Lloyd Banks “Halloween Havoc IV: The 72nd Hr” Album Review

Halloween Havoc IV: The 72nd Hr

Lloyd Banks

• Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
• Date: 31 Oct, 2023
• Content: explicit
• Region: NGA
• Track(s): 15
• ℗ 2023 Money By Any Means, INC.

Its Lloyd-time. It would be more accurate to portray him as the 50s equivalent of Curtis Jackson’s magnetism and constant need for public approval: shy and contemplative. This is despite his old friend and label boss describing him as emotional and possibly unstable. Jackson ended up becoming obscure, even though he essentially abandoned his rap career to focus on building a lucrative TV empire. After releasing two highly acclaimed albums in 2016, Banks withdrew from the spotlight for a while. To be fair, 50 Cent, who had given him the famous hook for “In da Club” and had been G-Unit’s top lyricist for years, made fun of Banks for his decision. But Banks’s slow comeback with The Course of the Inevitable in 2021 wasn’t by luck.

“Inevitable” from 2021 was a relic, with its origins in a hip-hop scene that had long since faded away and was largely unknown to Banks. Though he was sometimes referred to as the “Punchline King,” Banks had worked incredibly hard to earn great respect in the industry, regardless of his actual level of public success. In summary, this man gained notoriety and admiration from Eminem and Kanye West due to their highly successful but vastly different albums, Recovery and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Additionally, he convinced both icons to appear on his T.F.M. 2 album, where Marshall featured on not one but two tracks, including the “Celebrity” remix and made a cameo with a powerful verse on Ye’s best G.O.O.D. Friday tune.

On Tuesday, October 31, the 15-track project was released in time for Halloween. It was the most recent release in his extensive mixtape series, which dates back to 2008. Banks released the second project in 2015, the third in 2016, and then took another seven-year sabbatical. Banks waited, intending to come out just when it was worth it. Old timers appreciated his comeback and loved his serious take on growing older, but one thing remained unclear: could he still spit like that? So this Havoc entry comes to respond, or not. Lyrical attitudes and unforeseen choices are widespread in Halloween Havoc IV: The 72nd Hour. Vado and Sy Ari Da Kid are included in the 15-track project. With relative surprise, Banks responds to criticism with poise and comfort, simultaneously feeling dominant and defensive.

Album Art

The album image is a “bank insignia” type that boldly states the album’s title. Lloyd is expressing to everybody who bothers to look that he cares more about the paper than the pointless rivalry and blowback he’s had to face from the industry for years; no grudges, it is what it is. The dollar sign is at the centre of the imagery. The image appears to be a no-nonsense thug with a bite at first sight. It’s business o’clock, not some softie moment. The overall design of the album art is sleek and minimalist, with a colour scheme that adds to its boldness. Using the dollar sign as the focal point reinforces Lloyd’s message of prioritizing financial success and staying focused on his goals. The imagery also suggests a sense of confidence and determination, reflecting Lloyd’s resilience in the face of challenges within the music industry.

Tracks And Features

For much of the project, the former member of G-Unit did the rapping. Along with these skilled producers, he also sought the assistance of Mr. Authentic, Cartune Beatz, George Gentson, and Haas Almadhi. The first track, “Above the Law,” is reminiscent of 2010, featuring a beat that one could picture him gliding over during his brief partnership with G.O.O.D. Music, yet it’s just as packed with bars as it would have been back then. He’s not going to break. His flow remains sharp, and his lyrical prowess shines through in every verse. The determination and resilience he exudes in “Above the Law” is a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft. With each line, he asserts his position in the rap game, proving he’s here to stay and won’t be easily shaken.

Next is “Convoy,” which veers between vintage G-Unit territory and a grittier rendition of Mannie Fresh Cash Money’s sound if the latter had been a New York producer. It also complements Banks’ wolf-like voice by purring along with a dangerous, prickly intensity. He moves fluidly between different energies, somehow managing to counterbalance his advancing years with sharp critiques of the state of contemporary rap politics. Given the underappreciated position of many of his efforts, his rapping is self-directed and pointed. The aggressive, prickly piano loop in “Convoy” reminds us that the man has not gone crazy. The fact that a review could be written on “Convoy” alone tells a lot about the veteran rapper, who packs each stanza with so much wisdom, worn-out pride, and biting criticism that they practically crumble under their weight.

Banks is constantly on his toes as he returns to Halloween, acutely aware of every move from the final, far-off flagship of the series. While keeping a more intriguing, varied array of instrumentals than his previous trilogy, he manages to hold onto every ounce of flair from his younger years, packing nearly every moment of his most recent effort with a barbed barrier of lyrical wonder. “Speeding Season” shifts gears, revealing a shimmering, tense performance with lyrics that will cause the listener to pause and play the song again to better understand the underlying implications of his anguish.

Meanwhile, “Dangerous Methods” is stuck between the eerie slide and the contemporary sounds; interestingly, Banks chose to focus on his talents rather than take advantage of a prominent Conway aspect. The backdrop of “Dangerous Methods” is more hollow and distant. A snappy, uneasy Banks is contrasted with a creepy, disembodied vocal sample in “Broken Arrows,” which is almost extraterrestrial. Banks speed up, letting the background noise around him deteriorate as the beat almost disappears in its last moments.

That is one of his advantages. He has never lost sight of who he is, even during an extraordinary career filled with extreme highs and lows. He juggles this odd Herculean feat continuously, going from relative disappearance to one-time superstardom. “You Shouldn’t Be Here” seems to be as aimed at his more prominent career as he chose to protest as it is at critics and lovers who turned traitors. Banks sounds weary in “Roaming Weather,” questioning his reputation and possible retirement, yet he ends by saying, “It never really mattered about the odds in it.” The song feels even more self-directed. He intends to stay through to the very end.

“Diamond Heist,” featuring Vado, is sizzling, just as you would expect! In between screaming facts, Banks is a smooth talker who adds more influence to the music, as lyrical Vado does. Sy Ari is a smooth protagonist in “Bad Advice”. The delivery and complete inventiveness of the hard-rocking beat will make fans of the rising star proud once more.

“Condolences” brings the listening experience to a finale. In it, Banks candidly acknowledges his low points, reminding the streets of their humanity and reaffirming his commitment to always being true to himself. Banks has undoubtedly drawn attention to himself once more, and although it’s still debatable, many fans appear to believe that when he said that no one comes close to him today, he meant it.

Tracklist

NO	YOUTUBE	TITLE	TIME
1	Play	Above the Law	3:13
2	Play	Convoy	3:51
3	Play	Familiar Scars	3:04
4	Play	Speeding Season	2:51
5	Play	Dangerous Minds	3:08
6	Play	No Opinions	2:32
7	Play	Clubbin’ & Chaos	2:43
8	Play	Diamond Heist (feat. Vado)	2:55
9	Play	Trap Dice	3:07
10	Play	Broken Arrows	4:05
11	Play	You Shouldn’t Be Here	2:37
12	Play	Roaming Weather	2:43
13	Play	Take Me Under	3:56
14	Play	Bad Advice (feat. Sy Ari Da Kid)	3:00
15	Play	Condolences	3:34

Album Summary

Halloween Havoc IV: The 72nd Hour

Why now? Not coincidental.

Banks’ reappearance was planned, and the ever-internal artist took every facet of his tardy comeback into account. The Course of the Inevitable is his first official studio album in almost 11 years. Increased to a trilogy published in the same years, the lyricist realized the full potential of his firm, practically malignant rasp by narrowing his vision into a more direct and emotional cadence. Instead of the linguistically intricate, quotable webs of his Punchline King era, emphasis was placed on the meaning behind each word, more in the vein of a Kool G Rap or Scarface. It was an intriguing, mature evolution from an ageing, underappreciated icon. How far we’ll go is the one thing that is still unknown.

These lyrical attitudes and unexpected choices are abundant in Halloween Havoc IV: The 72nd Hour. The new breath of life from a once-far-off legend, Banks, isn’t stopping now. He’s justifying his slow-ego death; this album is what his fans will love. The reflective energy can be felt in his words as they drop.

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