Lloyd Banks – Strength In Numbers (Freestyle)

Lloyd Banks has been getting back into his freestyle skills lately, as he recently performed a freestyle over the “Ace Trumpets” beat from the upcoming Clipse album, Let God Sort Em Out. Recently, he reaffirmed his affection for his peers with the new “Strength In Numbers” freestyle, which uses Benny The Butcher’s 2018 Tana Talk 3 beat, “Rubber Bands & Weight.”

The Queens spitter demonstrates impressive rhyme schemes and one-liners on this track, all delivered with a husky and raspy vocal tone. The overall atmosphere is one of luxurious opulence, grime, rowdiness, and self-assurance throughout, whether Lloyd Banks is rapping about his decades in the music industry or street betrayals. One of this week’s most stripped-back lyrical performances is a display from an MC who has received widespread acclaim.

Instrumentally, this beat from The Alchemist maintains its quality even when Lloyd Banks is rapping over it. Atmospheric and ghostly vocals occasionally surface through the mix, while dark guitar lines loop over the hard-hitting boom-bap percussion. Minimal horn breaks and other eerie synth pads provide a haunting background, and it’s refreshing to hear this production maintain its timeless quality.

Lloyd Banks appears to be on a roll currently, so it will be interesting to see which other hot instrumental he chooses to produce next. His new freestyles follow similarly impressive verses on his latest mixtape A.O.N. 3: DESPITE MY MISTAKES, which also commemorated the G-Unit affiliate’s 43rd birthday a couple of months ago.