A student of the culture with undeniable wit, BandGang Lonnie Bands has a way with punchlines that would make even Dave Chappelle proud. Drawing inspiration from the classic Chappelle’s Show episode with Charlie Murphy and Rick James in his latest music video, Lonnie returns to share visuals for “Bam Bam.” “Bam Bam” is the first glimpse of the upcoming H2K: Reloaded, the deluxe version of his 2021 album Hard 2 Kill, set to release in the coming weeks.
“Bam Bam” puts Lonnie’s hard-biting, soft-spoken bars over fast-paced piano and spitfire snares on full display, creating that sense of unsettling urgency that percolates throughout the original H2K. With his signature rasp and unfazed flow, Lonnie tries to make sense of the ups and downs of Detroit rap stardom, saying, “I don’t know why these h**s like me and my weird shape/I don’t know why these n****s don’t shout out my mixtape”
Red leather-clad and with mic in hand on an underground stage, the “Bam Bam” visuals see BandGang Lonnie Bands adopt a new persona, as he makes his introduction: “F*** this couch, b**** I’m Brick James.” The dark, intimate lounge which serves as the video’s setting feels like a microcosm of nightlife in its own little corner of Detroit, undisturbed by the outside world, freeing Lonnie to perform on stage, kick back by the bar, and go full-on “Brick James” on your favorite couch.
“Bam Bam” is Lonnie’s first release of 2022, following a hard-hitting 2021 that mixed professional success and personal strife. The music video arrives ahead of the forthcoming H2K: Reloaded deluxe album, an expansion of H2K which reflects his state of mind since the project’s October release. With H2K: Reloaded, Lonnie looks to add to the energetic imperativeness of its predecessor, released just months after he survived a near-fatal shooting incident, which saw the rapper rhyme with a new level of fearlessness, discuss his exploits in the streets, demonstrate his rap supremacy, and dare the opps to take another shot at him.
With over 100 million YouTube views in the bank, BandGang Lonnie Bands is ready to prove that he’s one of the best bar-for-bar rappers in the game today. He made his name as one of six members of BandGang, a Detroit collective that helped bring the piano-heavy sound that now dominates Detroit to the forefront. The 26-year-old rapper showed his skills as a solo act with his KOD project, and expanded his audience with guest appearances on tracks by Shoreline Mafia, Drego & Beno, and more. Though the last two years have been hard, punctuated by Lonnie’s near-death experience and the loss of several close friends including BandGang Paid Will, the rapper emerged from his trials stronger as a man and an artist, determined to support his family by doing what he loves most–making music.
Watch “Bam Bam”: https://www.youtube.com/
