Banks & Steelz | |
|---|---|
 Banks & Steelz performing at Lincoln Hall, Chicago in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | East Coast hip hop |
| Years active | 2011–2017 (inactive) |
| Labels | Warner Bros. |
| Members | |
Banks & Steelz is a musical collaboration between Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan rapper RZA. The duo began making music together in 2011 and began recording a full album in 2013. They released their debut studio album, Anything But Words , on August 26, 2016.
The duo first began recording music together in 2011, and a demo was created; Banks had provided vocals for a beat created by RZA. [1] During this time, however, the two were not planning on making an album together. RZA later regarded them as just "buddies playing chess" (they had played chess together at the time) who sometimes made music. [1] Their demos caught the attention of an A&R, which is when they began recording longer compositions for an album. The duo began work on an album in 2013, [1] which is when the first public mention of their collaboration was made, during an interview that RZA had with Rolling Stone . [2] In this interview, he explained that when his manager asked for who he would like to work with musically, he responded with Banks, saying that he "just has an energy about him" and that if they were to combine their musical talents, "it [would] be great". [2] RZA expected the album to take about a year to finish. [3] During 2014, Banks' main project Interpol were recording their fifth album, El Pintor . The album was released in September 2014. [4] [5] Banks and RZA were planning on releasing their album in 2015, but decided that it was unfinished. [3]
On May 18, 2016, it was announced that the duo, under the name Banks & Steelz, would release music later that year. [6] The duo's first single, "Love + War", featuring fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, premiered on the Apple Music radio station Beats 1 the following day. [7] [8] A video for the song, which pays tribute to a scene from the film Reservoir Dogs , was released on May 20. [9] [10] On June 9, it was announced that the duo would be releasing their debut studio album, Anything But Words , on August 26, 2016 through Warner Bros. Records. [11] A song from the album, titled "Giant", was premiered on Beats 1 on the same day. Also announced on that day were dates for a tour across the United States. [12] On July 14, the duo released "Speedway Sonora" as the album's third single. [13] [14] "Sword in the Stone", featuring rapper Kool Keith, was released as the album's fourth single on July 28 [15] and "Anything But Words" was released as the fifth single on August 12. [16]
In May 2017, Banks and Steelz released the non-album single "Who Needs The World". [17]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [18] | US Heat [19] | UK Rַ&B [20] | ||
| Anything But Words |
| 186 | 4 | 18 |
| Title | Year | UK Sales [22] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Love and War" (featuring Ghostface Killah) | 2016 | — | Anything But Words |
| "Giant" | — | ||
| "Speedway Sonora" | — | ||
| "Sword in the Stone" (featuring Kool Keith) | — | ||
| "Anything But Words" | — | ||
| "Wild Season" (featuring Florence Welch) | 2017 | 74 | |
| "Who Needs the World" | — | — | |
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop musical collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, Ol' Dirty Bastard. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. They are credited for revitalizing East Coast hip hop and are considered one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time.
Dennis David Coles, better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo career with Ironman, which was well received by music critics, in 1996. He has enjoyed continued success in the years that have followed, releasing critically acclaimed albums such as Supreme Clientele (2000) and Fishscale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film The Mystery of Chess Boxing. He is the founder of his own record label, Starks Enterprises.
Interpol is an American rock band from Manhattan, New York. Formed in 1997, their original line-up consisted of Paul Banks, Daniel Kessler, Carlos Dengler, and Greg Drudy (drums). Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino. Dengler left to pursue other projects in 2010, with Banks taking on the additional role of bassist instead of hiring a new one.
Paul Julian Banks is an English-American musician, singer, songwriter, and DJ. Noted for his baritone singing voice, he is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and studio bassist of the American rock band Interpol. He released a solo album called Julian Plenti is... Skyscraper in 2009 under the name Julian Plenti, though his solo material is now recorded under his real name.
Tekitha Washington is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliated female vocalist. She was the Wu-Tang Clan's in-house singer for the album Wu-Tang Forever, on which she also performed a solo track titled "Second Coming". She also filled in for the unavailable Mary J. Blige in the video for Ghostface Killah's "All That I Got Is You".
Stone Mecca, also known as Tru James and James "Tre" Rabb, is an American multi-genre instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, producer, recording engineer, and mixer. A longtime collaborator with Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA, Stone Mecca has worked on many projects with RZA, including studio albums, soundtracks, and concerts.
The Spirit of Apollo is the only album by N.A.S.A., a hip hop duo consisting of Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon. It was released on ANTI- in 2009.
Wu-Massacre is a collaboration studio album by American rappers and Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, under the group name Meth • Ghost • Rae, released March 30, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album was handled by several hip hop producers, including RZA, Allah Mathematics, Scram Jones, Emile, Ty Fyffe, BT and Digem Tracks Productions.
The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City–based hip-hop musical group, consisting of ten American rappers: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, Cappadonna, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. This list chronologically displays the albums of each group member including collaboration and side group albums. This list does not include compilation albums, mixtapes, or extended plays.
A Better Tomorrow is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. The album was released on December 2, 2014, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was supported by the singles "Keep Watch", "Ron O'Neal" and "Ruckus in B Minor". A Better Tomorrow received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,386 copies in its first week of release.
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA or The RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the de facto leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most albums for the group and its respective members. He is a cousin of two other original Wu-Tang Clan members: GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital, along with executive producing credits for side projects. After forming the Wu-Tang Clan, RZA was a founding member of the horrorcore group Gravediggaz, since 1992, where he went by the name The RZArector.
Twelve Reasons to Die II is the second collaborative studio album by American rapper Ghostface Killah and American composer Adrian Younge. It is the sequel to their 2013 album Twelve Reasons to Die. The album was released on July 10, 2015, by Linear Labs. It features guest appearances from Raekwon, RZA, Scarub, Vince Staples, Lyrics Born, Chino XL and Bilal.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released on August 1, 1995, by Loud Records and RCA Records. The album was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the "star", fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the "guest-star", and producer RZA as the "director". It features appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan. The album also features debut appearances from affiliates Cappadonna and Blue Raspberry, and an acclaimed guest appearance from rapper Nas, which marked the first collaboration with a non-affiliated artist on a Wu-Tang related album.
Ironman is the debut studio album by American rapper Ghostface Killah, released on October 29, 1996, by Epic Records. It was produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. The album's music draws prominently on blaxploitation films and soul samples. As with other solo debuts from the group's members, Ironman contains references to the Nation of Gods and Earths.
Supreme Clientele is the second studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released on February 8, 2000, by Epic Records. The album showcases Ghostface's signature up-tempo, stream-of-consciousness rhyme style, and features guest appearances from Cappadonna, GZA, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon, Redman, RZA, U-God, and others. It features affiliates of what would become members of Theodore Unit and T.M.F. Supreme Clientele contains a large amount of production from group member RZA, who also re-worked and remixed beats from other producers involved, as a means to create a unified and cohesive sound for the album.
Twelve Reasons to Die is the first collaborative studio album by American rapper Ghostface Killah and American composer Adrian Younge. It is a concept album based on a comic book of the same name. The album was executive-produced and narrated by RZA. It was released on April 16, 2013, by RZA's Soul Temple Records label and RED Distribution. It features guest appearances from Wu-Tang members Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna along with William Hart and Killa Sin.
Anything But Words is the debut studio album by Banks & Steelz, a collaborative project between Interpol vocalist Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. It was released August 26, 2016, on Warner Bros. Records. Recording of the album dates back to 2013, with a demo of early material being created two years prior. Anything But Words features guest appearances by other musicians, as well as other Wu-Tang Clan members, and additional production from Ari Levine and Andrew Wyatt, among others. Five singles were released from the album; "Love and War", featuring Ghostface Killah, "Giant", "Speedway Sonora", "Sword in the Stone", featuring Kool Keith, and "Anything But Words".
"Love and War" is the debut single by Banks & Steelz, a collaborative project created by Interpol frontman Paul Banks and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. Featuring a rap verse from fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, it was premiered on the Apple Music radio station Beats 1 on May 19, 2016. It was subsequently released as a digital download, acting as the lead single from their debut studio album, Anything But Words (2016). A music video for the song, which pays tribute to the film Reservoir Dogs, was also released on May 20.
Marauder is the sixth studio album by American rock band Interpol. It was released on August 24, 2018, by Matador Records. The album was produced by Dave Fridmann and recorded at his studio, Tarbox Road, in Cassadaga, New York from December 6, 2017 through April 18, 2018.
"Wu Tang Forever" is a song by American rapper Logic, featured as the sixth track on his 2018 album YSIV. The song is a homage to the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and features all living members of the group: Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, RZA, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, U-God, Masta Killa and GZA, as well as Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Jackpot Scotty Wotty; deceased member Ol' Dirty Bastard received a writing credit. The song shares the same title as the group's second studio album.
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