seeds for his eventual downfall. Perhaps, as complex as it may seem, there’s a strange sense of comfort in knowing that. It would explain why Banks opted for such a tranquil instrumental, one that might otherwise evoke feelings of peace. The song packs even more impact knowing what transpired within G-Unit, a group torn apart from within, not unlike the topics explored in his lyrics. The authenticity with which Banks renders this range of themes, his cadence equally weary and wistful, makes “Till The End” stand as one of his crowning artistic achievements.

Never has the old adage "can't we all just get along" felt more applicable. Battle fever appears to have stricken hip-hop's veterans, thanks to the masterminding presence of Swizz Beatz and Timbaland and their Verzuz initiative. With rappers already competitive in the best of times, the prospect of asserting dominance in a public forum has pushed a few over the edge -- including DMX, a man clearly comfortable in his legend role.

Carley Margolis/FilmMagic/Getty Images

With his sights set on Jay-Z, X had already brushed off Eminem as no threat before doing the same to Lloyd Banks, in an altogether more dismissive fashion. As Fatman Scoop proceeded to rattle off some of rap's lyrical greats, a list that included Biggie, Jay-Z, Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Eminem, and Lloyd Banks, X paused to single out the G-Unit rapper. "Lloyd Banks?" he questioned. "Lyrically? Top 4 bars. Impress me with four bars! Give me two!" 

It didn't take long for Banks to catch wind of X's comments, and while he was initially quick to shrug it off, he later decided to revisit the slight with his own theory. "So because I didn’t come to the studio to work when HE reached out..I’m not that good?" ponders Banks, his tears of joy indicative of his tone. After one fan turned the tables and asked what prompted him to snub a legend, Banks simply shifted the blame to logistics. I didn’t...I had a flight to catch." 

While it's unclear as to when this studio session was meant to go down, one has to wonder if it had to do with X's 50 Cent collaboration "Shot Down," which appeared on Grand Champ. In any case, one has to wonder if Banks' speculation holds true, and X is indeed nursing a grudge. After all, he did single out the PLK in a long list of names. 

During a conversation on Instagram Live, DMX questioned Fat Man Scoop's decision to place Lloyd Banks on a list of all-time great lyricists.

"Lloyd Banks? Lyrical?" he asked. "Quote four bars. Impress me with four bars of his. It shouldn't be hard."

When Fat Man Scoop failed to come up with any lyrics that stood out to him from the G-Unit soldier, DMX was somehow proven right. However, Lloyd Banks (and a bunch of angry hip-hop heads) has a bone to pick with him because of the comments. Constantly overlooked, Banks hopped onto Twitter with some kind words for X after hearing his stance.

William B. Plowman/Getty Images

"Dogman is my guy and all but Wth DMX talkin bout lol @Lloydbanks," asked one fan on Twitter. "I have no clue..god bless him," replied the rapper.

Clearly, Lloyd Banks believes he belongs on a list of the best lyricists of all time, which isn't really that obscure of an opinion. For years, he proved to the world that he can write some of the slickest punch lines in hip-hop so why would he not deserve his spot on the list? It's not like he didn't come through every time he stepped into the booth...

What do you make of this? Does Lloyd Banks make your list?

Lloyd Banks seems to always get the short end of the stick. As a member of G-Unit, he was generally always playing second fiddle to 50 Cent. On all-time great hip-hop lists, he seems to never get the recognition he deserves and now, it looks like even his fellow emcees are taking his talents into questions.

For many hip-hop fans, Lloyd Banks can be considered one of the greatest punchline writers ever. He was seriously lyrical but, recently, one man called his entire career into question.

Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

Speaking to Fat Man Scoop on Instagram Live this weekend, DMX questioned Lloyd Banks’ prowess as a lyrical rapper, calling his name into concern after Scoop listed him as one of the best lyricists ever.

“Lloyd Banks? Lyrical?” asked DMX, seriously confused as to how his name even came up. 

“Lloyd Banks of course,” replied Scoop. “He had some of the illest lines ever.”

DMX then requested for Scoop to drop four of Lloyd Banks’ best bars of all-time and the man could not rack his brain hard enough to deliver any. Instead, he just continued counting down his favorites, slightly proving X’s point.

Do you believe DMX has a point or is Lloyd Banks one of the undisputed greatest lyricists ever? Skip to the 9-minute mark below.

[]

In an effort to continue his world domination, 50 Cent has released a memoir-ish book, Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter. The media mogul shares stories of his rise to fame and his ability to go from running the streets to owning multiple businesses, having a successful rap career, and elevating a media company that has produced a number of hit shows. Also inside of Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, Fif speaks on his days with G-Unit—specifically, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo’s inability to reach the same levels of success that he was able to attain.

“I always felt that if I had maybe done a better job teaching Banks and Yayo how to evolve and change their habits, they each would be in better places right now,” 50 Cent shares in his book. He felt that as the leader of G-Unit, he should have been a better guide. “While I was out hustling (I actually hustled with his father), Banks was more content staying on his porch and watching the world from there. Banks wanted things to come to him, as opposed to going out and getting them for himself. That’s not me trying to assassinate his character—the guy has ‘Lazy Lloyd‘ tattooed on his arm. He literally wears his laziness on his sleeve.”

Fif went on to say that he did try to get Lloyd Banks to adapt to the changing times, especially as social media advanced, but it didn’t work. “To me, one answer was to change how he interacted with the culture,” the rapper reportedly wrote. “That’s why years ago I told Banks to film a video of his life and post it on YouTube. Introduce people to his lifestyle. Let the camera follow him around for a while and see how he moves. Maybe something he says or does will create a spark, go viral, and then he’ll have some heat around him again.”

When that didn’t work, 50 Cent attempted to get Banks to be more active on Instagram, especially because he could be “a little awkward in person.” Banks wasn’t having it. It was then that Fif decided he didn’t want to invest in Banks anymore. “Age isn’t about what year you were born—it’s about how you approach the year you’re in right now. If you’re open to new experiences, willing to take chances, and curious about new topics, you’re young. Period.”

Tony Yayo, on the other hand, was allegedly still caught in operating by the code of the streets. “If I got into a disagreement with another artist, Yayo’s reaction was ‘Let’s just bang ’em,’ because that would have been his response back in the neighborhood. If we got $100,000 for a series of club appearances, Yayo wasn’t thinking about putting it in the bank. His first thought would be ‘Hey, this could get us three and a half kilos of cocaine. Let’s flip those, and we’ll be sitting on some real money.'”

That wasn’t how Fif wanted to do business, and ultimately, things began to fall apart. He also added that the things he’d written about were all issues that he’d spoken with his cohorts about, so he isn’t saying anything they haven’t already heard.

[]

Travis Scott isn’t the only person celebrating a birthday today. Lloyd Banks, one of the most iconic rap artists of all time, turns thirty-eight today and he’s just grateful to be able to spend it with family.

Surely celebrating his big day with less raging than La Flame has planned, Lloyd Banks woke up and reflected on another year in his life, happy to be able to spend time with his loved ones.

David Becker/Getty Images

“It’s a blessing to see another year,” wrote the G-Unit rapper on Instagram. “And wake up next to my family. PLK nation! Stand up.”

This may be a lot to ask for but maybe, just maybe, Banks may consider getting back in the studio and cranking out some clever punchlines to remind us all of his uncanny ability to rock the microphone. It’s been a minute since the last time he released a single. Birthdays are a pretty special occasion. Maybe today’s the day?

While we wouldn’t count on it, that would certainly be a nice gift from him to us. However, this is his day and we just want him to enjoy with family.

Happy birthday, Lloyd Banks. Here’s to many more in the coming years!

Lloyd Banks is undoubtedly a rapper's rapper but he wants to link up with the producer's producer for a joint project. During a recent appearance on The Joe Budden podcast, Lloyd Banks expressed interest in returning to music with a project alongside Alchemist, and even Mobb Deep's Havoc.

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images

"I spoke to Al. We was talkin' 'bout that," Lloyd Banks admitted when asked if he'd ever want to do a project with Daringer or Alchemist. "I've never even been produced," he added, explaining that he was frequently working in the studio with an engineer and sending files back-and-forth. "I've never sat down with a producer. I've done things through e-mail, for the most part."

Though there's no concrete date or any sort of timeline when we could ever expect Lloyd Banks to release new music, he did make some promising remarks about what he would like to do in the future. "So that's definitely something I want to do in the future. Actually sit down and -- whether it's an EP or whatever. Or maybe even a collaborative effort. You know what I mean? Maybe like a half Alchemist, half Havoc," he continued before getting Joe Budden's approval.

Hopefully, this album sees the light of day in the future. Lloyd Banks has already revealed that his vault contains unreleased music with Meek Mill, Gucci Mane, and Lil Durk.

The Punchline Boy appears to be nearing a return to the rap world.

Lloyd Banks has been teasing his retirement for years, choosing not to release any new music in a while and prompting fans to practically beg the former G-Unit rapper to come through with an album. While he’s not exactly confirming that he’s about to drop some new vibes, he is cryptically alluding to that fact by posing in the studio, zoned into the creation process and reminding folks that he’s still got unreleased records with some heavy hitters.

Taking to social media, Lloyd Banks posted a photo of himself in the studio, presumably working on some new music. In the comments, a fan argued that, at this point, the 37-year-old owes us a lot more than just one body of work. When they asked about the status of his records with rappers like Juelz Santana, Gucci Mane, Meek Mill, and Lil Durk, Banks assured that those tracks are still in the vault.

“What happened to the songs Meek, Gucci, Lil Durk and all the other songs n***as did with Banks.. is n***as scared to release those?” asked the fan.

“I have all of the records..just never released them,” confirmed the recording artist. 

Hopefully, this upload means that Lloyd Banks is nearing his return to music. We could use some new bars from the legendary emcee right about now.

Lloyd Banks hasn’t had the greatest luck as it pertains to these viral lists going around. When a rap fan organized a list of the best fifty spitters of all time, the G-Unit star was placed dead-last, which garnered a response from the emcee.

“Last tho? I’m trash,” joked Banks on Twitter at the time.

This week, we went live with our latest list, tallying the greatest twenty-five debut albums of the century (so far) and, as if to say he’s tired of all the lists circulating, Lloyd Banks complained again and begged to just be taken off this time around. Commenting on our post, he pulled through with his official response to his placement.

“Man…take me off please! Somebody else can have that spot,” wrote the Punchline King. His project Hunger For More landed at the twentieth spot, just ahead of Rapsody and Run The Jewels.

Clearly, Lloyd Banks isn’t one for the opinion-based chatter. This time around, he wasn’t last but No. 20 doesn’t feel like a good fit to him. Since he wants to be removed altogether, who would you suggest in his place? Is there a debut album that we failed to mention? Let us know in the comments.