Philadelphia has spawned some of the hottest names in Hip Hop over the past few decades, including Lil Uzi Vert and Meek Mill. Among the latest is Lay Bankz, who recently made her Billboard Hot 100 debut with “Tell Ur Girlfriend.”
Today (May 16), she spoke with the publication about the record’s success, going viral on TikTok, and more. “I prayed for this and everything that’s happening for me,” Bankz said of “Tell Ur Girlfriend.” She continued, “It don’t feel too unrealistic or surreal because when you work towards something your whole life — I’ve been singing since I was 3 — and then it starts happening, you don’t really realize it’s happening until the big moment.”
When asked about her biggest influence musically, Bankz named Beyoncé. “I love Beyoncé, just from growing up and seeing her artist development from Destiny’s Child to now.”The “Na Na Na” creator added, “I went to the ‘RENAISSANCE [WORLD] TOUR,’ and it was amazing. I literally could not believe it. I was so astonished. I just love Beyoncé! Everything about how she performs and how she gets on the stage is so captivating when you see her. You can’t look at anything else and she makes you believe what she’s saying.”
Bankz also weighed in on Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s rap beef. Although she didn’t choose a side, the rising star revealed that “Push Ups” was her favorite release to come from the recent feud. She added, “‘euphoria’ was crazy, too, so it’s kinda hard to pick.”
“Both of them are really OGs in the game,” she admitted earlier in the conversation. “I think both of them are really amazing rappers, and I love both of their music. I listen to Drake faithfully, and Kendrick got some hits that I really f**k with.”
In 2023, Bankz shared Now You See Me via Artist Partner Group (APG). It contained seven songs, including “Throw Dat” and her breakthrough track “Ick.” Her next project, After 7, is expected to hit streaming platforms on May 27.