Banks was born in New Carrollton, Maryland and raised in Queens, New York. His mother named Rosa LLoyd of Puerto Rican descent and has a Haitian-American father. His father spent most of Lloyd's childhood in prison, leaving his mother to raise him and his two siblings. Lloyd attended August Martin High School but dropped out at age 16. For his stage name, he took his great, great-grandfather's name Banks, which was passed on by his uncles who also shared it.
G-Unit was founded when childhood friends Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent, and Tony Yayo decided to make a group with each other. They met Young Buck when UTP group came to New York and 50 Cent heard Young Buck rapping. After 50 Cent signed his contract with Aftermath Entertainment they took Young Buck in the group and signed him. Tony Yayo, being an older and more experienced rapper, joined 50 Cent on the Nas Promo Tour, the Cash Money Tour and the Ruff Ryders Tour. As Banks remained at home waiting for 50 and Yayo to return, he started rappin around the neighborhood to further increase his buzz on the streets. He then hooked up with neighborhood producers and made tracks for local mixtapes. Lloyd Banks has a renowned reputation on the mixtape scene. While Banks was making Mixtapes,50 Cent was soon granted his own record label by Dr. Dre and released the album Get Rich or Die Tryin'; Lloyd Banks was featured on the song "Don't Push Me", and the remixed version of "P.I.M.P". Soon after the group had established their own record label, G-Unit Records, G-Unit released their first official group album Beg for Mercy in November 2003, which went on to be certified double platinum.
During August 2005, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and their entourage were traveling in a van, when the vehicle was pulled over after passing through a red light in midtown Manhattan. Officers said they discovered a loaded handgun and another weapon in the van. Prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the charges after an investigation determined that neither Lloyd Banks nor Young Buck was in possession of the weapons. Felony gun charges against Lloyd Banks and Young Buck were dropped on November 8, 2006.
In the early morning hours of January 9, 2010, in a Kitchener, Ontario hotel, an alleged altercation took place between Banks and a concert promoter over performance fees. Banks, and three of his associates, were later charged with forcible confinement, aggravated assault and robbery, and released on $50,000 bail.
In late January 2010, it was announced that Banks would release a new song, "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" featuring Juelz Santana, from his upcoming third studio album. "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley" charted at #49 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lloyd Banks release info via his twitter announcing that the title for his third album has tentatively been called The Hunger for More 2' and will attempt to take him back to his best work. However, the G-Unit label later stated that the title is not set in concrete and still may be altered. The title of the album was confirmed by 50 Cent as H.F.M. 2 (The Hunger for More 2) in a interview with MTV News. According to Banks, Interscope is trying to get him back due to the success of the single "Beamer, Benz, or Bentley".
Til The End
Lloyd Banks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They probably started off a beautiful day with weed smoke
Out of last night's pussy, the murder that she wrote
Cold sweatin' from a nightmare, mind on a see-note
You leave the door with intentions of fulfillin' your visions
Constantly sidetracked, thinkin' 'bout who's your man or who isn't
Maybe it's necessary - maybe you're overreactin
Maybe your actual downfall is that ho that you're clappin'
Maybe your homey overheard and never told you what happened
You look behind you when you turn the corner, cause death is promised
You done seen some niggaz go before ya, the threats are honest
And with that lingerin' in the back of your head
You know it's possible that you won't make it back in your bed
The confusion and jealousy and dishonor'll spin ya
But then none come worse than when that gunpowder's in ya
[Chorus]
If you my nigga, you my nigga til the end
Fuck a bill, fuck a bitch, fuck a Benz
Let's toast til we die
Roll up the weed and blow the smoke in the sky la da da
If you my nigga, you my nigga til we go
One of the few I would take a bullet fo'
Let's toast til we die
Roll up the weed and blow the smoke in the sky la da da
The smell of marijuana wreaks often
I raise hell 'fore I speak softly, quotin the Knicks
Put at least a hungred grand on one hand, bought him a 6
Acknowledged the weaknesses that his man taught him to fix
We ain't never left the hood, so we camcorded the trips
I done watched the nigga go from BET to the Bricks, shit
The slanted eyes what the chocolate thai gave me
I'm a bachelor, nigga you ain't knockin' my lady
A lot of these niggaz been jockin' mine lately
And I hope you catch the long and that rock-a-bye baby
We two brothers, pitched outta different mommas
Close enough to conflict and put the shit behind us
Your baby boy meet the daytime
Oldest watchin' and these niggaz tryin to get mine
Remember back then the lines in your flat top
Hopin' your moms ain't the momma on crack rock
[Chorus]
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
There's frustration and fire if you look in my eye
The media fuckin' me up, right hookin' my high
Niggaz hated on us 'fore the game took us inside
Then they opened they arms wide, took the whoopin' and cried
I got a platinum plaque hangin' on the wall of my crib
And handsome's one of the things they been callin' the kid
They watch you close when you coppin' all the VS stones
If you ain't tryin to get it poppin', leave the BS home
I got a saditty broad that gives the best dome
And I'm blowin' on some of the finest weed that's grown, homes
You won't know when they gon' dump a slug
But you can tell I'm gettin' money from the line out in front the club
My whole click caked up, you can't compare the dough
And if it's only one bitch, then we gon' share the ho
[Chorus]
(If you my nigga you my nigga til the end my friend)
La da da
(If you my nigga you my nigga til we go my niggarole)
La da da
In the song "Til The End" by Lloyd Banks, he bears his soul as he describes the world he lives in. He mentions his frustration with the media and how they try to control him, and how the fear of death is always lingering in the backs of his and his friends' minds because they live in a tough neighborhood. Lloyd Banks then mentions that he has a loyal group of friends that he trusts with his life. He describes how they smoke marijuana together and toast to their bond. He also talks about how they have each other's backs in times of conflict.
Furthermore, the song delves into the world of gang violence and the cost it has on the people involved. The consequences of this violent lifestyle are depicted in the line "Nobody there knew they would die before they woke". The emotional weight is packed in the line "And with that lingering in the back of your head, You know it's possible that you won't make it back in your bed," which highlights the harsh reality of the lifestyle that Lloyd Banks, and many others, have to live through.
The song concludes with Lloyd Banks talking about his success, how he shows it off and how people are trying to ride his coattails. However, he also stresses the importance of his loyalty to his friends, indicating that he will always prioritize his relationships over his material success.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody there knew they would die before they woke
People had no idea that they would die before they woke up in the morning
They probably started off a beautiful day with weed smoke
Their day likely started out great with smoking marijuana
Out of last night's pussy, the murder that she wrote
The woman he had sex with last night has likely planned to kill him
Cold sweatin' from a nightmare, mind on a see-note
His mind is plagued with worries after waking up from a nightmare
You leave the door with intentions of fulfillin' your visions
You leave the house with plans to achieve your goals
Constantly sidetracked, thinkin' 'bout who's your man or who isn't
You are easily distracted, worrying about who is loyal to you
Maybe it's necessary - maybe you're overreactin
It's possible that your worries are justified, or maybe you're reading too much into it
Maybe your actual downfall is that ho that you're clappin'
Perhaps the woman you're having sex with is what will lead to your downfall
Maybe your pillow conversations been controllin' the actions
Perhaps your late-night talks with someone have influenced your behavior
Maybe your homey overheard and never told you what happened
Perhaps your friend overheard something important but never told you
You look behind you when you turn the corner, cause death is promised
You constantly check behind you when you turn corners because you know death is a possibility
You done seen some niggaz go before ya, the threats are honest
You've witnessed others die before you, making the potential threats more real
And with that lingerin' in the back of your head
These thoughts are constantly on your mind, lingering in the back of your head
You know it's possible that you won't make it back in your bed
You understand that it's possible you won't survive the night to return home to your bed
The confusion and jealousy and dishonor'll spin ya
The feelings of confusion, jealousy, and dishonor will turn your world upside down
But then none come worse than when that gunpowder's in ya
The worst feeling is when you're shot and the gunpowder is inside you
[Chorus]
Friends remain loyal to each other until the end
The smell of marijuana wreaks often
The scent of marijuana is often present
I raise hell 'fore I speak softly, quotin' the Knicks
I tend to cause chaos before calming down and quoting the Knicks
Put at least a hungred grand on one hand, bought him a 6
He bought a car for a hundred thousand dollars and put rims on it
Acknowledged the weaknesses that his man taught him to fix
Recognized the flaws that his friend pointed out and worked to fix them
We ain't never left the hood, so we camcorded the trips
They never left the neighborhood, so they recorded their trips with a camcorder
I done watched the nigga go from BET to the Bricks, shit
I watched a person go from being on TV to returning to the ghetto
The slanted eyes what the chocolate thai gave me
The exotic looks come from the cannabis strain 'chocolate thai'
I'm a bachelor, nigga you ain't knockin' my lady
I'm single, so you can't accuse me of cheating on my girlfriend
A lot of these niggaz been jockin' mine lately
Many people have been copying my style lately
And I hope you catch the long and that rock-a-bye baby
I hope that karma catches up with you and puts you to sleep like a lullaby
We two brothers, pitched outta different mommas
We're like brothers but have different mothers
Close enough to conflict and put the shit behind us
We're close enough to argue but are always able to get over it
Your baby boy meet the daytime
Your son has grown up and entered adulthood
Oldest watchin' and these niggaz tryin to get mine
The eldest child is watching as others try to take what's his
Remember back then the lines in your flat top
Remember the hairstyle you used to have with lines in your hair
Hopin' your moms ain't the momma on crack rock
Hoping that your mom isn't addicted to crack cocaine
[Chorus]
Loyalty to friends until the end
Keep my, mind on my money, and my head to the sky
I focus on making money and stay optimistic
I never really smile much, if you was here you'd know why
I don't smile much due to the tough circumstances I'm in
There's frustration and fire if you look in my eye
You can tell from my eyes that I'm both frustrated and driven
The media fuckin' me up, right hookin' my high
The media is causing me problems while I'm trying to stay high
Niggaz hated on us 'fore the game took us inside
People hated on us before we became successful
Then they opened they arms wide, took the whoopin' and cried
Then people welcomed us with open arms, even after previously criticizing us
I got a platinum plaque hangin' on the wall of my crib
I have a platinum record displayed in my home
And handsome's one of the things they been callin' the kid
I'm often called 'handsome' by others
They watch you close when you coppin' all the VS stones
People keep a close eye on you when you're purchasing expensive jewelry
If you ain't tryin to get it poppin', leave the BS home
If you're not willing to take risks and make things happen, stay away
I got a saditty broad that gives the best dome
I have a high-maintenance woman who performs oral sex well
And I'm blowin' on some of the finest weed that's grown, homes
I'm smoking the best quality marijuana available
You won't know when they gon' dump a slug
You won't know when someone will shoot you
But you can tell I'm gettin' money from the line out in front the club
You can tell from the long line of people waiting to enter the club that I'm making money
My whole click caked up, you can't compare the dough
My entire crew is wealthy, and you can't compete with our money
And if it's only one bitch, then we gon' share the ho
If there's only one woman around, we'll share her among the group
[Chorus]
Loyalty among friends until the end
(If you my nigga you my nigga til the end my friend)
Friends remain loyal to each other until the end
(If you my nigga you my nigga til we go my niggarole)
Friends remain loyal to each other until the end
(La da da)
Closing chorus refrain
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER CHARLES LLOYD, LUIS EDGARDO RESTO, MARSHALL B. III MATHERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind