The son of a serial entrepreneur and well-respected hustler who played a vital role in supporting local Bay Area street rap throughout the ‘90s and ‘00s, Show Banga learned all his game from his father, Show Time. Coming from San Francisco’s storied Fillmore District, Show Banga is a unique talent, mixing elements of the Mob Music of his hometown, the ratchet beats popular across the Bay, and Southern influences prevalent in East Oakland street rap into a signature blend of turn-up.
Today, XXL premieres the visual for “$howtime,” the opening track from Show Banga’s Show Time 2, an album in tribute to his father, a prominent figure in the early days of Bay Area hip-hop, which released last week via EMPIRE. With glistening keys, elastic bass, and a ratchet kick-snare drum pattern courtesy of Juneonnabeat, “$howtime” is a mission statement for ShowTime 2 and for Show Banga himself, delving into his relationship with his father, his money-making motivation, and his hustle-at-all-costs life ethos: “Want it all push a hard line/fuck a paper cut I want all mine/free to free the guys doing hard time/pray to God I make it through this hard time.” In the video, Show Banga stunts in several San Francisco locations, including the steps of his old best friend’s house in Fillmore. “He passed away when we were 15,” reveals Show Banga. “Filming the video at his house is how I honor him.”
“$howtime” is a motivational song,” says Show Banga to XXL. “For my album, Show Time 2, I wanted a lot of energy but I also wanted something that people can fully feel. That’s why I chose it to be the opening track. They can turn up to the rest of the songs but this is something you can put on in the morning, right as you start the day. That’s because it’s a hustler’s motivation song. It’s showtime, get your day started with that kind of mentality. And that’s what my dad did–he hustled, and that’s why I named the album after him. ”
A longtime associate of the HBK Gang and the son of a quintessential Bay Area hustler, Show Banga brings enough raucous energy and infectious songcraft to kickstart any party. Featuring guest spots from Sage The Gemini, Lil Yee and Kool John, along with four features from IAMSU!, Show Time 2 is a true Bay Area affair, melding sounds from several different Bay Area eras and neighborhoods. With production from IAMSU!, Juneonnabeat, Nikeyboy, Young Page and others, Show Time 2 proves Show Banga is one of the Bay’s premier young artists and that he has the charisma to break out of the Bay onto the national scene. Show Time 2 is currently available for purchase.
Watch the video now and/or download the album via the links provided!
Speak On It!