David Banner isn’t fond of big egos. Luckily, producer 9th Wonder doesn’t have one, making their collaborative album, Death of a Pop Star, a welcomed feat to work on. After talking for hours about hip-hop’s current state, the two joined forces to create a project that would bring more value to the rap game. “We talked on the phone for three hours about the music that was out there, and we thought about how we could contribute and change things,” says Wonder.
Banner, who was facing an inner battle before recording the LP, felt the need to relinquish the sound that made him a chart-topping rapper and speak directly from his soul. “I was really hurting, and the one thing that I do thank 9th for, is he saw it.” In return, the “Be With You” creator gave the producer complete control of the album’s beats, which Banner openly admits was difficult to do.
The dynamic duo checked in with Rap-Up.com after the release of Pop Star to discuss why they chose Erykah Badu to be a guest, how KRS-One’s words influence their rhymes, and which rapper’s latest album is underrated. Read on as David Banner and 9th Wonder air it out for the masses.
