UK’s finest and miss jack of all trades, Ms Banks evolves with her new EP ‘Bank Statement.’ Ms Banks unleashes a series of 9 statements.
The EP merges various genres such as afro-pop, drill, and R&B undertones. Bank Statement ushers in ‘Bluff’ as the starter of the project. This track begins with a melody that prepares the listener for what’s about to unfold in the project. Ms Banks isn’t letting up with her assertiveness she kicks off by affirming,
“Still the same chick you ain’t f*ckin’ with (Yeah)
Give me some P and I’ll double it (Yeah)
I don’t care about no other shit (Yeah)
Bring in everybody that I’m coming with (Uh)
Please, don’t call me by my government
This rap ting, I’m having fun with it
I’ll give it back when I’m done with it“
‘Bluff’ is an enlivening start to the EP, short, concise, and straight to it. She ends it with, “Call up my name and I’m calling your bluff (Uh)“
The second immolation ‘Typa Way’ features Tio Wayne, Eight9FLY. These artists are some of the hottest rappers, and DJs to come out of the UK.
Typa Way is one of my favorite contributions from her on this joint. She delivers storytelling, narration, and a visualizer to complete the track. I respect artists who don’t shy away from giving the listeners the whole package experience. Here goes her narration,
“He was like 6’3
Dark skin brudda had his eyes on me
Hair money, green and my swag look clean
He was like, “Yo, pretty girl where you been
Don’t wanna cause a scene, ain’t seen you before
Lookin’ like a snack, wanna know what’s in store
Yea, I’m from the ends, but I’m always on tour”
Do you know what I adore about this track? The effortless collaboration between the three artists. As soon as Ms Banks lays off her first verse and bridges to her singing bit. There goes Eight9FLY complementing her singing with his singing. Their harmonies mesh so well together. It’s amazing.
In the music visualizer, however, Ms Banks couples up with Tion Wayne, the other featured artist. Which works well, since he kind of embodies the 6’3 guy she introduced in her first verse. Their on-screen chemistry is way off the charts, and as if that isn’t too much chemistry listeners can take it. He ties the song together with his verse.
“Yo, when’s it’s cold you know we change the settin’s
We’re jettin’, never stayin in the same position
What you know about givin’ her her favourite lesson
Love them smooth and brown like Banks and Meghan
I reckon, baby girl your jus teasing wid it
When I pulled ’round she told me take it easy widdit
Drive the Range, baby, you ain’t gonna need a Civic
Get the tints too, you know I need it secret innit
When we kick back, no chit-chat”
This groovy track deserves a 9/10. Sonically, beat selection, artists included, and the narration.
The third track ‘Bounce’ is mostly referencing Afro-pop beats. I think it qualifies as a lead single slash club banger of course. I say this due to how catchy it is, and the lyrics aren’t too complex to remember. ‘Bounce’ is seducing track with its deliberate slowness of it, and the sensual Afro beats incorporated. Ms Banks opted to sing mostly on the track, which is a relief for the listener.
‘Favourite Girl’ shortly after ‘Bounce’ is an interesting switch up from Afro/R&B to Afro-Pop. The track is playful and relays a message about her being everyone’s favorite across the globe. She says, “Men from all around the world. Always telling me that I’m their favorite girl.” The disappointment with this one is that ends too quickly. But it’ll certainly be added to my feel-good playlist on Spotify.
Ms Banks offers her fourth track ‘Drip’ which I would say falls under the drill genre. Here she goes back to her spitting flow.
“Always on my grind, man, I gotta maintain
Steppin’ out clean when you see me, not a stain
He just give me brain, I got money on the brain
Melanin skin match the ebony grain”
In this song, Ms Banks is adhering to the assignment that is always connected to a drill beat- stunting. She is a spitfire and steps on people’s toes with her confidence and bully bars. I like it, therefore a 7/10.
Her sixth track ‘Get Low’ is an upbeat, Afro input. It’s an okay song, doesn’t really resonate with me. However, I appreciate her adding her Ugandan and Nigerian heritage to this track. She goes into her roots completely.
‘Party’ featuring Naira Marley is a pairing of African bliss. It’s groovy and uses Afro-beat selections. The next track ‘Bare With Me’ is another favourite of mine in this EP. Ms Banks is showing a soft side as tells her story,
“I was just a young lil’ black girl
On my grind for diamonds and pearls
Flow so sick, man, I might hurl
Out grind everyone ‘fore they give me the world
But yeah, God, let it be, I got the energy
I’m representing You, I ain’t your enemy
Putting in work like there’s ten of me
Do it for my young G’s and the family”
Ms Banks wraps up Bank Statement with a beautiful piece ‘Too Far.’ This is exactly how she was supposed to end this EP. Usually, with last songs on albums, EPs, and LPs are songs that give an impression of a farewell or closing. Ms Banks did the opposite. She said, let me give my listeners another side of me. Here’s something to hold you off till the next release.
‘Too Far’ is a rendition of her singing/rapping about how far she has come in her music journey and relations being affected as well. She divulges how tough it has been hustling, she uses “grafting” which is a common term in the UK for working extremely hard.
“Baby boy, this ain’t no walk in the park
What you know about graft?
Had to hustle ’cause they wouldn’t hire us
Wasn’t aiming high enough, now you got me fired up
Dig deep, you a diamond in the rough
And they be talking like they’re tough, talking like they’re on stuff
Don’t you ever let nobody call your bluff
Stay shining, even though you’re tougher than steel
You got a PHD in keeping it real”
Even though I said this was a perfect finish, it could qualify as a first track on the EP. It’s that good. She has opened up on each song. She has made a statement, 9 times- in different ways. This EP was a statement. Overall performance out of 10 is a shining 8. Well done Ms Banks.